Fiesta Party Ideas -- Nacho Ordinary Party!

When you think of going south of the border, the mind begins to think about yummy hot and spicy food, fun Latin music, great friends, and of course, lots of fiesta party ideas. So grab your maracas, toss down your sombrero, and kick up your heels and get ready to Par-tay!

First of all, to help get you into the fiesta party frame of mind, here are some fiesta party packages to consider. If you would like a sneak preview, click on the links below to check them out and make a quick price comparison:

Lots Of Fiesta Decor, Partyware, & More
Caliente Fiesta Celebration Supplies
Caliente Flowers Fiesta Supplies
Fiesta Party Supplies
Fun Fiesta Partyware & Decorating Supplies
Fiesta Party Scene Setters & Decor
Hot Times Fiesta Deluxe Kit-N-Kaboodle Kit
Fiesta Party Decor, Costumes & More


FIESTA PARTY IDEAS FOR INVITATIONS

FIESTA PARTY IDEAS - SOMBRERO INVITATIONS #1 - Cut a sombrero shape out of gold or yellow cardstock and decorate the edges with red or green glitter. Put your party details in the center of the hat.

SOMBRERO INVITATIONS #2 - Cut 8 1/2" X 11" piece of card stock into 4 pieces. The color should coordinate with your sombrero's colors. Type or handwrite the party details in calligraphy onto the card stock. Be sure to tell the recipient to wear the sombrero to the party. Cut the finished piece with decorative scissors. Hole-punch and run a piece of yarn or ribbon through the hole and tie to the sombrero. Hand-deliver invitations.

FIESTA PARTY IDEAS - TACO INVITATIONS #1 - Make a taco-shaped invitation out of light tan cardstock. On one side put, "No Time For A Siesta; We're Having A Fiesta!" On the reverse side put all of the party details.

TACO INVITATIONS #2 - Make a taco-shaped invitation out of light tan cardstock. Make this invitation so it will "hold" the taco contents. Have shreds of green card stock coming out of the taco, but have the shreds attached to a rectangular piece of green cardstock with some of the party details. This way the rectangle will be hid inside of the taco, but the lettuce shreds will flow out. Do the same thing with a light orange piece of cardstock to represent the shredded cheese.

MEXICAN TISSUE PAPER FLOWER INVITATIONS - Make Mexican Tissue Paper Flowers. Cut 8 1/2" X 11" piece of card stock into 4 pieces. The color should coordinate with your flowers' colors. Type or handwrite the party details in calligraphy onto the card stock. Cut the finished piece with decorative scissors. Hole-punch, run flower's chenille stem through the hole and twist off to hold the invite onto the flower. Hand-deliver invitations.

CHILI PEPPER INVITATIONS - Cut 8 1/2" X 11" piece of green card stock into 4 pieces. Type or handwrite the party details in calligraphy onto the card stock. Cut the finished piece with decorative scissors. Hole-punch and run a piece of yarn or ribbon through the hole and tie to a large red chili pepper. Hand-deliver invitations.

Here's some fiesta party ideas for introductory wording for your invitations:

Spend an Evening South Of The Border

For A Sizzlin' Good Time
Nacho Ordinary Party

Hold Onto Your Sombreros...
You're Invited To A Mexican Fiesta

This Party Is Going To Be Hot! Hot! Hot!

Add the party details and conclude with:

See you there Amigos!
RSVP to Senor Paul & Senorita Helen Majors
@ (telephone number)


FIESTA PARTY IDEAS FOR COSTUMES

The men could opt to wear a colorful poncho, sombrero, and a large bushy moustache. The women could wear long skirts in colorful solid with a Mexican design and lots of ruffles. Add a pheasant-style white blouse. Alternatively, the ladies could opt to wear a traditional flamingo-style dress. The guys will be saying Ole!

As your guests arrive you could handout sombreros, bandanas, maracas, etc., which they may keep as a memento of your fabulous fiesta.


FIESTA PARTY IDEAS FOR DECORATIONS

The colors of the Mexican flag consist of green, white and red, so these would be a great color combination to use for your fiesta party. Other fiesta party ideas might be for you to use bright and bold colors like red, green, yellow, and purple.

• Hang a Fiesta banner at the entrance or on one of your party room walls.

• Make a "Gringo" and prop him up in your yard, ideally under a tree, but any place will do. Make your gringo as you would a scarecrow. Stuff a pair of pants and a long-sleeve shirt with newspapers. Place him in a seated leaning position, cross the legs, fold the arms, and place a sombrero where the head would be so it looks like someone is taking a siesta.

• Greet your guests with a fun fiesta archway in your yard to alert everyone of the party location or put it in your backyard for a major scene-setter and photo-op corner. Capture a photo of your guests as they arrive.

• Get life-sized posters of a mand and woman dressed in Mexican clothing and cut out the faces. Glue the posters to sturdy cardboard and affix it to a piece of plywood. As your guests arrive, have them put their face through the hole and take their picture.

