How to Plan an Alcohol-Free Holiday Party in Colorado Springs
Plan an alcohol-free holiday party in Colorado Springs: compare Kava Works lounges, set a budget, confirm food and seating, and send a clear invitation.
To plan an alcohol-free holiday party in Colorado Springs, choose a lounge, confirm space and food arrangements, set a per-person budget, and give guests one activity they can join or skip. Kava Works North and Downtown offer two possible starting points for an adult gathering; call the location before sending invitations for a large group.
October is a useful time to settle the basics for November and December. You do not need a complicated itinerary. You do need to know where everyone is meeting, what the host is paying for, and whether the room suits the group.
This guide covers a casual gathering at a shared lounge. Private hire, reserved seating, catering, and holiday opening hours must be confirmed directly with Kava Works.
Say "alcohol-free" clearly in the invitation
Do not make guests discover the format at the door.
Use direct, positive language:
After confirming the arrangements, an invitation could read:
"Join us for an alcohol-free holiday get-together at Kava Works Downtown, 111 E Pikes Peak Ave., on our agreed date from 6 to 8 p.m. Drinks are purchased individually, and the gift exchange is optional with a $10 limit. Come for the conversation whether or not you want to try kava. Bring valid ID; kava ordering is 18+. Reply with any access or dietary questions before the event."
Add the actual date, host's name, RSVP deadline, food plan, and a recognizable meeting point. If the host is covering drinks, replace the individual-payment line with the agreed allowance.
This helps people plan transportation, understand the venue, and decide whether the event fits their needs. It also signals that alcohol-free guests are not an afterthought.
Choose North or Downtown
Kava Works Downtown at 111 E Pikes Peak Ave. works well for central teams, multi-stop holiday plans, downtown dinner, seasonal lights, or a show before or after.
Kava Works North at 6820 N Academy Blvd. works well for North Academy, UCCS, Briargate, north-side teams, and a simpler one-location gathering.
Call North at (719) 698-9037 or Downtown at (719) 394-4907. Have two possible dates and a realistic head count ready.
Ask about seating together, accessibility, outside food or cake, decorations, payment arrangements, and any public event already planned for that night. If the room cannot accommodate your group comfortably, reduce the head count or choose another date before inviting everyone.
The locations page lists COS East as coming soon. Use an open lounge for your invitation unless an opening has been confirmed.
Set a budget people can understand
Build the budget around a drink allowance, food, and any optional gift or activity. Include tax and gratuity in the host's estimate. Do not assume a group discount, complimentary food, or a minimum spend without asking.
For example, a host could choose a $15 drink allowance per person. For ten guests, that is a $150 drink budget before tax and gratuity, with food and gifts handled separately. This is a planning allowance, not a Kava Works package or a promise that every order fits it.
The current menu is the place to check prices. Kava Works also posts weekday offers in its Instagram calendars; an October promotion should not be treated as a confirmed December deal.
Give the drink menu a starring role
Guests notice when alcohol is removed and nothing interesting replaces it.
The menu includes traditional kava, kava soda, Nitro Tea, kombucha, and other drinks. Ask staff about ingredients rather than assuming every tea, soda, or botanical blend contains the same things.
Make water and a suitable option without kava or other active botanicals easy to choose. Guests avoiding all alcohol should also ask about fermented drinks and their labeled alcohol content. Nobody needs to order kava to be included in the party.
Share What Is Kava? for guests who are curious. Kava is not risk-free simply because it is served in an alcohol-free lounge. Do not combine it with alcohol or sedating substances; anyone taking medication should consult their clinician first. Avoid kava during pregnancy or breastfeeding. The NIH kava fact sheet explains these precautions and the reports of rare, serious liver injury.
Use the current menu instead of printing old prices or promising products that may change.
Add one inclusive activity
Holiday parties become awkward when the entire agenda is "network until something happens."
