People dress up for the darts because a night at the darts is treated as a party first and a sporting event second. Fans go in groups, often for a Christmas party, a stag or hen, or a big night out with mates, and fancy dress is how the group turns up as a group. It gives the crowd something to laugh at between legs, it is a light-hearted way of backing the players, and at the PDC World Championship in particular it has become part of the tradition of Christmas itself.
Nobody can put an exact date on when it started. What the record does show is that fancy dress grew up alongside the World Championship at Alexandra Palace, was already a fixture by the late 2010s, was briefly banned during Covid, and is now bigger than ever. Below is the full story, the costumes that turn up year after year, the venue rules you need to know before you buy one, and how to pick a group outfit you will still be happy in at the end of a long session.
Why do people dress up at the darts?
Ask ten people in fancy dress at a darts night why they are wearing it and you will get the same answer in ten different ways: because that is what you do. But there are some clear reasons underneath it.
It is a night out, not just a match
Darts crowds are unusual in sport. Most people in the arena are not there to study checkout percentages; they are there for the atmosphere, the singing and the walk-ons, with the darts as the soundtrack. The New York Times described the World Championship as perhaps the rowdiest, hardest-to-get-into party in London over the festive period, and fans interviewed by AFP at the 2025/26 event put it at roughly 80 per cent atmosphere, 20 per cent darts. When the event is a party, dressing up is the natural next step.
It has become a Christmas tradition
The World Championship runs through December and into early January, which is why so many groups book it as their Christmas party. Alexandra Palace itself calls the annual trip to the darts a festive tradition, and costumes fit that mood in the same way a Christmas jumper does at the office. Santa suits, elves, reindeer and Christmas trees are the obvious ones, but the tradition has long since moved beyond festive themes.
It turns a group into a team
Most people go in groups, and those groups are usually workmates, stag and hen parties or a gang of friends. Matching costumes give the group an identity for the night. Eight Oompa Loompas or a row of jockeys is funnier than eight people in jeans, it makes it easy to find each other at the bar, and it is the photo everyone keeps.
It is a way of backing the players
Plenty of costumes are aimed squarely at the stage: lookalikes of players, outfits in a player's colours, or a nod to a walk-on song. The New York Times described the costumes as a way of showing support for the players through humour, and that suits darts, where fans of different players sit side by side all night without any football-style tribalism.
The cameras are always on the crowd
Televised darts cuts to the crowd between legs, during walk-ons and at every big finish. We would not claim anyone buys a costume purely to get on TV, but there is no doubt that a good group outfit is what the camera operators look for, and every year a few groups become part of the broadcast.
How long has fancy dress been a thing at the darts?
There is no single moment where fancy dress began, and we have not found any reliable source that dates it. Crowds have dressed up for big nights out for as long as there have been big nights out. What we can trace with confidence is how the modern tradition grew around the PDC World Championship.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1994 – 2007 | The PDC World Championship is held at the Circus Tavern in Purfleet, Essex, a much smaller club-style venue. |
| December 2007 | The championship moves to Alexandra Palace in north London for the 2008 edition. John Part wins the first Ally Pally final. The bigger venue and the Christmas-period slot are where the party reputation really takes off. |
| Late 2010s | Fancy dress is firmly established. Reports from the 2018/19 championship describe Buzz Lightyears, Santa's elves, Power Rangers, Ninja Turtles and giant chickens in the crowd. |
| 2020/21 | Covid restrictions cap crowds at 1,000 per session and fancy dress is not permitted, with only Christmas jumpers allowed. London moves into Tier 3 days later and fans are shut out altogether. |
| 2024/25 | Record demand. Sky Sports reported nearly 40,000 tickets gone in 30 minutes and the whole event sold out before general sale. Ally Pally put attendance at around 90,000. |
| 2025/26 | Tickets again go entirely in the members' pre-sale. Photo coverage of the crowd is dominated by Oompa Loompas, jockeys and 118 118 runners. |
| 2026/27 | The championship moves into Ally Pally's Great Hall, with room for more than 5,200 fans a session instead of 3,200, and a record 180,000 tickets allocated by ballot for the first time. |
The Covid year is the best evidence of how central costumes had become: the organisers felt the need to ban them specifically. Once crowds returned in full, so did the fancy dress, and the Luke Littler-driven boom in interest since 2024 has put more first-time fans in the building than ever. If the Littler effect has got you throwing too, our range of Luke Littler darts is a good place to start.
