Circus Party Theme – Circus Party Ideas

Host Bee on Monday, September 19th, 2011

It’s a Party Under the Big Top!

Your Easy Guide to a Circus Themed Birthday Party!

A circus themed birthday party is terrific in a lot of ways: it can work for a boy or girl, stretch across quite a range of ages and comes with a built in color scheme! And now for the “greatest party on earth!”

Invitations

Photo Invitation - this invitation incorporates classic circus elements with a photo of your child! (Etsy, Circus Birthday Invitation, on sale for $14.00, pictured top)
Personalized Invitation – with a polka dotted border, big top and Ferris wheel, this colorful invitation from Fine Stationery is perfect for this theme. (Fine Stationery, Circus Carnival Party Invitation, on sale 10 for $33.00)
DIY:

1. Purchase tin cookie cutters in circus animal shapes like an elephant or lion. (Off The Beaten Path, Animal Cookie Cutters, on sale for $1.19)

2. Print out this adorable (and free!) red and white cardstock invitation from Pumpkin Petunia. (Pumpkin Petunia, Printable Water Labels, free)

3. Purchase a roll of “admit one” carnival tickets. (Oriental Trading, ‘Admit One’ Tickets, on sale for $5.00)

4. Hole punch both the card and a carnival ticket and attach both to the cookie cutter with a red ribbon.

Decorations

A Tent

Use an actual tent – If you’re lucky enough to own a tent or have nice neighbors who do, plan to set it up in your yard or even in your living room.
Bunting – Without a tent, create the feel of the circus with red and white paper bunting from Oriental Trading. (Oriental Trading, Big Top Bunting, on sale for $2.50)
Ceiling Streamers – Or improvise by draping red and white fabric or streamers from the ceiling, keeping your efforts focused on the food or favor table.
Tabletop Tent - Purchase a Big Top Tabletop Tent (Oriental Trading, Big Top Circus Tent, on sale for $50.00)
Big Top Canopy – Or a Big Top Canopy (Oriental Trading, Big Top Canopy, on sale for $50.00)

Balloons

Red and white balloons are a must and a lot of them!

Paper Goods

This deluxe circus party kit from Make It Mine Parties has it all! Personalized party hats and favor tags, cups, napkins, cupcake picks, elephant ring toss centerpiece and more! (Make It Mine Parties, Personalized Party Package, on sale for $119.00)

Fabulous Table Cloth

I might have to have my own circus themed party just to buy this tablecloth! The bright colors and fringed hem make this a stand out! (Uncommon Goods*, Big Top Tablecloth, $68)

A Soundtrack

Try Under the Big Top: One Hundred Years of Circus Music (Amazon*, Circus Party Soundtrack, on sale for $10.99)
Circus Music from the Big Top – The Greatest Show on Earth (Amazon*, Circus Music from the Bigtop, on sale for $12.00)

Activities

Traditional carnival games are perfect for this party and consider giving out tickets at each game booth to be redeemed at a prize table!

Ducks in a small wading pool
Clothespin drop
Ring toss onto bottles
Face painting
Clown costume relay using two identical sets of clown accessories

What To Serve

This menu will be a breeze and definitely kid friendly! With many of these suggestions, consider renting or buying a machine. Over the years, I’ve picked up an old-fashioned

popcorn popper and a hotdog roller and have been amazed at how often they’ve been used!

Hot Dogs
Cotton Candy
Popcorn in striped bags
Snow cones
Soft pretzels
Candy Apples
Cracker Jacks

Dessert

1. Cupcakes served in:

A Big Top Cupcake Stand (Oriental Trading, Big Top Cupcake Stand, on sale for $8.00)
A Fabulous Cupcake Ferris Wheel (Neiman Marcus, Ferris Wheel Cupcake Holder, on sale for $75.00)

2. Ferris Wheel Cake (Parents, Ferris Wheel Cake, pictured)

Favors

Candy Buffet – Set up a candy buffet including boxes of Barnum’s Animal Crackers, licorice, gum balls, lollipops, pixie sticks and so on. Arrange the candy in clear glass container and stack the boxes of animal crackers pyramid style on a large tray. Just for fun, include a large jar filled with red, foam clown noses! (Amazon, Red Clown Noses, on sale for $4.08)
Circus Themed Containers – Consider providing thematic containers for the candy such as striped popcorn bags or these terrific red and white “tent” boxes! (Etsy, Circus Tent Favor Boxes, on sale 5 for $20.75)
Circus Themed Cookie – If the idea of all of that candy is too much, send guests home with one delicious and cute cookie, individually wrapped in cellophane bags! (The Flour Pot, Clown Face Party Favors, on sale for $4.00)