Get Your Fiesta On!!! Cinco de Mayo Celebration Ideas

Get Your Fiesta On!!! Cinco de Mayo Celebration Ideas

Growing up, I remember my Grandmother always taking me to various Mexican restaurants around town.  The best ones were always the little dives owned by a husband and wife team - everything was just so authentic and tasty.  I wish I could go back to those days - but for now, Chipolte or Chili's will have to do!

If you love Mexican food and celebrations as much as I do, why not throw your very own quick & easy Cinco de Mayo party?  Here are some ideas to get you started.

Invitations:

Its seed planting time, pick up a few hot pepper seed packets from the dollar store and use this seed packet template to create your own invitation. 

Another fun idea is to hand deliver a mini bottle of your favorite hot sauce to your guests as an invitation.  Place details about the party on the bottle's label inviting your guests to your fiesta!  You can even ask that they bring along their favorite hot sauce and have a hot sauce tasting contest - SPICY!

Food & Beverages:

Source: Martha Stewart

This is a given - you have to have salsa & chips.  I like to make my own homemade salsa ; be sure to have a variety of corn chips on hand!  They come in all sorts of varieties, white corn, yellow corn, red corn, blue corn and multi-grain....yessir, chips and salsa is a MUST.  Another must have and might I say, quite a delicious dish is Carne Asada!  Place some flour tortillas in a warmer and set out some fixins’ and you're good to go!

Personally, I loooove margaritas.  In fact, that's how my two babies got here (wink-wink)....okay, so, you will definitely have to serve margaritas for the cocktails.  If you're feeling brave, kick it up a notch by putting a spin on the classic margarita and make this delicioso Watermelon Agua Fresca (recipe below)!

Recipe (courtesy of Food Network)

Ingredients

8 cups cubed seeded watermelon (about 6 pounds with the rind), divided

1 cup water, divided

1/3 cup sugar, divided

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 liter (4 cups) club soda or seltzer water, well chilled

Lime slices for garnish

Directions

Combine half the watermelon, half the water and half the sugar in a blender; puree. Pour through a coarse strainer into a large container. Repeat with the remaining watermelon, water and sugar. Stir in lime juice. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 4 hours.

To serve, stir in club soda (or seltzer) and garnish with lime.

.....and btw, please don't forget the CORONAS!!!!!

source

Decorations

Make them bright and bold!!!  I remember going to amusement parks as a kid and getting these big huge Mexican tissue paper flowers and then learning how to make them in art class.  It's such a fun and quick project that you can make a few of these in various sizes and put them up as decoration!

Source: Fresh and Vintage

You can also cut out and hang papel picado (cut paper) banners for a truly festive setting

I also really like these beautiful paper flower crowns. 

Source: 1000 words

They are super cute, right?  These would make lovely favors, especially if you have little divas in attendance. 

Musica!

A party is no party without good tunes. Download the perfect Cinco de Mayo celebration music on iTunes and get ready to salsa and shake!

Whatever you decide to do for Cinco de Mayo this year, make it lots of fun.  Now, bring on the cervezas!!!

***  (Don't forget to check out Quintessential Consulting's Blog for a Mother's Day Giveaway.  Enter for a chance to win a beautiful diamond necklace courtesy of Washington DC's DRZ Jewelers.

I'll also be posting pictures of my little guy's Caterpillar party later in the week.) ***