How to Plan a Mexican Fiesta

Liven up your next party with a Mexican theme. The Mexican fiesta can be a party on its own, or it can be used as a pool party, birthday party or graduation theme for kids of any age. This theme is ideal for a casual party or an outdoor party. The theme may also be thrown together for an impromptu party or to liven a up a dull school vacation.

Fiesta Preparation

Step 1

Create invitations for the fiesta using Mexican clip art or rubber stamp images of cacti, red peppers or stripes. Send along a fake ticket for “South of the Border” entry for each party guest.

Step 2

Mail the invitations in brightly colored envelopes in green, yellow or red. Seal with a red chili pepper sticker or stamp the back of the envelope with a Mexican sombrero image.

Step 3

Use layers of tissue paper cut into squares to make flowers. Use a pipe cleaner for the stem. Layer on one color at a time. Fold the layers out to make the flower petals.

Step 4

Decorate the door with chili pepper lights and a large sombrero. Use blow up or homemade cacti as decorations. Add empty pinatas to enhance the party area.

Step 5

Cover the table with a multiple-colored tablecloth, with red, yellow, green, purple, and blue. Make your own festive table covering by taping together large pieces of tissue paper to form stripes.

Food and Fun

Step 1

Provide craft tables for kids at the party. Set up a small table with self-hardening clay and plastic or wooden tools. Instruct kids on how to make a small bowl by making a ball, sticking a thumb in the middle and then stretching out the clay evenly.

Step 2

Provide plastic stencils of the sun, the Mexican flag or pinatas as well as stencil brushes, paper and poster paints. Save some tissue paper and pipe cleaners for kids to make their own fiesta flowers or flower crowns.

Step 3

Entertain guests with Latin music. Hire a real Mariachi band, or invite the adults to dress up and form a pretend Mariachi band. They can play along with the recorded music.

Step 4

Prepare a buffet table with the fixings for both vegetarian and meat tacos. Provide shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, and salsa. Include hard-shell taco shells and flour tortillas. Create a fruit tray with slices of grilled mango and pineapple chunks.

Step 5

Hang the pinata on a tree. Do this after filing it with a mixture of child-safe toys and some candy. Provide a blindfold. An adult needs to line up the children and help direct the child to the pinata. Keep all children and older guests away from the pinata when anyone is attempting to break it open.