Choose one activity that does not require insider knowledge:
- A small gift exchange with a clear spending cap
- Holiday trivia that includes more than one tradition
- A tabletop game tournament
- A favorite-cookie vote if venue policy permits food
- A gratitude or wins-of-the-year wall
- A playful awards ceremony with kind categories
- A collaborative playlist
Avoid mandatory vulnerability, forced singing, or games that embarrass the newest person in the room. Festive is not the same as captive.
Make the party welcoming for mixed groups
Guests may avoid alcohol for many reasons. Invite them to the gathering without making a particular botanical drink part of the expectation.
Do not ask guests to explain why the format matters to them.
If the event is specifically recovery-centered, ask participants what environment feels safe and appropriate. Alcohol-free is important, but individual needs still deserve attention.
Kava ordering at Kava Works is 18+ with valid ID. Confirm the entry policy for your particular gathering, especially if anyone plans to bring a child or younger sibling. An alcohol-free venue is not automatically an all-ages venue.
Handle food before the event
Decide whether food will be ordered at the lounge, eaten before, or planned as a separate stop. The menu lists lounge food, but confirm availability and service timing for your chosen location and group. Outside food, catering, cakes, and shared platters need a direct conversation with the team.
Ask guests about allergies and dietary needs in advance. Label anything shared. Keep water easy to find. Colorado winter air, heated rooms, and a busy schedule can leave people more dehydrated than they realize.
Give the night a beginning and an ending
Set a clear arrival window and an official end time.
For example:
- 6:00 p.m. — arrive, find the host, and order
- 6:30 p.m. — welcome and one short group activity
- 7:00 p.m. — food if arranged, optional gifts, and conversation
- 8:00 p.m. — official gathering ends
People are more likely to attend when they know the commitment. Parents, early risers, introverts, and anyone with another event should not need an escape plan.
This is a sample itinerary, not a reserved event. Confirm holiday hours and the night's programming before using it. The website lists daily happy hour from 6 to 7 p.m., while monthly social calendars may announce additional weekday offers; ask which terms apply on your date.
Holiday party plans by group
For coworkers
Keep the official event to two or three hours, make attendance genuinely optional, skip alcohol-centered jokes, and choose an activity that does not reward seniority.
For friends
Use a gift exchange, game, themed outfit, or shared playlist. Let the lounge be the entire plan or add dinner nearby.
For a club or community group
Provide a visible meeting point, name tags only if useful, and a simple welcome for first-time attendees. Call ahead about the expected group size.
For an 18+ group
State the age and ID requirement in the invitation. Read the 18+ alcohol-free nightlife guide if some guests have never visited an adult alcohol-free lounge.
Holiday party FAQ
Can Kava Works host a private event?
Contact the chosen lounge directly to ask about current options. Availability, capacity, and policies depend on the date and event.
Can we bring food, decorations, or gifts?
Ask before bringing anything. Keep decorations easy to remove, safe around walkways, and respectful of the shared lounge.
Do guests have to drink kava?
No. The menu includes other alcohol-free options, and no guest should be pressured to order a particular drink.
Is this suitable for people under 21?
Adults 18–20 can order kava with valid ID. Confirm any event-specific entry rules with the lounge; do not assume guests under 18 can attend.
Is a kava lounge appropriate for every alcohol-free group?
No single venue fits everyone. Ask guests about the setting privately, especially for a recovery-focused gathering. Kava is psychoactive, and some people prefer a gathering without it. Choose the venue and drinks around the group's needs.
Where can we see current holiday events?
Check the Kava Works events calendar and contact the lounge for confirmed details.
Plan early, then keep it human
Choose the date. Call the venue. Send a clear invitation. Confirm food and policies. Pick one activity. Leave room for conversation.
For a smaller gathering, the sober group-night guide can help you keep the plan simple. For an individual celebration, use the alcohol-free birthday guide. When you are ready, choose North or Downtown and confirm the arrangements with that lounge.