How to Host a Watch Party 


As businesses and organizations navigate the push and pull of when and how to fully reopen, you may be struggling with deciding how much you want to move around in the world. At Johnson County Library, we are making intentional decisions intended to keep you, and our staff safe. To that end, our buildings are open and meeting and study rooms are available to use. We’ve also learned a lot about how to provide programs remotely, and are continuing that trend as we watch to see what the future holds. 

Our 2021 Writers Conference will be totally on-line again this November 4 – 7. While we miss seeing you all in person, we’ve created many sessions that will engage and include everyone. From book discussions to informal chats led by a divination coach, we hope for engagement and connection. 

While our planning team and presenters will all be connecting from our homes, there’s no reason you can’t invite people from your bubble to participate in the Writers Conference with you. One way to do that is to host a watch party. I’ve invited friends to my home to watch on-line programs together and I’ve found it scratches an itch I think we’ve all felt at one point or another during the pandemic, which is to share both space and ideas at the same time. 

If hosting—or attending—a watch party is something that piques your interest, here are a few things to consider first: 

  • Do you have enough space for people to social distance? 

  • Is your TV large enough to comfortably accommodate a group? 

  • Do you have the correct dongles to hook up your laptop? Test EVERYTHING before extending invitations! 

  • Do you have a plan for those wanting to attend the workshops? For example, do you have wireless Internet, or do your guests have their own hotspots? A guest room or office for them to work in? 

  • Will it be pot luck, or will you order in? 

  • How will you handle various people attending different sessions? Perhaps have guests bring earbuds if there’s not enough space for people to spread out around the home. 

  • Do you want to share all or just some of the experience? Maybe think about connecting with like-minded attendees virtually AND in-person; virtually as the conference happens, then in-person to share take-aways or to read drafts written during the conference.  

Whether you join us as a group, or dial in solo, we’re excited to see you, inspire you, and hear about your experience.