I threw a carnival birthday party for my children almost 2 years ago, when they turned 4 and 2. Seems like it was just yesterday.  I do have to give credit to my husband as it was his idea and a very fun one indeed!  The whole theme started with the invitation, which is the latest addition to my website.  Here is a quick picture.

Carnival Birthay Invitations 1The main color for the whole party was red, but I did pop in some blue and yellow too with balloons.  It’s a very unisex theme and great for a combined party or just for a girl or a boy. I’ve even done the invite in different colors, more pastels for a first birthday or for a christening or baptism themed event as well. It’s just as cute in light pinks, blues and yellows.

Once the invites went out, my mind was racing with ideas of how to organize and accessorize the party. I made some banners to coordinate with the invitation.  Here is a quick snap shot of the most popular one.

Banner

This carnival banner hung in the main entry way of our home so our guests could see it right as they walked into the party.  Then, I decorated the whole home, mantels mostly, with a roll of carnival tickets.  I used it like paper streamers. It added a nice touch! The dinner menu consisted of all carnival concession stand food, popcorn, cotton candy, cracker jacks, hot jumbo pretzels with cheese, nachos and pizza. Yummy!  Here are few shots of the concessions.

Concessions Spread 1

The food was quite a hit! For the party favors, everyone received a spiral lollipop with a personalized thank you sticker on it.  Take a peak.

Suckers

Overall, this theme is so fun!  You can do so much with it.  For additional inspiration, I’ve collected a number of other pictures from other carnival parties and created a pin board on Pinterest. Don’t forget to check it out and follow me on Pinterest too!

http://pinterest.com/jtravelino/carnival-theme-birthday-party/

Thanks for stopping by!