Cinco de Mayo Party Ideas

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Style

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Style

The fifth of May is not the Mexican Independence Day as so many people believe. That is reserved for September 16th. However, Cinco de Mayo is an important date in Mexico's history. It is the day, back in 1862, when the Mexican army was able to defeat the French army in the town of Puebla. Cinco de Mayo has been celebrated as a symbol of Mexican pride and heritage ever since. The celebration started in California. Now you can celebrate it with a Cinco de Mayo party of your own.

Traditional music, food, and dance are important parts of a Cinco de Mayo celebration and fiesta. By adding sombreros and maracas you can add authenticity to your party. Genuine maracas can be ordered. You can also find ones that light up. There are mini maracas and ones with streamers attached for a more festive look. There are even neon colored maracas to add bright colors to the fun.

The traditional hat dance should always be performed. This can be done with the traditional sombrero. You may want to have several sizes of sombreros for party guests. You can get child or adult sizes. Colors can be traditional or neon depending on the other decorations. There are videos you can get that show how to do the traditional Mexican hat dance. It is very fun to see the guests learn the steps and try to keep time to the music. You can get CD's with traditional Mariachi band music.

The Cinco de Mayo celebration is full of Mexican tradition and heritage. This means colorful streamers and banners. You can even get printed banners to make your Cinco de Mayo celebration more personal. There are banners to hang on the wall which bring the decor of old Mexico into your fiesta zone. These wall hangings can resemble stucco walls and tile roofs. There are even chili pepper lights to string up that give the entire place a festive look.

What Mexican fiesta is complete without the pitchers of margaritas? Plastic margarita glasses are available for a more authentic looking beverage. Even if you do not serve alcohol you can still have the look and feel of the Mexican drink. Add more color to the table by including Mexican motif paper plates and napkins. The centerpieces can be large, brightly colored flowers and cactus.

Adding a pinata to the Cinco de Mayo celebration is great fun for the children. You can fill the pinata with small toys and pieces of candy. There is even a bat and blindfold you can get that is bright and colorful. Even adults can have fun with this traditional Mexican game. The pinata is found at almost any Mexican holiday celebration.