The most popular fancy dress costumes at the darts
Every year brings something new, but press photography from Ally Pally shows the same favourites turning up again and again. Based on the published galleries from recent championships, these are the costumes you are most likely to see:
- Oompa Loompas. Described in one recent gallery as a stalwart of the crowd, sometimes with a Willy Wonka leading the group.
- Jockeys and 118 118 runners. Recent coverage suggests jockeys are catching up with the 118 118 moustache-and-headband look as the single most common costume.
- Santas, elves and Christmas trees. The obvious choice for a December works do, and still one of the most common.
- Bananas. Cheap, instantly recognisable from the back of the hall and easy to wear for hours.
- Nuns, monks and popes. A long-running favourite, sometimes arriving as a complete congregation.
- Where's Wally squads. A group costume that needs nothing more than stripes, a bobble hat and glasses.
- Superheroes and video game characters. Mario and Luigi, Minions, Teletubbies and the full cast of Shrek have all appeared in recent years.
- Food and novelty suits. Traffic cones, hot dogs, burgers, sauce bottles and a full English breakfast have all made the photo galleries.
- Player lookalikes. Fans dressed as the players themselves, from wigs and colourful hair to replica shirts with a matching walk-on.
If you are still deciding, it is worth browsing a dedicated range of fancy dress costumes rather than a supermarket rail, because the costumes that work best at the darts are the ones that read clearly from across an arena. Banana suits, Santa sets, lederhosen and full-body animal onesies are all easy wins, and group fancy dress costumes save you the job of matching eight outfits from eight different shops.
Group fancy dress ideas for a darts night
The best darts costumes share a few qualities: they are recognisable at a glance, they work in multiples, and they are comfortable enough to sit in for a full session. Some ideas by occasion:
For a works Christmas do
Keep it festive and easy for everyone to join in. A full set of Santas, elves or reindeer works because nobody has to be talked into anything complicated. For something less expected, go for a Nativity scene with one person as the donkey, or a row of Christmas puddings.
For a stag do
The classic move is to dress the stag differently from everyone else. Put the group in one outfit, such as jockeys, bananas or lederhosen, and give the stag something more ridiculous so the cameras know who to look for. Just steer clear of anything the venue could see as offensive, because that is the one rule that gets people turned away at the door.
For a hen party
Matching colours, a decade theme or a group character costume all work well. Brightly coloured outfits stand out best under arena lighting, and a theme like 1980s neon or a squad of bumblebees gives everyone room to put their own spin on it.
For a big group of friends
Pick something where more people make it funnier. A gang of penguins, a full deck of cards, a pack of Where's Wallys or a team of referees is funnier at twelve people than at two, and it is easy for latecomers to join in.
Fancy dress rules at Ally Pally and other darts venues
Fancy dress is welcome at the World Championship, but the venue has rules, and they are enforced at the door. At the time of writing, Alexandra Palace's terms and conditions for its main hall events say:
- Check your ticket. Fancy dress is allowed at events where it is permitted, and the ticket is where that is confirmed.
- No insensitive or offensive costumes. Anyone wearing one will not be admitted.
- Masks go on once you are inside. Masks are only permitted after you have entered the venue, so you need to show your face at the gate.
- No imitation weapons or anything that could be thrown. That rules out plastic swords, toy guns, pirate cutlasses and similar props.
- No football colours or shirts. Darts crowds are deliberately kept free of football tribalism.
The same terms list venue-wide banned items including large bags, glass and professional cameras, so leave bulky props at home. Under-18s can sit anywhere in the arena at the World Championship as long as they are accompanied by an adult, and the PDC also runs a Family Area for groups that include at least one under-18.
Other darts events set their own rules. Some PDC event terms, for example, also rule out inflatables, helmets and hi-vis vests, which catches out anyone planning a giant inflatable costume or a builder theme. Hospitality packages can have their own dress code too. Always check the terms on your ticket and the venue's website before you order anything.
Is it just Ally Pally? Fancy dress at other darts events
The World Championship is the home of darts fancy dress, but it is far from the only place you will see it. Premier League nights draw costumed crowds in every city on the tour: local press photographed fans arriving in fancy dress in Leeds in 2025, and in Dublin in 2026 the Irish Times reported Super Marios, jockeys and lobsters in the stands. The Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton has its own tradition, with local press reporting traffic cones, Spider-Man, Super Mario and a hot dog and burger double act. And the PDC weekends at Butlin's in Minehead, where the UK Open and Players Championship Finals are played, are known for fancy dress as part of the holiday atmosphere.
