Seize the Day: Gen Z is Rewriting the Party Playbook with Soft Clubbing
- Event creators are reinventing nightlife for Gen Z, designing experiences that prioritise wellness, sleep and authentic social connection
- 4pm–10pm are the new peak hours for clubs and events
- Coffee shops and yoga studios are the new dancefloors
Nightlife is evolving. And it’s moving to daytime. Eventbrite data has shown attendance at daytime music, club and party events has surged by 44% over the past year, as Gen Z prefer to vibe from day till dusk. It’s part of an emerging, wider ‘soft clubbing’ trend.
Video: Daytime DJ set by Moon Onyx Star at Kasa Cafe in London
This growing popularity for daytime parties points towards a greater cultural shift as Gen Z demand more from their social lives than a good time. They are seeking experiences that prioritise wellness, mental health and fitness, with the goal of making authentic connections as a way to push back against the filtered world of digital life.
Unexpected party venues
This shift to daytime clubs and parties coincides with the growth of the sober-curious movement, which is behind the increase of day parties being held in new locations such as coffee shops, yoga studios, and brunch clubs.
Samuel Bonsu who organises Reconnect: Coffee Club in Croydon has seen a rise in demand for daytime parties. “Gen Z has a big appetite for experiences that feel authentic, social and healthier. They still want great music and atmosphere, but without the excess of the old nightlife model. They lean towards daytime or early evening events where they can connect, reset and still feel energised the next day. For our crowd, the sweet spot is late morning into mid-afternoon.”
From night owls to early birds
The advantages of an earlier finish include better and potentially safer transport home, as well as more hours of sleep and a better chance of waking up energised are leading to many Gen Z clubbers clocking out by 10pm.
Event organiser, Danny Soyle, from What’s the Motive UK says: “There’s been a sudden shift towards day parties as younger crowds want to start and finish their night early. A lot of our events run from 4pm to 10pm and these are really popular with 21–28-year-olds.”
Moon Onyx Starr is a self-empowerment expert who helps people unlock their best selves. She runs Moonstarr Singles Sober Raves at Kasa Cafe in central London. She says “Gen Z are showing that you don’t need late nights or alcohol to feel alive – what people really crave is music, community, and connection they can actually remember the next morning.”
A shift event creators can’t ignore
Nikki Bell, Director of Disco at London’s Carwash Nightclub, explains: “Gen Z has forced the biggest recalibration of what matters most and for us that’s events that put the focus back on genuine connection, intimacy, authenticity and affordability.
“With their gravitational pull towards feeling part of an inclusive community, a preference for a day time over a night time event, and that fact Gen Z is always on the lookout for something new where their interests are met in an ‘all-in-one’ experience, we’ve had to adapt, but we’ve been doing it for decades anyway. In fact, Carwash has recently introduced three new events – a Cardio Dance Party opening at 10am on a Saturday morning for the wellness minded, a Disco Paint Party for creative socials and Sunset Sessions, a day disco for those who want to be in bed by midnight.”
James Brown who organises club nights for One Drop in Brixton agrees: “Ten years ago, our biggest nights out would have started at 10pm and gone on to 4am, but now our most popular events start around 4pm and wrap up by around 10pm.”