Here's How To Host The Ultimate Cinco De Mayo Fiesta
Here’s How to Host the Ultimate Cinco de Mayo Fiesta
Cinco de Mayo is the best excuse for the brightest, happiest, and sunniest of celebrations. Although this day isn't really celebrated in Mexico, this holiday is extremely important in America: On this one day a year, all Americans take the time to honor and celebrate Mexican culture and traditions. Hang up that piñata, chill those margaritas, and smash up some guacamole: It's time to host the ultimate Cinco de Mayo fiesta.
Bright Décor
Hosting a Cinco de Mayo party is the best opportunity to cover your home or garden in bright, multicolored decorations. Use the red, white, and green colors of the Mexican flag as a base, and add in other fiery colors such as bright orange and yellow, to make your party as beautiful as it will be tasty.
Chunky Guacamole
If you don't serve guacamole at your fiesta, you will definitely not be hosting the ultimate Cinco de Mayo party. Make your favorite classic version, or try one of these creative guacamole creations. Make sure you have bowls filled with guacamole available throughout your party, with plenty of tortilla chips alongside for dipping.
Cinnamon Horchata
If you're hosting an evening party, end your meal not with coffee or peppermint tea, but with a comforting glass of iced, cinnamon-spiced horchata. This sweet, rice milk-based drink is refreshing and soothing, which is exactly what you need to relax after a big meal on a summer's day.
DIY Tacos
Save yourself the stress of serving up individual portions of quesadillas, tacos, and tortillas at your party by serving the main part of the meal family-style. Warm up plenty of corn tortillas and place them on the table alongside slow-cooked meats, fried fish, sour cream, grated cheese, chopped chiles, and grilled corn, so that your guests can build their own tacos and tostadas.
Fiesta Piñata
It wouldn't be a real Mexican party without a piñata. This party game is fun for kids and adults, and adds a focus to the fiesta besides endless food and drinks. Either buy one, or attempt to make your own.
Margarita Cupcakes
Who said margaritas could only come in liquid form? Serve these zingy margarita cupcakes at the end of your meal so that even dessert is in keeping with the Mexican theme.
Mariachi Music
Make sure all of your guests come to your party with their dancing shoes on. The ultimate Cinco de Mayo fiesta needs to be held with ever-popular, truly Mexican, mariachi music playing in the background.
Mexican Chocolate Fudge
These bite-size pieces of chocolate fudge are the perfect sweet treat to serve after devouring all those tasty tacos. Made with cinnamon and cayenne pepper, this sweet fudge has a wonderfully spicy aftertaste.
Mojito Mocktails
Make up a batch of virgin mojitos for all your non-drinking guests. This simple, alcohol-free cocktail makes the perfect refreshing, citrusy, and bubbly soft drink.
Simple Sides
Alongside the DIY tacos, make sure there's plenty of exciting sides. There are so many fantastic Mexican dishes that you don't want to miss out on. Bowls filled with black beans topped with queso fresco, poblano corn salsa, and a pinto bean salad will all add the perfect amount of flavor and color variation to your side-dish selection.
Spicy Salsas
As much as we do love guacamole, and we would be happy if this was the only food served at the Cinco de Mayo party, for the ultimate fiesta, you'll need to make a few salsas to be served with those tortilla chips, too, on top of those tacos. If you don't have time to make your own, use a good store-bought tomato salsa, but recipes such as this roasted green salsa, or a charred corn and avocado salsa are super simple.
Unlimited Margaritas
Set up a margarita bar so that your guests can help themselves to drinks, rather than forcing you to play bartender the whole time. Mix up a few pitchers of margaritas, leave out an extra bottle of tequila, and set out plenty of margarita glasses, rimming salt and sugar, a bowl full of lime wedges, and plenty of ice.