Inside Park House: The 5 Best Parties to Score an Invite To

Not all Park House parties are created equal — and if you’re gonna cash in a favor or slide into someone’s texts for a plus-one, make sure it's worth it. Starting at #5 and counting down to the main event of the year, here are my top picks.

5. Halloween

Park House pulls out every trick in the book for Halloween. We’re talking full-blown transformation. You walk in and don’t even recognize the place.

One year it was Alice in Wonderland, another time Stranger Things — which I’ve never seen, but I was greeted by cheerleaders doing flips on the sidewalk, so honestly? I didn’t need context. Every room looks like a Hollywood set with a different theme. There are contortionists bending like pipe cleaners, fire dancers on the floor, and spooky-themed snacks being passed around.

So why isn’t it ranked higher?

The crowd is off every year. To be fair, the freaks come out on Halloween — but it’s always a weird mix: rich guys with sugar babies, wannabe club promoter types, ect. It just doesn't fit the usual curated vibe. Everyone sticks to their own group, and the overall energy somehow feels… disconnected.

And the costumes? Some are fab, but others are straight-up thirst traps gone wrong. I’m not a prude, but let’s just say — wearing lingerie and calling it a costume only works if you’re carrying the look… not the audacity.

A visual feast, but a social flop. Pro tip: Go if you have a group to stick with and you'll have fun. 4. Yacht Club Party

This one has a big reputation — and all the right ingredients: live music, a DJ, and an all-white dress code that turns the whole place into Mykonos-meets-Mockingbird Lane. It’s chic, it’s bougie, and it’s peak summer energy.

The only downside? It’s in June, and I think everyone was just sun-zapped. By the time I rolled in fashionably late (obviously), the crowd had already thinned out — probably retreating to AC and aloe.

That said, I still had a great time. The energy was fun, the aesthetic was flawless, and it was definitely a scene. But in the grand ranking of PH bangers? It floats — it just doesn’t sail.

3. TX/OU Party (RIP… for now)

This might’ve been the most Dallas-coded party to ever exist — like if your SEC tailgate got a trust fund and hired a creative director.

Picture: Straight Tequila Night (arguably the best cover band in town) on stage, Fletcher’s corndogs being passed around, boots scootin’, and custom bandanas being printed on-site. Everyone was decked out in UT or OU gear like it was game day — even though kickoff was still two weeks away.

It had that nostalgic, golden-hour energy. The air was crisp, the boots were out, and for the first time all season, it finally felt like fall. High-end Southern at its best.

The crowd? Fully committed. Singing every word, dancing, and not a single vibe-killer in sight.

Sadly… it’s been retired (for now). But whispers of a comeback are floating. If you’re a member: yell at someone. We need it back.

2. New Year’s Eve

This is the crown jewel of Park House parties — black tie, Gossip Girl vibes, and Manhattan ballroom glam... right in the middle of Highland Park.

The first year I got invited? Truly one of the best nights of my life.

There was a band or DJ in every room — it felt like club-hopping without ever leaving the building. The DJs were silent disco-style, so when some guy started talking to you about crypto? Headphones on. Peace restored.

Everyone looked like they had just come from the Met Gala. Flapper girls would appear, hit a full choreo number, then vanish into the crowd like nothing happened. And that patio bird bath 'water feature'? Covered and transformed into a DJ runway stage. That’s the place to be at midnight.

The food?

• Carving stations

• Caviar

• Champagne towers

• Bars so staffed you never wait

Only flop? One year they added poker tables for a James Bond theme... and the dance floor energy flatlined. But every other year? You’re dancing until your heels snap. The kind of night that ruins other New Year’s Eves forever.

1. Après Ski

The BEST for last. It kicks off during the day and rolls into the night — and let’s be honest, day-drunk is a superior mindset.

Picture a ski-themed college rager with a grown-up budget — basically rich people at a rave. The event’s sponsored by Veuve, so the champagne flows like water. The DJ goes full festival mode.

One year was ‘80s ski, the next was chalet chic. Everyone showed up in head-to-toe furs. Even when they elevated the wardrobe, the vibe stayed feral.

The crowd? Unhinged in the best way. Just pure chaos in Moon Boots. And I’m 99% sure half the room is on shrooms.

It’s luxe but lawless — that perfect balance where you could spill your champagne and someone would just top it off for you.

This is the one to move your schedule for. No notes.

Honorable Mentions

Kentucky Derby

I love this party. They host a Derby hat competition, and people show up wearing actual art on their heads — feathers, florals, flying saucers, you name it. Mint juleps are flowing, and everyone’s yelling at the TVs like they’ve got a horse in the race.

It’s over-the-top, Southern glam. Rich people sport at its finest. Peak Park House energy. Long may it run. Fourth of July

What earns this party a spot? Location, location, location. Park House piggybacks off Dallas Country Club’s iconic firework show — and in a city short on bougie viewing spots, this one delivers. That said, the vibe leans more cookout than rager. It’s kid-friendly, so expect juice boxes next to your ranch water. It’s chill, it’s tame — but if you’re in town for the 4th, the rooftop view is second only to the DCC lawn.