To throw a party in The Sims 3, click your Sim’s phone, choose Throw Party, then pick the party type, start time, attire and guests in the planning window. Cancelling is harder: player reports on EA’s forums and question boards consistently say there is no dedicated cancel button for a scheduled party, so you work around it instead. Below we cover the planning window, every party type and the pack it needs, how to make a party go well, and the practical ways to call one off.
How to Throw a Party
- Open the phone. Click your Sim, or the phone in their inventory, and choose Throw Party.
- Pick the party type. The left side of the planning window lists the types your Sim can throw right now. Some only appear in certain situations, such as a Wedding Party for an engaged couple.
- Set the time. Parties can start between 8 AM and 10 PM, and the start has to be at least one hour after you plan it.
- Choose the attire. Most parties allow casual, formal or swimwear. Slumber parties are pajamas only, and bachelor or bachelorette parties are fixed at Dress to Impress.
- Invite guests. The middle list shows everyone your household knows, with filters for all Sims, friends or coworkers. Sims who cannot come are grayed out. You can invite up to 12, and guests sometimes bring their own household members.
- Choose the venue. A party can be at home or at a community lot. Venue parties cost Simoleons, and adding exclusive access (only invited guests) raises the fee by 60 percent.
You get a reminder an hour before the start. For a venue party, your Sim is taken there automatically.
Party Types and the Pack Each One Needs
| Party | Pack |
|---|---|
| House Party, Destination Party (at a venue), Birthday Party, Wedding Party, Funeral | Base game |
| Campaign Fundraiser (City Council members in the Political career) | Base game |
| Bachelor and Bachelorette Party, Slumber Party, Teen House Party | Generations |
| Feast, Pool Party, Gift Giving Party, Costume Party | Seasons |
| Juice Kegger (needs a juice keg on the lot), Bonfire (needs level 4 Jock influence) | University Life |
Birthday parties can be thrown whenever you like, not only on the day. The Teen House Party only appears when the parents are away on a Free Vacation opportunity, and the neighbors may call the police if it gets loud. Late Night, Pets, Showtime and Into the Future add more community lots you can rent as venues, including clubs, lounges and private venues.
How to Make a Party Go Well
The Sims 3 has no party meter. The party is judged as guests leave, and your host gets a good or bad moodlet based on how it went. A few things help:
- Throw it when guests are free. Guests leave for work and school, so weekends and evenings keep more of them around.
- Feed them. Guests may bring a food platter (a Party Animal host makes that more likely), but put out your own group meal as well.
- Hire help. Depending on your packs, you can book services such as a party DJ, a mixologist or performers from the phone.
- Host actively. Greet guests and keep socializing. Our going steady guide is a good read if the party has a romantic goal.
- Bachelor parties matter. A lame bachelor or bachelorette party with Generations gives a worse moodlet than a normal flop.
Planning a wedding? Our marriage guide covers engagements and wedding parties, and our baby age-up guide covers birthday cakes and aging up.
How to Cancel a Party
The phone is where most players look first, but reports from players on EA’s own forums and question boards say the Sims 3 phone has no Cancel Party option once a party is booked, and the Throw Party option stays grayed out until it happens. These are the workarounds players use:
- Load an earlier save. If you saved before the phone call, reloading is the cleanest cancel.
- Skip a venue party. For a party at a community lot, players suggest simply not going.
- End a home party early. Let guests arrive, then use the social on each guest that asks them to leave. It shortens the party, though the host may still get a lousy party moodlet.
- Use a mod. On the NRaas forums, the mod team reports that resetting a household member with the MasterController mod clears a scheduled party. Mods are unofficial; our mods guide covers installing them safely.
Our reset Sim guide covers the built-in resetSim cheat, which is a different tool and not documented to cancel parties. For more Sims 3 guides, see our Sims hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Throw Party option in The Sims 3? On the phone. Click your Sim or the phone in their inventory and choose Throw Party to open the planning window.
Can I cancel a party in The Sims 3? Player reports say there is no built-in cancel option. Reload an earlier save, skip a venue party, or send guests home once they arrive.
How many guests can I invite? Up to 12, though guests sometimes bring members of their own household.
What time can a party start? Between 8 AM and 10 PM, and at least one hour after you plan it.
Why can’t I throw a Pool Party or Costume Party? Those types come from Seasons, and the Pool Party also needs a swimming pool on the lot.