• If you do not request your guests wear fiesta costumes, they arrive, direct them to an area for a photo. Have sombreros and Mexican blankets available. Have them put on a sombrero, place a blanket over one shoulder, and click away.

• Decorate your tables with brightly colored fabrics like red, orange, purple, green, and yellow.

• Toss fiesta confetti onto your tabletops for an additional fun decoration.

• Make small Mexican Tissue Paper Flowers and twist the chenille stems around rolled up napkins holding the silverware.

• Use bandanas as napkins.

• Hang Mexican blankets on the walls and cover furniture.

• Hang bejeweled sombreros on the walls for decoration.

• Hang colorful streamers throughout the party room from the ceiling, down the walls, cover the ceiling, etc.

• Hang a Fiesta Chili Pepper Curtain in your doorways.

• Create bouquets of balloons in your festive colors and/or fiesta Mylar balloons and decorate the party room accordingly.

• Hang empty pinatas with a fiesta theme throughout the party room for some added fiesta decor or use them as centerpieces.

• Hang bullfighting posters, Mexican art, and fiesta-themed posters on the walls.

• Make the Mexican flag design on a piece of poster board and hang on your front door or a wall.

• Place maracas around on the tables so your guests have ready access so they may shake them while dancing.

• Set sombreros, bongo drums, and maracas around the party room to add fiesta ambiance.

• Decorate the room with inflatable cactus.

• Fill clay pots with Mexican Tissue Paper Flowers. You can either leave the pots al la natural or paint them with brightly colored acrylic paints.

• Transform your party room into a fiesta extravaganza with these great Fiesta Room Setters. The orange stucco walls, tile roof, and scene setter add-ons like fiesta signs, maracas, pinatas, etc. will instantly put your guests into fiesta-mode.

• Hang some fun theme lights that are shaped like cactus and cowboy boots around your party room or outside on your decks and patios.

• Hang white Christmas lights throughout the party room and if you have enough, these lights could serve as your primary lighting source.

• Keep your drinks cold in a cute cactus cooler, which can also double nicely as a great fiesta decoration.

• Hire a mariachi band to play music during your party or check with your local high school band and see if they might be able to help you out with festive music.

• If the party is being held outside or will spill over to your yard, be sure to have some hammocks available.

PRINTABLE GAMES - Here's a great site for some fun print and play party games that would be a perfect add-on to your fiesta party.

If you're racking your brain for some fiesta party ideas relating to games, here's an entire page with nothing but Fiesta Games and Activities, such as:

• Limbo
• Pass The Sombrero (Adult Style)
• Nacho-Eating Contest
• Mexican Hat Dance Contest
• Chilli Pepper Eating Contest

Here's Some Fiesta Party Ideas For Main Courses:

TACO BAR - Set up a taco bar. Keep your meat, rice, and beans warm by placing them each into crock pots. Add bowls of lettuce, sliced black olives, chopped onions, cheddar and jack cheese, sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and tomatoes. In the alternative, you could use new clay pots to hold the condiments. Just remember to plug the hole.

BURRITOS - Serve refried beans, Mexican rice, beef and/or chicken, shredded lettuce, salsa, avocado, shredded cheese, and sour cream, along with the all-important flour tortillas. Have your guests build their own concoctions to their liking.

ENCHILADAS - Make your favorite enchilada recipe, which can be made ahead, frozen, and thawed out the day of the party, order in from your local restaurant; or purchase frozen enchiladas from your local store like Trader Joe's.

QUESADILLAS - Quesadillas - Use a quesadilla machine to create your quesadillas or do them all free-hand. I've got a machine and it works great. It seals the sides nicely and holds all of your fillings.

Here's Some Fiesta Party Ideas For Munchies:

TORTILLA CHIPS - Serve tortilla chips in upside down sombreros and/or Spanish hats.

NACHOS - Place a layer of tortilla chips in a large baking pan. Top them with refried beans, grated Mexican cheese (cheddar and Monterey Jack), sliced black olives, and sliced jalapeno peppers. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle chopped cilantro onto nachos and serve with bowls of sour cream and guacamole.

7-LAYER DIP - Mix one package of taco seasoning mix (mild or spicy) with one 16-ounce can of refried beans. Spread mixture onto a large serving platter that has sides or an extra-large decorative pie pan. Spread the following ingredients on top of the beans in the order provided:

1 (16-ounce) container of sour cream 1 (16-ounce) container of guacamole (mild or hot) 1 (16-ounce) jar of chunky salsa (mild, medium, or hot) 1 bunch chopped green onions 1 (6-ounce) can of chopped black olives, drained 2-4 cups shredded Mexican cheese

For a real treat, serve with warm, homemade tortilla chips. If you're not up to the task, then just opt for store bought.

SOMBRERO SALAD - Place a sombrero on a platter. Remove pineapple leaves from a fresh pineapple and attach the leaves to the top of the sombrero with metal skewers or turkey lacers. Line the brim with plastic wrap. Fill the brim with cut-up fruit. Pin small clusters of grapes around the top of the sombrero with hairpins. Garnish with sprigs of mint.

