Carnival Theme Party

Remember those days when you would go to the fair, eat corn dogs and cotton candy, and spend all day riding the ferris wheel? Those days are not over, nor do you have to go to the fair to have this much fun! Throw a carnival theme party this summer and have a blast!

Games
Relive some of these classic games in your own backyard.

• Balloon darts: Thread the knotted ends of balloons through a large sheet of pegboard. Secure with duct tape on the back.
• Bucket Toss: Line up buckets of different sizes on an elevated surface. Use ping-pong balls (or something similar) for tossing.
• Pie in the Face: Before the party, convince a good friend to take on this messy, but tasty, role.
• Photo Booth: You will need to rent one or ask a photography-savvy friend (or older sibling) to man the booth. He or she snaps photos of guests in front of a solid backdrop with a digital camera. Upload to a photo-processing program and print on photo paper. Provide fun props to encourage goofy pictures.

Décor
Make the party look like a real carnival.

• You can rent booths or make them yourself by draping striped fabric over folding tables. Create a backdrop with additional fabric hung from rope. Identify each game with signs pinned onto the fabric.
• Hang colorful bunting across the midway for extra carnival atmosphere. Paper lanterns have a similar effect and provide illumination for an evening party.
• Across from the food booth, use another canopy as the prize tent. Guests can pick up their prizes, which double as party favors, as they finish playing games along the midway. Some prize options include decks of cards, favorite candy, inexpensive jewelry for the girls, and caps for the guys.

For more, check out party ideas from Celebrations.