Published October 17, 2026.
Get everyone involved and singing by adding karaoke to your next company holiday party. With karaoke your MC manages the singers and queue, after your company's program and speeches. This guide is for the office manager, HR lead, or planning committee who is thinking of adding karaoke to their company holiday party in Seattle.
Key takeaways
- Book entertainment as early as you can, by mid-October at the latest for a December party.
- Plan karaoke as the last two to three hours, after the program and speeches.
- One MC can run the whole night, from background music to karaoke.
- DJ Illusion's DJ, MC, and karaoke packages run $1,299 to $4,000+ for 3 to 5 hours in Seattle.
- Keep singing opt-in, and send the MC a do-not-sing list.
Is karaoke a good idea for a company holiday party?
Yes, as the last two to three hours of a 3 to 5 hour party, once people have mingled, eaten, and found a little courage.
It pairs well with a DJ. Guests who'd rather sing than dance get their own part of the night, and by the third song the intern and the VP are on the same chorus.
The earlier hours do different work. Background music carries arrival and dinner while people talk. After the program, the DJ can open the dance floor, mix music with more energy for a room that would rather not dance, or karaoke can begin.
Should you hire a karaoke host, rent a machine, or book a band?
Hire an MC when you want a professional running the room for your event. Or designate a charismatic coworker on the party committee to act as host. Karaoke machine rental suits a small group happy to run it themselves.
| Hosted karaoke | Machine rental | Live band karaoke | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | Your MC | Your team | The band |
| Songs | Over 60,000, requested by phone | Varies by rental | Limited song selection |
| Setup | Set up and run by your MC | Dropped off with a demo | The band |
| Seattle price | $1,299 to $4,000+ | About $90 to $385 | About $3,300 to $6,000+ |
Host, machine, or live band
Hosted karaoke
- Who runs it
- Your MC
- Songs
- Over 60,000, requested by phone
- Setup
- Set up and run by your MC
- Seattle price
- $1,299 to $4,000+
Machine rental
- Who runs it
- Your team
- Songs
- Varies by rental
- Setup
- Dropped off with a demo
- Seattle price
- About $90 to $385
Live band karaoke
- Who runs it
- The band
- Songs
- Limited song selection
- Setup
- The band
- Seattle price
- About $3,300 to $6,000+
When should you book the DJ and karaoke?
Book the venue, caterer, and entertainment 10 to 12 weeks out, as Cvent's holiday party checklist advises. Book sooner if you can, while your first choices are open. Windows assume a mid-December party. The printable holiday party planning checklist has the full task list.
-
10 to 12 weeks out Late September to early October
Lock budget, date, and venue
- Finance approves the ceiling
- Check a multi-faith calendar for conflicts
- Tour venues before you sign; book the caterer
-
8 to 10 weeks out Early to mid-October
Book entertainment Decision point
- Book by mid-October at the latest
- Send the save-the-date
-
3 to 4 weeks out Mid to late November
Invites and purchase orders
- RSVP asks dietary and access needs
- Purchase orders issued against signed contracts
-
2 weeks out Around December 1
Confirm details in writing
- Send the MC a do-not-sing list
- Final headcount to the caterer
- Arrival times from every vendor
-
Day of Mid-December
Let people work
- Mic check with each speaker
- Karaoke opens after the program
How much does a company holiday party cost?
All in, a company holiday party with karaoke runs about $5,000 to $162,000 in Seattle. That covers 50 to 300 guests, from a restaurant buyout to a museum.
| Item | Per guest |
|---|---|
| Food and drinksBuffet with service to plated with full bar; City Catering Company and Reuben's Brews | $60 to $280 |
| Guest gifts or raffle prizes2025 median and average employee gift on Tremendous | $25 to $62 |
| Item | Per event |
|---|---|
| Restaurant or breweryMinimum spend; Tagvenue, Reuben's Brews | $500 to $3,500 |
| Hotel ballroomFood-and-drink minimum (about $100 a guest) plus room fee up to $750; Wedding Spot, Arctic Club | $3,000 to $16,000+ |
| Event venue or clubDay hire or minimum spend; Tagvenue | $4,200 to $16,000 |
| MuseumMoPOP facility fee, not catering; Wedding Spot, NW Event Guide | $15,000 to $30,000 |
| DJ, MC, and hosted karaokeSee karaoke packages | $1,299 to $4,000+ |
| Photo boothSee photo booth | $1,200 to $2,000+ |
| Decor and uplightingUplighting plus a decorator, per Thumbtack | $1,400 to $2,200 |
| TransportationRideshare codes or a shuttle | Varies |
Event prices assume 3 to 5 hours.
| Party | All in |
|---|---|
| 50 guests, restaurant or brewery | $5,000 to $33,000 |
| 150 guests, hotel ballroom | $18,000 to $69,000 |
| 300 guests, event venue | $26,000 to $146,000 |
| 300 guests, museum | $50,000 to $162,000 |
When should karaoke happen during the party?
