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Cinco de Mayo Fiesta

Ideas, Invitations, Decorations & Favors

Every year, May 5th is reserved for the biggest and baddest Cinco de Mayo fiesta that anyone has ever seen. The bar crowds get larger, the fiesta party decorations multiply and become more colorful, and the margaritas get tastier.

Cinco de Mayo History

On the 5th day of May, in 1862, the Mexicans defeated the French army at the Battle of Puebla. The holiday Cinco de Mayo is a commemoration and celebration of the victory of the smaller Mexican army over the larger and more modern French army. Although it is celebrated and recognized as a holiday in all areas of Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated most heartily in the state of Puebla where the French were defeated. It is, however, becoming more common to see the celebration stretch to other states within the U.S. and along the border of Mexico where many people with Mexican ancestry are living.

Now that you've had a quick history lesson (visit www.mexonline.com/cinco.htm and www.vivacincodemayo.org/history.htm for more pages on history), join in the fun and celebrate Cinco de Mayo with style! You can also check out our other Cinco de Mayo party, South of the Border Fiesta.

Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Party Invitations

A personalized fiesta invitation from Creations for You could be just the thing needed to get your party off to a great start.  You  can even roll it up and tie it with a fiesta bandana or a Mexican flag bandana. Let your guests know that the bandanna must be worn in order to gain admittance into the party.

Create your own invitations on stationary with a chili pepper border. Remember to give all of the important information, which should include dressing appropriately for this festive fiesta (including the decorative sombrero and colorful serape you bought on your last trip to Mexico).  You can even print this invitation on your home printer. Throw a little fiesta confetti in the envelope to add some fun!

Fiesta maracas invites are an unforgettable invitation to your Cinco de mayo celebration!  These mailable maracas come with invitations, ribbon, labels, confetti and noise making beads! Just fill the maracas, slap on the label, add postage and you can drop them in the mail! These invitations will let your guests know that they will have an incredible time at your Cinco de Mayo party!

Fiesta Party Supplies and Decorations

No Cinco de Mayo fiesta party would be complete without a chili pepper wreath hanging on the door, found at your local import store or world food market. You can make one yourself if you're feeling adventurous.

A group of inflatable cactuses and a fiesta banner outside in the front yard definitely says that your house is where to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!  If you want the fun to start at the front door, think about a life-sized cutout, it is a great way to greet your guests or a most unusual photo op.

Hang strings of fiesta lights all over the place.  They are great for the buffet, the bar, and around doorways. Fiesta foil danglers are a fun ceiling decoration that will liven up any room. Groups of red, black, orange and green balloons around the room will add to the festive atmosphere.

There are some fun scene setters that are inexpensive and easy to use.  There’s a mariachi band, fiesta desert flowers, fiesta big sky scene, and more.  Colorful handmade blankets from Mexico make fabulous wall decorations, as do large sombreros.

Cinco de Mayo Table Decorations

Add colorful fiesta theme paper goods and a flashing cactus margarita glass to each place setting or set them up at the buffet!  You’ll always want to offer a cool cerveza or two so why not put them in this sombrero cooler.  Colorful, fun and different. Trim the table with fiesta tinsel garland and you have a great table!

Party411’s Creations for You has some very nice personalized centerpieces available.  These are particularly great when your fiesta celebration is for a birthday or anniversary party. Small vases in a variety of colors make wonderful centerpieces when they're filled with fiesta flowers. Another fun idea is to line the center of each table with colorful chili pepper candles. They are sure to add light and fun to the party.

Have you ever wanted to let loose and shake your maracas? Well now is your chance! Place a few sets of neon plastic maracas throughout each table (or as a centerpiece depending on the size of the table). If you’re going for an authentic look, maybe try genuine maracas. Encourage your guests to shake the maracas every time they hear a certain song/word during the evening. This makes for fun entertainment as well as nice decoration.

Cinco de Mayo Menu

For an authentic Cinco de Mayo fiesta, try a Mexican buffet so that everyone can sample a little bit of everything. Some foods that you want to be sure to include are chicken fajitas, warm flour tortillas, chili con queso, tortilla soup, Mexican rice, black bean and corn salsa, three-milk cake, and flan. Check out these great Mexican recipes.

Don't forget to serve a great drink! We love Coronoa Margaritas!

Corona Margarita

• 6 ounces white or blanco tequila
• 12 ounces Corona
• 6 ounces frozen limeade concentrate
• Ice cubes to suit
• Lime flavored salt
• Lime wedge (optional)

Cover the rim of the glass with the salt.  Pour all ingredients into blender and blend well.  Pour it in a flashing margarita glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

And don't forget dessert. ¡Hola Fruta!™, the new super premium, all natural, pure fruit sherbet from Pierre's makes a great addition to your Mexican dessert buffet.  Be sure to enter to win a Friday Fiesta, which includes 5 quarts of ¡Hola Fruta!™, as well as plenty of fiesta party supplies!

Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Activities

Add some spice to your Cinco de Mayo Fiesta by having a Hot Pepper Eating Contest. The challenge is to see how many hot peppers your guests can eat without bursting into flames. You are going to want to buy mostly mildly hot peppers like pepperoncini, banana peppers, and pimentos. But get some hot peppers for the brave guests; jalapeno, chili, and polano peppers all pack a wallop. And for the grand finale - habanera peppers. Prepare a table outside with big bowls of chilies, plates, and latex gloves, because some peppers tend to be hot to the touch. And pour glasses of milk for your friends to kill the burn of eating all those peppers! 

Too hot for you? Here are a few more fiesta activities to consider:

Teach everyone to do the Macarena or the Mexican Hat Dance and have a contest to see who is the best dancer.

Hang a bull piñata and let everyone have a turn trying to knock it to the ground. (Don't forget piñata filler and a piñata blindfold and bat.)

Mexican Hat Dance – Get a sombrero or two (depending on how many are attending the party but you want to make sure the dancer has an audience), add some Latin fiesta music and watch everyone prove what an “expert” dancer they are.

Limbo - Play some fun music while your friends stand in line waiting to bend backwards low enough to fit under the limbo stick (broom handle, yardstick, etc.). In order to win, the limbo master must not touch the stick or fall on the floor while limbo-ing under the stick (which is usually held by 2 people). There is a fiesta limbo game out there that is fun.

Cinco de Mayo Party Favors

Don’t forget to give your party the personal touch. A personalized candy bar is the ultimate party favor.  Set them in the rim of a sombrero by the door.  It will remind your guests who throws the best Cinco de Mayo fiesta in town.

You can also hand out a few fun wearables to all of your guests -

• Fiesta Beads
• Tequila Sunglasses
• Chili Pepper Bracelets

Have fun at you Cinco de Mayo Fiesta!

Questions about fiesta party planning? Ask the Party Girl! 

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