A Look Inside Alix Earle's Star-Studded 'Mad Forest' Halloween Party (Exclusive)

If there’s one person who knows how to throw a scary good party, it’s that person Alex Earle!

The content creator, 23, hosted an epic Halloween party at the Keys Nightclub in Los Angeles on Friday, October 25, a spooky, invite-only soirée that was still star-studded — and full of costumes, of course.

The theme of the evening was ‘Mad Forest’ Alice in Wonderland-inspired setting that transformed the location into a chilling yet enchanting take on the fairytale classic. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Earle described her inaugural Halloween party as “a twist on the whimsical world.”

“I wanted the first large-scale party I ever hosted to be truly memorable,” says the Hot mess says podcast host. “Everyone has been to a Halloween party covered in pumpkins or ghosts, but I wanted something that felt a little spooky, but not in the traditional sense that we’re all used to seeing.

It will come as no surprise that Earle – the evening’s Halloween queen – wore a look that did not disappoint, and of course it fit the theme perfectly. She dressed up unrecognizably as a glamorous version of the Cheshire Cat from the famous story.

“I thought about the Cheshire Cat costume last Halloween, but in the end I didn’t have enough time to make it big enough,” she says of why she chose the famous striped character. “I knew that if I was going to recreate this incredible thing, I would have to go all out…with a party, too.”

The month is creepy full moon may have been over, but the stars were certainly visible. A poison ivy inspired one Shay Mitchell, Nicholas Alexander Chavez and The Kid Laroi were all present. Landon BarkerAva Max and Anastasia Karanikolaou also went in.

In fact, attendees entered the alien forest through a giant keyhole that set the stage for the storybook vision Earle had in mind. Creative consultant and event designer Melissa Andre helped bring the idea to life by creating a forest of colorful 10-foot-tall mushrooms and towering 13-foot trees.

DJs and performers, including Gryffin, Carlita and Frank Walker, kept the music and energy going all night long as guests took to the dance floor beneath the cascading playing cards. They showed off their moves and drank some brews from 10pm until late at night.

“We didn’t want the night to end,” Earle tells PEOPLE. “Even when the lights came back on. I want to continue organizing Halloween parties, with different themes, in different cities.”

She adds, “It’s so fun to have everything come together, other than just the costume.”

Scroll on for an exclusive look inside Alix Earle’s steamy Halloween haunt!

Alix Earle dressed as the Cheshire Cat

Alix Earle’s “Mad Forest” Halloween Party.

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Earle dressed up as the Cheshire Cat, a costume idea she tells PEOPLE she had in mind for “about a year” before executing. She built the Halloween theme around her appearance and landed on Alice in Wonderland because it “has so many fun and creepy aspects.”

The GRWM queen went all in on her Cheshire Cat costume, which included prosthetics and full body paint. “I started preparing for about a month so we could bring in a great team for body painting, prosthetics and a wig,” she says.

“Wearing a bodysuit allowed me to dance and move comfortably,” Earle recalls, adding, “Except maybe when the prosthetics only allowed me to drink from a straw.”

Luckily, there were no costume malfunctions this year. However, Earle jokes, “I’m pretty sure a few of my friends have left with my paint on their costumes.” Probably because of all the dancing. Oops!’

The theme “Mad Forest”.

Alix Earle’s Halloween party “Mad Forest” was a dark twist on the classic fairy tale “Alice in Wonderland”.

Virisa Yong/BFA

Earle’s “Mad Forest” Halloween party was held at Keys Nightclub in Los Angeles, presented by The h.wood Group. The creator worked with creative consultant and event designer Melissa Andre to bring her on Alice in Wonderland vision to life.

“My main focus for the party was the decor and music. I knew I wanted to turn the Keys club into a completely different space and tie in with the theme,” says Earle.

“Their walls with keys everywhere also played nicely into the theme,” she continues. “To walk into the club you had to go in through this huge keyhole of green hedges.”

“After the keyhole you enter the Mad Forest. We had bare trees with spiky branches everywhere and in the middle of the club,” says Earles. “There was a wooded area with all different kinds of huge mushrooms growing out of the floor.”

Halloween concoctions and treats

Guests can socialize at the bar at Keys Nightclub in Los Angeles.

Victor Arriola

The Halloween drinks and treats were to die for – and on theme of course. Truly infused specialty cocktails were offered with a creative title to match the “Mad Forest” vibe.

“We created a custom cocktail menu with specialty drinks,” says Earle. “Mad Margarita,” “Down the Vodka, Rabbit Hole,” “Which Way Shot” and “Cheshire Cat Cooler” were among the drinks served.

“We launched my chocolate bar with GoPuffavailable in a limited edition Pink Sea Salt Chocolate,” she explains, adding, “So we had to hang bags on the trees for guests to snack on or take with them for early trick-or-treating.”

Top artists and DJs performed

Alix Earle dances with partygoers at her “Mad Forest” Halloween party behind the DJ booth.

Victor Arriola

You can’t have a party without music, and no one knows that better than Earle. “The music was very important to me. My friends and I love music,” she says.

Frank Walker, Carlita and Gryffin take the stage. “Every set was so much fun!” Earle tells PEOPLE.

Good music involves a lot of dancing. So Earle took that into account when preparing the space.

“We chose to completely remove the booths in the center of the club to create a giant dance floor that revolved around this huge mushroom vignette, to give it a real party feel,” she says. “I wanted people to dance instead of just socializing.”

Star-studded guests came dressed to impress

Alix Earle poses with friends at her “Mad Forest” Halloween party in LA

Virisa Yong/BFA

Earle’s Halloween extravaganza was exclusive and attracted some of Hollywood’s biggest names to the spooky storybook scene.

Nicholas Alexander Chavez, Shay Mitchell, The Kid LAROI, Landon Barker, Ava Max, Anastasia Karanikolaou, Carter Gregory, Ashtin Earle, Rickey Thompson and Josh Richards were among the notable names to exit.

“My friend Madeline Argy came dressed as me, which was such a funny surprise,” Earle recalls of the most memorable costume. “Other highlights included another person in prosthetics, like the Grinch.”

She adds, “I’m pretty sure no one saw him break character all night, which was great to see.”

Ava Max

Ava Max.

Virisa Yong/BFA

Ava Max understood the assignment and undressed as Alice Alice in Wonderland. The “Kings and Queens” singer wore the fictional character’s blue dress and paired it with a mask to complete it.

Nicholas Alexander Chavez

Nicholas Alexander Chavez.

Nicholas Alexander Chavez poses for a photo in front of the Key hedges.

Landon Barker

Landon Barker at Alix Earle’s Halloween party.

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Landon Barker put a punk twist on the vampire classic by donning an all-black leather ensemble with a subtle drop of blood seeping from his lip. He brought the cool… and the scary!

Carter Gregory, Anastasia Karanikolaou and Alix Earle

Carter Gregory, Anastasia Karanikolaou and Alix Earle.

Virisa Yong/BFA

Carter Gregory and Anastasia Karanikolaou came to the party and posed with the evening’s host. Karanikolaou also opted for a cat-inspired look!

The DJ booth

DJ booth at Alix Earle’s “Mad Forest” party.

Victor Arriola

Earle went all in on a Halloween party this year because the holiday is her “absolute favorite.” She explains, “I’ve always enjoyed the creativity that comes with it, and I still do.”

The TikTok star, based in Miami, tells PEOPLE why she hosted in California. “All my best friends and I were planning to go to LA this year,” she says. “I just got an apartment there for when I’m there for work and I really wanted to start it off with an extra fun party.”