Come one, come all! These circus theme party ideas will leave you wowed! With everything from custom cocktails to DIY decor, this collection of circus party ideas is perfect for any occasion, any age and anyone who wants to have a good time. Check out our amazing ideas for throwing a lively circus celebration.
WHY A CIRCUS PARTY?
We get it. When you think of a circus party, it’s hard not to think of a more youthful celebration. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you might have heard of a movie called The Greatest Showman –– one of the biggest hit movies from 2017. This movie inspired the circus party craze, is now a top party trend for 2021 and it’s not going anywhere! We’re pretty sure these ideas will inspire you to create your own circus party. Think about it –– fun colors, eccentric costumes, indulgent finger foods, and lively entertainment = one fun night!
PLANNING A CIRCUS PARTY
We took the liberty of throwing the perfect circus party to help inspire your party themes (as if the Hester & Cook team would ever say no to any celebration occasion). We started by using items from our Circus Collection as a foundation for this celebration. The Circus Collection was created in collaboration with local Nashville artist Elizabeth Foster and features lively characters and a bold, exciting color palette –– perfect for any age celebrating. Here’s what we came up with.
ON THE MENU
MINI CUBAN SANDWICHES
Talk about feeding a crowd! This simple dish will effortlessly feed your guests and leave them, and your wallet with a smile. Click here to grab the recipe.
CHARCUTERIE BOARD
What’s a party without a charcuterie board these days? Nothing, as far as we’re concerned. We love lining our board or tray with Serving Confetti for a bit of added flare. Local to Middle Tennessee? We love the tasty creations by Cheese Gal and Nashville Grazing Boards.
HAUTE DOGS
Hot dogs, but make it elevated. Everyone loves an easy-to-make meal, but this one takes the cake. These tasty bites are gone in seconds every time we make them. Just take frozen crescent rolls and wrap them around hot dogs and bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes. Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning and enjoy!
CAPRESE SKEWERS
The best party food comes on skewers! You can’t go wrong with a classic Caprese skewer, plus it looks beautiful with the circus-themed color palette. Mozzarella balls, grape tomatoes, basil sprigs and a drizzle of balsamic glaze make this an easy treat to prepare!
CUSTOM CAKES & COOKIES
How darling are these custom made cakes and cookies from our friends at Triple Crown Bakery? If you are in the Nashville or Franklin, TN area, give them a visit. You won’t regret it!
We topped the cakes with our Circus Trio Table Ornaments as a final touch. So many great uses for those!
COTTON CANDY
It’s a special occasion, so we whipped out our handy cotton candy machine for an extra sweet treat for our guests. You can find a similar one here. These were so fun to make and guests loved watching the process. Easy entertainment!
COCKTAILS
COTTON CANDY CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL
Yes, it’s as good as it sounds. This simple libation is a total crowd pleaser and will instantly cure your sweet tooth. They look so delightful in these CB2 Eve Coupes. Try out the recipe for your self here.
TIP: Use Rialto glassware and sparkling cider for a mocktail option!
APEROL SPRITZ
The true drink of summer! The Aperol Spritz brings the perfect pop of color to the bar. Make these in a large pitcher to accommodate large groups. Click here for the recipe.
PARTY DECOR
CIRCUS COLLECTION FROM H&C
Bring the big top to your table with our abundant selection of circus party decorations. Shop here for the full collection.
Centerscapes were displayed on our cocktail bar, dessert bar, and on our hor’dourves table. They made a great backdrop for the party and really created that fun atmosphere we were dreaming of.
We used these Table Ornaments as unique glass embellishments on our cocktail glasses.
Table Runners were laid across our hor’dourves table and dessert bar. They make for easy clean up once the party is over and are great at containing spills and messes.
We can’t get enough of the whimsical friends on our Circus Parade Bunting. We hung these everywhere! These can also be used as fun place cards if you’re having a sit-down meal. Speaking of place cards, these make great food or buffet labels!
For dinnerware, we used our all-time-favorite eco plates and eco napkins. These are 100% natural, sturdy and eco friendly. Plus the design is just plain adorable. It’s a win-win.
BALLOON ARCH
We’ve got a talented group here at H&C, so we were able to create our own balloon arch using a convenient kit purchased here. It was relatively simple and the result is show-stopping! Talk about a wow factor! If you don’t have time to create your own, there are plenty of companies like Vroom Vroom Balloon and Rock Paper Scissors that can make your vision come to life!
FLOWERS IN POPCORN BOXES
Of course we have to have a floral moment. You didn’t think we’d leave that out did you? We got our hands on some beautiful white hydrangeas (our favorite!) from our local grocer and displayed them in popup popcorn boxes. The fluffy hydrangea blooms mimic the look of popcorn. So easy right? There are plenty of options out there, but you can find popcorn boxes similar to these here.
GOLD PAINTED PEANUTS
Another affordable decor trick is scattering gold peanuts across the table. We simply spray painted in-shell peanuts with gold spray paint. We found that raw peanuts in the shell work best!
MARQUEE LIGHTS
These made an awesome addition to our party decor! Spell anything your heart desires with these battery powered marquee lights.
VINTAGE DRUMS
How great are these? You all know we’re a huge fan of anything vintage here at Hester & Cook, so when we came across these vintage drums, we knew we had to incorporate them into our celebration somehow. Browse your local antique store to inspire your next celebration. You never know what you will find!
DIY
DOOR SWAG
Welcome your guests with a festive door swag! This DIY was created by our design team as a fun and simple way to welcome your guests to your celebration. For the circus theme, we used our Seafoam & Red Awning Stripe Runner and our adorable Circus Parade Bunting. Follow this tutorial to make one of your own!
PAPER INVITATION
You’re invited! We designed this fun invitation to send to our guests ahead of our little celebration. The best part –– we’re sharing the template with you to download and print for FREE!
ENTERTAINMENT
CIRCUS THEMED PLAYLIST
We’ve got the entertainment covered. Check out this specially curated playlist made just for this event!
ATTIRE
To top it all off, we encouraged guests to sport a coordinating color palette of black, red and white. This helps create an inviting party atmosphere and the photos always turn out amazing!
We hope these ideas inspire your next occasion and remind you that there’s always a moment to celebrate!
1 comment
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