Karaoke goes last: the final two to three hours, after the program and speeches. Your MC runs the singers and the queue. No executive has to speak right after a power ballad.
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 6:00 p.m. | Doors, drinks, and background music |
| 6:30 p.m. | Dinner, with background music |
| 7:30 p.m. | Program and speeches |
| 8:00 p.m. | DJ dance set |
| 9:00 p.m. | Karaoke opens with a group song or an executive |
| 10:30 p.m. | Last call, announced from the mic |
| 11:00 p.m. | Lights up and a rideshare reminder |
DJ Illusion hosts and manages your whole night: background music, the MC work, a DJ dance set, and/or karaoke.
What are the best karaoke songs for an office holiday party?
Songs people in their 20s and their 60s all know.
- Don't Stop Believin', Journey
- Sweet Caroline, Neil Diamond
- Livin' on a Prayer, Bon Jovi
- I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me), Whitney Houston
- Dancing Queen, ABBA
- Shallow, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
- I Want It That Way, Backstreet Boys
- Respect, Aretha Franklin
- Africa, Toto
Best Christmas karaoke songs for an office party
- All I Want for Christmas Is You, Mariah Carey
- Last Christmas, Wham!
- Feliz Navidad, José Feliciano
- Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Brenda Lee
- Jingle Bell Rock, Bobby Helms
- Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!, Dean Martin
What should you confirm with the venue?
Ask what A/V the venue already has. Many venues have installed sound systems or screens, which can save money.
What DJ Illusion needs from the venue
- About 8 by 8 feet for the karaoke setup, plus a clear sight line to the lyrics display. The ultra-short-throw projector sits inches from the screen, so it fits tight spaces, and wireless HDMI means no one trips over cables.
- Stairs or a freight elevator add setup time and can add cost, so mention them early.
Which party policies should HR settle first?
Expect these five questions.
- Who serves the alcohol? In Washington, a company pouring free drinks in an unlicensed space, like the office, needs a banquet permit from the Liquor and Cannabis Board. Selling drinks at a private event takes a licensed caterer, per the board's information sheet. Ask bartenders about MAST permits, and confirm your setup with the board.
- What if someone picks an explicit song? Send your MC a do-not-sing list. DJ Illusion manages the queue live.
- Will anyone feel pushed to sing? Guests sign up from their own phones, so singing is opt-in. Say so on the invitation.
- What about volume and lights? Seat guests sensitive to sound or flashing lights away from the speakers and the dance floor.
- How do remote employees join in? Stream the program, and send each one a stipend for a local team dinner.
What paperwork will procurement need?
Each vendor sends four documents, three at booking. Your company adds the purchase order and any banquet permit.
| Document | When |
|---|---|
| W-9 | At booking |
| Certificate of insurance naming the venue | At booking |
| Signed contract with cancellation datesVendor drafts, you sign | At booking |
| Purchase orderFrom your company | Before the event |
| Banquet permitFrom your company, if needed | Before the event |
| Itemized invoice | After the event, paid on the purchase order's terms |
DJ Illusion accepts corporate cards and purchase orders on net-30 terms, or your company's terms on request, and includes the W-9, an insurance certificate naming your venue, and an itemized invoice; see the corporate events page.
Get the full planning checklist
The printable checklist runs phase by phase, from budget to recap, with an owner box on every line. Ready to book? See karaoke packages or holiday party DJ packages.
Free, no email required.
Frequently asked questions
Three to five hours. Background music covers the first hour or two while guests arrive and eat, followed by the program and speeches. The last two to three hours go to a DJ dance set, karaoke, or both, with one MC running the night.
Give people more than one way to take part. Background music while they talk and eat, a short program, a dance floor, and karaoke at the end cover talkers, dancers, and singers. Keep speeches short, and let one MC run the night.
A friendly karaoke competition works well, and DJ Illusion's MC can run one. Planners can add their own: table teams that each pick a song, duets drawn from a hat, or a name-that-tune round between singers. Keep prizes small and judging by applause.
Give them a part that isn't a solo, like a group chorus, a duet, or picking songs for their table. With DJ Illusion's hosted karaoke, guests request songs from their own phones by QR code, so singing stays opt-in. Ask the MC not to call anyone up by name.
Cheer for every singer, especially the nervous ones. Pick songs the room knows, and skip explicit lyrics or anything aimed at a coworker. One song per turn keeps the queue moving, and your MC keeps the rotation fair.
Yes. Not everyone sings at a 300-person party, and they don't need to: group songs carry a big room. DJ Illusion offers a JBL sound system upgrade for groups up to 1,000 guests and additional Shure wireless microphones. Your MC keeps the queue moving.