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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

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.

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!

A personalized invitation from Party411.com's 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 bandanna or a Mexican flag bandana. Let your guests know that the bandanna must be worn in order to gain admittance into the 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 Size 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.  Chili pepper lights and electric cactus lights are also available. 

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.

Hang red, white and green balloons to add to the festive atmosphere. For something really different hang mini neon maracas or use a fiesta lantern garland. 

Decorate each table with chili pepper candles and tie the napkins with raffia dyed red or green. Add a colorful fiesta theme paper plate (four styles to choose from) and a flashing 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!

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.

For a more complete selection of fiesta party decorations please visit Fiesta Party Decorating411.

Fiesta Centerpieces

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. Or maybe you would like a fiesta centerpiece. 

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 Party 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, flan, and margaritas. Check out these great Mexican recipes.

¡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

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

Hang a sombrero piñata or a bull pinata and let everyone have a turn trying to knock it to the ground. (Don't forget pinata filler and a pinata 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.

Questions about fiesta party planning? Ask the Party Girl! 

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