If I was a betting man, I would bet on an unboxing and setup prior to the party day (if possible) to make sure that everything is working properly. While it could be fun for the group to see the unboxing, the negative of a big line of guys waiting to play the game while Curly figures out an in-box issue outweighs the positive. Plus, since the game is for sale (and likely to be sold that day) Curly may want to put a coat of wax on it or otherwise do some prep work to help the game make it through the party unscathed (although one day of constant use is not likely to hurt it). But, only Curly knows his plans, so hopefully he will share them.
Ron