Featured Party: A Murder Mystery Poledancing Fundraiser
Over the years, we have seen our murder mystery games hosted everywhere, from living rooms to libraries to Airbnbs. But this Curious Carnival party stood out to us not only because of the unique venue, but also because it supported a really incredible and fun cause!
This party was hosted as a fundraiser by the Melanated Pole Fest, and it captured exactly what we love most about murder mystery parties–big personalities, incredible costumes, and full commitment to the theme!
The Melanated Pole Festival is the first BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) pole festival in the world. They host a multi-day festival every year, with their next festival taking place March 26 to 29, 2026, featuring four shows and several days of workshops. Their mission is to create spaces that center BIPOC dancers within the pole dance community. They work to normalize BIPOC bodies of all forms by providing performance opportunities, workshops, and community events that celebrate BIPOC dancers.
Instead of hosting another performance-based fundraiser, our friend Kristen (a different Kristen than our co-founder!), and the Melanated Pole Fest team chose our vintage carnival themed game to give their community and supporters something interactive, playful, and full of opportunities to mingle and connect.
Why did you decide to host a murder mystery party for your fundraiser? Was it your first time?
“We chose to host a murder mystery because it was a unique event that we felt our community would enjoy. We love dressing up and being over-the-top! Often, performance festivals fundraise with more performances, and we wanted to do something different and more interactive. It was our first time hosting and we chose Foulplay Games because we wanted to support a women-owned, local business (and I am biased because they are my friends).”
Kristen has supported Foulplay at conventions like PAX and ECCC for years, so we were thrilled to have the opportunity to support her and a cause she cares about in return.
How did the game and fundraiser go?
“The game and fundraiser went so well! People were having so much fun and were asking when the next one would be even before we were finished! As expected, our community got so into dressing up and we had some amazing costumes. We also got to host at Cocoa Legato, another BIPOC-owned small business in the Greenwood neighborhood of Seattle, so it was awesome to support several local businesses through our fundraising efforts! The cocoa and chocolate chip cookies we got to eat during the game were top notch, and they had a great sound system and microphone already set up for us to use.”
We love hearing about how much fun people have playing our games, but especially love it when people are already asking about the next event before the current one is even over!
Of course, no Curious Carnival night would be complete without a little intentional mischief from the host!
Any favorite moments or extra touches from the night?
“As host, I went around during gameplay and asked folks who they thought the most suspicious person in the room was, intentionally sowing discord among players. I even asked the barista and got him involved by dramatically shutting off the lights during the murder!”
This is exactly the kind of moment that makes a murder mystery truly incredible; when the whole room reacts together, and even the barista becomes part of the story, it stops feeling like a game and starts feeling like an immersive experience! Once hosts get comfortable, it really is up to you how you want to run the party for your guests. The games are flexible by design and are surprisingly hard to break!
How did hosting feel overall?
“Honestly, the host guide and documentation provided by Foulplay was so thorough that I didn't stress too much! My cohosts were asking me "what about this?" and I would point to that question already answered and written out in the guide.”
One of our favorite things about this event is how clearly it shows just how flexible murder mystery parties can be for hosts and groups, including community-centered fundraising events.
This Curious Carnival fundraiser was playful, dramatic, and deeply rooted in community, exactly the kind of night we love seeing come to life. If you want to see more of the incredible work they are doing, be sure to follow Melanated Pole Festival on Instagram at @melanatedpolefest.
If you are part of a nonprofit, community group, or grassroots organization and are interested in hosting a murder mystery fundraiser, we would love to hear from you! For nonprofit causes we support, we sometimes donate games or waive hosting license fees!