If you have never been to a darts event and want the full experience, a Premier League night is often an easier ticket to get than Ally Pally, with much of the same atmosphere.
Tips for wearing fancy dress to the darts
A few practical things that make the difference between a great costume and a long evening:
- Plan for heat. A packed arena under stage lights gets warm. Full-body suits and heavy masks are harder work than they look after a few hours, so wear light layers underneath.
- Think about the loo. One-piece onesies and zip-up suits are fun until the queue for the toilets. A costume you can get in and out of quickly is worth a lot.
- Keep it compact. Wide costumes, tall hats and big props block the view of the people behind you and make the tiered seating awkward. Aim for something that fits in your seat.
- Find a pocket. You will need your phone, your ticket and a card for the bar. If the costume has no pockets, bring a small bag that meets the venue's size limit.
- Order early. The World Championship runs through the busiest weeks of the year for costume shops. Ordering a group costume in November rather than the week before avoids missing sizes and delivery stress.
- Test it at home. Try the whole outfit on, sit down in it and walk up and down stairs. Anything that falls off, pinches or blocks your vision will do it on the night too.
From the crowd to the oche
A lot of people who go to the darts for the party come home wanting to play. If that is you, our guide to choosing your first set of darts is the place to start, followed by how to set up a dartboard at home at the correct height and distance. Our full dartboard range covers everything from a first bristle board to a tournament-standard setup, and a set of darts from our gift range is a good way to remember a night out at Ally Pally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do people wear fancy dress at the darts?
Because a night at the darts is treated as a party as much as a sporting event. Most fans go in groups for Christmas parties, stag and hen dos or nights out with friends, and fancy dress gives the group an identity, adds to the atmosphere and is a light-hearted way of supporting the players.
When did fancy dress at the darts start?
There is no recorded start date. The tradition grew up around the PDC World Championship after it moved to Alexandra Palace in December 2007, and by the 2018/19 championship costumes were a regular sight in the crowd. Fancy dress was banned during the Covid-restricted 2020/21 event and returned when full crowds came back.
Can you wear fancy dress at Ally Pally?
Yes, where your ticket permits it. Alexandra Palace's terms say insensitive or offensive costumes will not be admitted, masks can only be worn once you are inside, imitation weapons and anything that could be thrown are banned, and football colours or shirts are not allowed. Check your ticket and the venue terms before you go.
Are masks allowed at the darts?
At Alexandra Palace, masks are only permitted once you are inside the venue, so you need to have your face uncovered when you go through the entrance. Other venues set their own rules, so check the terms for the event you are attending.
What are the most popular fancy dress costumes at the darts?
Recent photo coverage from the World Championship shows Oompa Loompas, jockeys, 118 118 runners, Santas and elves, bananas, nuns and popes, Where's Wally groups, superheroes and food costumes such as traffic cones and hot dogs. Player lookalikes are popular too.
Do people dress up at Premier League darts?
Yes. Premier League nights regularly draw fans in fancy dress, with recent coverage from Leeds and Dublin showing costumed crowds. The Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton and the PDC weekends at Butlin's in Minehead are also known for fancy dress.
When is the 2026/27 World Darts Championship?
The 2026/27 PDC World Darts Championship runs from Friday 11 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027 at Alexandra Palace, with a break from 24 to 27 December. It is being held in the Great Hall for the first time, with more than 5,200 fans per session and a record 180,000 tickets.
Can under-18s go to the darts at Ally Pally?
Yes. Under-18s can sit anywhere in the arena at the World Championship as long as they are accompanied by someone aged 18 or over at all times. The PDC also offers a Family Area, where every group must include at least one person under 18.
Sources: Alexandra Palace terms and conditions; PDC World Championship FAQ; Sky Sports, 2026/27 World Championship dates; Sky Sports, 2024/25 ticket demand; ESPN, best fancy dress at the 2026 World Championship; Alexandra Palace, World Darts Championship 2024/25. History, crowd and costume details cross-checked against coverage from the New York Times, AFP, Time Out, the Irish Times, the Yorkshire Evening Post and the Express & Star.
