Plan a Fiesta

A Mexican fiesta party is a great way to explore Mexican history and culture. Celebrate at your home, nearby park or local Mexican Restaurant.

Fiesta Invitations

Invitations are a great way to reflect the spirit and theme of your party. Nobbies offers many different approaches to invitations. Choose from a variety of pre-made invitations to coordinate with your theme, or make your own.

Hand-Made Invitation Suggestions:

• Incorporate the Mexican Flag onto your invitation.
• Use your computer to find clip art of a Sombrero. Print the Sombrero the size that you would like the invite to be. Cut the sombrero out so you have an invitation in that shape. Print off your party information on white or colored paper and glue it onto the sombrero.
• Use pictures of a Chihuahua to put on your invitation.
• Print your party information on recipe cards and write "Mexican Salsa" at the top of recipe cards and weave the date and time of the party into the recipe.

Fiesta Apparel

• Ponchos
• Sombreros
• Cowboy boots
• Bandanas
• Leather or Suede Vests
• Western-type clothing
• Chaps
• Sheriff costumes
• Senorita Costumes & lace fans
• Fake Mustaches
• Zorro Costumes
• False Blankets
• Spurs
• String Ties

Fiesta Decorations

Create your own ice sculpture display for the centerpiece of the main food table. Take large cardboard milk cartons and cut off the tops. Place a couple of inches of water in each. Drop Mexican themed items into the water such as red and green chili peppers, maracas, etc and then freeze.

Continue to fill with 2-3 inches of water and decorative items and repeat the process till you get to the top of the container. Right before the party begins, remove the containers from the freezer and peel off the carton to expose the ice creation.

Arrange the creation decoratively in a large shallow tray (to catch the ice as it melts). The tray can then be covered with bunches of tinsel, curling ribbons, fruit and veggies, or other items to hide the base that is catching the melting water. This activity is a fun way to include the children in the planning. They have a great time coming up with items to display in the ice molds, and the creations turn out beautiful.

For an authentic touch, visit your local travel agent and try to get posters of Mexico, such as scenes from the city beach or historic ruins. You can mount these on foam core and hang them on the walls.

Hang Chili pepper lights around the room and buffet table.

Display Mexican themed cut-outs on the walls, with bright colored streamers. Have Mexican music playing in the background.

Hand-make luminary lights out of bright colored paper sacks, fill with 1 cup of sand and place a luminary candle in the center. Use these to line the walkway to the party.

Place a Sombrero in the middle of the food table, attach balloons (Mylar cactus, sombrero and colorful latex) in the center of the hat and fill the brim with tortilla chips.

Hang a pinata in the middle of the room, and remember to fill with candy/party favors.

Display a map of Mexico above the food table.

Use Mexican flags, sombreros and green, white, and red balloons around the room to add extra flare.

Fiesta Food and Refreshments

Create a Taco Bar:
Line a table with taco shells, meat and all the fixings. Include other Mexican foods such as nachos, refried beans, rice, and burritos.

For Dessert:
Serve sopapillas or fried ice cream in terra cotta pots or brightly colored dishes to give your table a southwestern feel.

For Refreshments:
Serve margaritas, Mexican beer, sangria or frozen daiquiris. Remember to also have some non-alcoholic beverages such as soda pop or tea.

Fiesta Games

Break a pinata

Have everyone do the Macarena line dance

Spanish Word game

Play musical chairs with Mariachi music

Jumping Bean:
Like freeze dancing, play Mexican music and tell the kids to jump like jumping beans. Stop the music. The kids must freeze. If they move or fall, they are out. Keep going until there is a winner or they get tired of jumping.

Pin the flower on the cactus:
Use a large cut-out of a cactus and place it on the wall. Make an outline for a flower on the tip of one branch. Cut out colorful paper flowers with the same design. Number them or write each child's name on a flower. Play the game like Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Use a Nobbies pinata mask if you want to blindfold the player.

Fiesta Party Favors

• Brightly colored Maracas
• Candy
• CDs with Mexican music
• Spanish word book
• Finger cuffs
• Jump ropes
• Marbles
• Paddleballs
• Hot Tamales Candy