Loading ...
Kate Messiter is a mom of one (a lively one!) based in Sydney, Australia and owner of the aptly named I LOVE PARTIES, an online shop stocking handmade and vintage inpired party supplies. According to Kate, I LOVE PARTIES was born out of two things: (a) her long time love of (read as: obsession with!) party planning and all the details that go into making a great event, and (b) her struggle to find any affordable alternatives to the mass-produced, licensed party supplies typically available in stores, particularly in Australia. As a vintage and retro devotee, Kate has tried to bring a nostalgic party feel to the I LOVE PARTIES range.
Roll up! Roll up! A circus party is coming to town…
This popular party theme is best done with a vintage twist. The golden era of circuses was the late 1800s and early 1900s, so channel the wonderful design features from that era to create a beautiful event which will appeal to party-goers of all ages!
Invitations:
Set the tone for the party with a rustic party invitation. Try to avoid anything too glossy or modern.
Make or buy an invitation in the form of an old circus poster or circus ticket. Stationary designers can create something quite authentic for you.
Alternatively, print and cut out an invitation in the shape of a big top and overlay the invitation with a fabric or paper “tent”.
Decorations:
Set up a “big top” (a hired tent) in your yard and drape it with red and white striped fabric. Alternatively, string up a “big top” against a wall inside the house.
Use primary colors for general decorations – bunches of helium balloons look fantastic.
Keep streamers and other more fussy decorations to a minimum. Use multi-coloured pennant banners and flags instead.
Hang some vintage circus posters around the party area.
Make or buy red and white striped table runners or tablecloths.
Stick to big old platters for serving food, and solid colour or red and white striped plates, cups and napkins.
Use circus toys as table centrepieces. Find some old-fashioned toys, like wooden circus animals or circus themed wind-up toys.
Scatter or hand out some red and/or white “Admit One” tickets.
Make some signs for the “Big Top Buffet”, “Big Top Bar”, etc. or set your food service area up as a ticket booth.
Games/Activities:
Try some old-fashioned carnival games. If you have the space, set these games up as stalls or booths around your yard:
1) Tin Can Shoot — Use water guns, bean bags or balls to knock down empty cans.
2) Pin the Nose on the Clown — Draw your own clown on butchers paper, or the game is widely available to buy.
3) Duck Pond Game — Use a permanent marker to write numbers on the underside of some rubber ducks (leave some blanks as decoys). Float the ducks in a large container or small kiddie pool. Each child picks a duck and receives a prize from the box corresponding to the number they pick out.
4) Feed the Lion — Make a “lion’s mouth” out of a hula hoop or cardboard box. Kids then trow bean bags or a ball etc. into the mouth. This can also be played in teams.
If your budget permits, and the party goers are of the right age, consider hiring a clown.
Adult guests can also help with face painting — red noses, curly ringmaster moustaches and lions/tigers.
Menu:
Serve up “carnival” party food, like hot dogs and nachos.
Set up a cotton candy (fairy floss) and popcorn stand. If your budget permits, hire a cotton candy and/or popcorn making machine. Be sure to pick up some old-fashioned popcorn and cotton candy bags — these are cheap but very high impact.
You can add peanuts (roasted and in their shell) to your concession stand but just be sure to keep them out of reach of little hands. Again, pick up some vintage peanut bags online.
Serve up some Barnum’s Animal Crackers and/or Cracker Jacks — if you can’t find these in a local store you will be able to source online.
Top some plain iced cupcakes with vintage clown cupcake toppers (again, available online).
Cake:
A two-dimensional clown head is relatively simple cake to pull off — a round cake for the head, and a second cake is cut in to a hat, bow tie or collar ruffle and hair.
A three-dimensional clown head is only slightly more complicated — just cook two cakes in “bowl” shaped tins and place one on top of the other, divided by a paper collar ruffle (ie. so the bottom half is the upper torso and the top half is the head). Put a party hat on top of the clown’s head and decorate.
Alternatively, make a “big top” cake and decorate the perimeter of the cake with edible or plastic circus animals.
Favors:
Fill your favour bags with old-fashioned lollies — include lots of red and white — a red nose and a whistle.
