This is How Long a Great Pool Party Should Be

Throwing a pool party doesn’t have to be stressful. Planning everything ahead of time will help you enjoy yourself with your guests. Perhaps one of the most important parts of a great party is knowing what time it should start and end. After all, you wouldn’t want everyone to feel like they have to leave before they’re ready to go.

A great pool party should be between 3 to 4 hours long. This time allotment allows people to show up when they’re comfortable, not a required starting time. It lets everyone enjoy the pool, sunshine, and other amenities. They can socialize and move around without having to choose only one activity.

Throughout this article, we’ll break down how long your party should be, what affects the time span, and what the best time to start a pool party should be. Enjoy!

Group of friends having fun in swimming pool on a sunny day

How Long Should a Great Pool Party Be?

Your pool party should be long enough to have a fun time with your guests but short enough not to make everyone feel like they have to spend the whole day at your pool. Plunge San Diego explains that a high-end pool party can be as short as two hours under the right circumstances.

However, it’s best to consider a handful of variables before deciding how long you want your party to be. Let’s examine everything you need to think about for your pool party’s timespan below.

How to Determine the Length of a Pool Party

To determine the length of a pool party, follow these steps:

  1. Find out how many people are showing up. If you’re inviting 20+ people, the party might have to be a little bit shorter since you’ll have to clean everything while ensuring everybody is having a good time. Pool parties with less than 15 people can be however long you want everyone to stay.
  2. Decide what time you want the party to start. Starting a pool party earlier lets you go longer because it prevents late-night noise complaints and swimming when it’s cold outside. However, starting too earlier will mean the water and air are too cold, so people might feel discouraged from swimming.
  3. Figure out what amenities and activities you can provide. If you have darts, pool tables, barbecues, and other things going on at the pool party, it can last several hours. However, pool parties without anything other than the pool typically only go for two hours or so. Adding food and drinks is a crucial part of a great pool party.
  4. Choose if you’re going to host the party at your house or somewhere else. If you have the party at your house, it can be as long as you want it to be. That being said, there are plenty of companies that host pool parties at specific commercial locations. Check their time allotments to know how long your party can last.
  5. Ask other people coming to the pool party. If all else fails, ask the people who you think will stay the longest. Nothing’s wrong with checking how long everyone wants to spend at your party. They might end up telling you a much longer time frame, which means you have more preparations to do.

In the Swim suggests adding a lifeguard to your swim party if you have lots of children, senior citizens, or people who have trouble swimming. This tip will let you lengthen your party because you can focus your energy on having fun rather than feeling worn out by monitoring everyone.

What’s the Best Time to Start a Pool Party?

The best time to start a pool party is between 1 PM to 3 PM. This time frame gives you enough space to spend several hours hosting a party. It also ensures the whole party is under lots of sunlight, making the pool much more inviting. If you have a heated swimming pool, you can start the party as late as 4 PM or 5 PM.

Consider these factors when determining the best time to start a pool party:

  • When is it the sunniest outside at your house? The Kitchn recommends starting your pool party at 3 PM because it’s when the sun is at its highest. There are tanning opportunities, too, making it a wonderful time for everyone attending the party. It’s also early enough to allow a few hours of sunlight left in the day.
  • What day of the week is your pool party? If it’s on a Sunday, keep in mind that a lot of people attend church and family gatherings in the morning. Give them time to wrap things up, head home, and get ready for the party. You should be able to start it as early as 1 PM on Sundays, but Saturdays typically don’t have start time limitations.
  • Do you have neighbors nearby? Be mindful of the time you start the party because you wouldn’t want to get noise complaints. Most places have quiet hours that start around 9 PM to 10 PM. If you want to have an all-day party, it’s best to go from 1 PM to 8 PM. Your neighbors will be grateful, but you’ll still have an amazing party.

Since most pool parties only last for a few hours, you don’t have to worry too much about the start time. As long as it’s sunny, warm, and lively, you should be able to have a good time. Again, feel free to consult your guests to ask them what time suits their busy schedules.

If you’ve been invited to a party, you might find it weird not to dance. After all, everyone goes to these parties to dance. However, you can do other things besides dancing at a party. Find out more by clicking the link.

Group of friends having fun in swimming pool on a sunny day

Final Thoughts

Throwing a great party starts at the right time and ends before people get too bored. It doesn’t hurt to set an open schedule after a designated start time. Read the room and call it a day after a few hours if everyone seems like they’re ready to go home. The timespan varies based on who you’re with, so consider asking their opinions beforehand.

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