Watermelon - Cut up with fluted french-fry cutter.

Honeydew Melon & Cantaloupe - Use melon-baller to make honeydew melon and cantaloupe balls.

Coconut Bananas - Peel and cut into 1" pieces 4 bananas. Place 1 pint sour cream, 4 tbsp. lemon juice, and 1-1/2 cups shredded coconut in separate bowls. Dip banana pieces in lemon juice. roll in sour cream and then in coconut. Cover with plastic and refrigerate several hours or up to 24.

Fruit Dipping Sauce - 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tbsp. flour, 1 tsp. grated lemon peel, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 beaten egg, 1 cup halved marshmallows, 1/2 pint sour cream.

Combine sugar and flour. Stir in lemon peel, lemon juice, and egg. Mix until smooth. Add marshmallows. Stir for 10-15 minutes over low heat until mixture thickens slightly and marshmallows melt. Cool slightly. Stir in sour cream. Refrigerate for a few hours.

CHURROS - Either make fresh churros and roll them in a mixture of granulated sugar and cinnamon or buy some ready-made. Either way, they are best served warm.

Here's Some Fiesta Party Ideas For Fiesta-Theme Drinks:

MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE - Make your favorite recipe and serve with marshmallows or whip cream.

CACTUS JUICE - Mix equal parts of grape juice and lemon-lime soda or Sprite. Add ice and garnish each serving with a slice of orange and lemon.

FROZEN STRAWBERRY MARGARITAS (VIRGIN) - 6 strawberries, 5-ounce of frozen limeade (prepare according to package directions), 12-ounces of crushed ice. Blend all ingredients until slushy. Serve in a chilled margarita glass with a slice of lime.

MOCK MARGARITAS - Combine one 6-ounce can of frozen lemonade concentrate, one 6-ounce can of frozen limeade concentrate, 1/4 cup of powdered sugar, three cups of crushed ice, and two cups of chilled club soda. Blend until slushy. Serve with a lime slice garnish.


FIESTA PARTY IDEAS FOR BIRTHDAY CAKES

CACTUS CAKE - Make or buy one sheet cake and cut it in half lengthwise. Lay the pieces end-to-end on a piece of cardboard covered with foil. Make a cake using a horseshoe shaped pan and cut in half. Lay each half on either side of the center piece to form the cactus arms. Frost all the cakes green and stick slivered almonds into the frosting to create the thorns.

SOMBRERO CAKE - Using 2 cake mixes, make a large, round 14-inch cake and a cone or dome-shaped cake using a pan or bowl that is about 6 or 8 inches tall. Cover an 18-inch piece of cardboard with foil. Place round cake on the cardboard and top with the cone-shaped cake to create the top piece of the sombrero.

Frost the cakes with a straw hat color (using brown and yellow food coloring). Using red and green fruit roll-ups and mini cookie cutters, cut out fiesta shapes, e.g., cowboy boots, cactus, chili peppers, etc. Decorate the cone of the sombrero by pressing the shapes into it. Finish off the bottom of the hat with small pom-poms.

MEXICAN CUPCAKES - Make or buy cupcakes and frost them in bright colors. Top them off with cactus, sombrero, chili pepper, etc. sugar decorations.


FIESTA PARTY IDEAS FOR FAVORS

Favors aren't necessary for an adult birthday party, but if you wish to give your guests a small parting gift, you might consider any of these fiesta party ideas for favors: A colorful sombrero, maracas, party photos, or a special party photo framed. If you hire some high school photography students to take pictures during your party, they can also take care of printing out photos and placing them into frames so they are ready to go when the party is over.

MORE FIESTA PARTY IDEAS

Just in case you're still on the hunt for some more Fiesta Party Ideas, here's several ideas to check out. There are lots of options and ideas for invitations, decorations, party food, favors, and games.


FIESTA PARTY IDEAS FOR PARTY SUPPLIES

Here's a fan-tabulous selection of Fiesta Decor, Partyware, & So Much More.

Here's a fun new pattern, the Caliente Fiesta Celebration Supplies or the Caliente Flowers Fiesta Supplies that you might like to check out.

Here's a wonderful selection of Fiesta Party Supplies. This company has oodles of options from which to select.

Here's some terrific Fun Fiesta Partyware & Decorating Supplies that you can pick and choose from in order to create the perfect fiesta look.

Here's some great Fiesta Party Scene Setters & Decor that will certainly transform your "Gringo" home into a festive fiesta atmosphere.

Here's some great all-in-one Hot Times Fiesta Deluxe Kit-N-Kaboodle Kit.

Here's one final batch of Fiesta Party Decor, Costumes & More to check out.

Fiesta Party Ideas

Do you have some favorite Fiesta party ideas? Do tell! Please share all your party tips and ideas for invitations, decorations, games, etc.