The best Christmas party venues in Memphis depend on the party you actually want: the Peabody Memphis for a formal gala, Old Dominick Distillery or the Memphis Botanic Garden for something scenic, Loflin Yard for laid-back food and drinks, and Craft Axe Throwing or K1 Speed when you want an activity your group talks about into January.
We run Craft Axe Throwing Memphis downtown at 344 Floyd Alley, so we watch where Memphis holiday parties actually happen — and we’ve listed our neighbors and competitors honestly here, because the right venue is the one that fits your group.
The seven venues at a glance
| Venue | Best for | Area | From downtown (344 Floyd Alley) |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Peabody Memphis | Formal / upscale | Downtown | ~3-minute walk |
| Old Dominick Distillery | Scenic mid-to-upscale | Downtown (S Front St) | ~4-minute drive |
| Loflin Yard | Casual food & drinks | Downtown (S Carolina Ave) | ~5-minute drive |
| Memphis Botanic Garden | Garden setting, all sizes | East Memphis | ~20-minute drive |
| FedEx Event Center | Lakeside blank canvas | Shelby Farms Park | ~20-minute drive |
| K1 Speed Memphis | Activity-led (karting) | Shelby View Dr | ~20-minute drive |
| Craft Axe Throwing | Activity-led (axes + bar) | Downtown | You’re here |
Distances are approximate. Here’s how each one fits, grouped by the kind of party you’re planning.
Where can you host a formal Christmas party in Memphis?
The Peabody Memphis (149 Union Ave) is the upscale answer. The historic downtown hotel has 80,000 square feet of event space handling groups from 10 to 2,000, and December adds the backdrop money can’t fake: full lobby holiday decor, caroling performances with Opera Memphis singers, and the hotel’s “Duck Days of Christmas” programming. If leadership wants a gala with ballroom polish — and out-of-town guests who can stay upstairs — this is the pick. Events line: (901) 529-4000.
What are the most scenic holiday party venues in Memphis?
- Old Dominick Distillery (305 S Front St) — a working downtown distillery with indoor and outdoor private event spaces, including a rooftop with Mississippi River views. Mid-to-upscale, and the setting does half the decorating for you.
- Memphis Botanic Garden (750 Cherry Rd, East Memphis) — 96 acres with indoor and outdoor rental venues scaling from 2 to 600 guests, which makes it one of the most size-flexible options in the city. Rental office: (901) 636-4100.
- FedEx Event Center at Shelby Farms Park (415 Great View Drive East) — a 7,200-plus-square-foot lakeside ballroom with two breakout rooms and a catering kitchen. It’s a blank canvas: bring your own caterer and theme, and the lake views come free. Reservations: (901) 222-7280.
Where can you have a laid-back Christmas party in Memphis?
Loflin Yard (7 W Carolina Ave) is the casual downtown pick — a two-acre bar, restaurant, and event space with indoor and outdoor areas, private and semi-private options (semi-private for groups of 30 or more), and an event coordinator and chef on staff. If your group’s ideal party is good food, good drinks, and no assigned seats, this is that party.
What are the best activity-led Christmas party venues in Memphis?
Dinner-only parties stall; parties built around an activity don’t. Two Memphis venues are built on that idea:
K1 Speed Memphis (6399 Shelby View Drive) runs corporate holiday packages around indoor go-kart racing — its “Paddock Package” includes a private room for up to two hours, go-kart races, catering, and two beverages per person, with full-facility buyouts available. A solid pick for groups out east who want wheels instead of blades.
Craft Axe Throwing Memphis — our venue, and our honest case for it:
- 13 throwing lanes plus ninja stars included in every session, so big groups rotate without waiting around.
- A full bar — cold craft brews, seltzers, and more — plus ping pong, cornhole, and HDTVs between rounds, in a versatile downtown event space.
- No dead time. Coaches handle safety and instruction, first-timers stick throws fast, and the office bracket forms on its own.
- Downtown location at 344 Floyd Alley, across from AutoZone Park and walking distance from Beale Street — with Los Comales, the Mexican restaurant sharing our wall, right there for dinner after. Free parking in three lots surrounding the building.
Large-group packages are available for holiday parties — tell us your headcount and date on the Memphis parties and events page and we’ll build it. One scheduling note: we’re closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, so plan your party around those dates.
How do you choose between them?
- Impressing clients or leadership: the Peabody.
- A setting that feels special without a gala budget: Old Dominick, the Botanic Garden, or the FedEx Event Center.
- Low-key food and drinks: Loflin Yard.
- A party people actually mingle at: axe throwing downtown or karting out east.
Whichever direction you lean, book early — December weekends in Memphis go first, and the venues on this list all take fall inquiries. If a competition-and-drinks party downtown sounds like your group, start with the Craft Axe Throwing Memphis events team, and if you’re also planning next year’s offsite, our corporate outing ideas in Memphis roundup covers the rest of downtown.