How to Throw a Mexican Themed party – Viva La Fiesta!

When it comes to fun party themes, a Mexican themed party is pretty high on the list of our favourites. Vibrant and colourful, the fiesta atmosphere lends itself perfectly to celebrations of all kinds. So, whether you’re planning a memorable wedding anniversary, a milestone birthday or a retirement party no one will forget, a Mexican party is a solid choice. 

Naturally, the first thing we’d suggest is making sure the music fits the fiesta vibe and there’s no better way than hiring a Mariachi band. One of our Mariachi bands will have your party feeling like Cinco de Mayo from the first note. 

After you’ve sorted the music, you can turn your attention to décor, drinks and that all important Mexican spread. Follow our 6 easy steps for a fuss-free fiesta!

As with all of our party guides, your first step is choosing a venue. While you don’t need to have finalised guest numbers, a ballpark figure is good to have in mind when looking at venues. Gatherings of 20 or less can be hosted at home or in a private room at a pub or bar, while larger parties will need something more spacious. 

As the Mexican theme can easily be created with decorative touches and music, don’t shy away from spaces like village halls. While they may not scream “party” on first look, some cactus bunting here and some sombreros there can quickly transform the space into a fiesta. 

The easiest option by far is hiring all or part of a Mexican restaurant. If you have a Mexican place near you, ask about private parties, many restaurants will be happy to accommodate large bookings with food and drink packages. 

This way, you won’t have to worry about sorting the food and drink yourself and the décor is already in place. All you’ll need to do is make sure there’s plenty of space for a Mariachi band. 

Cinco de Mayo happens every year on the 5th May and is celebrated in Mexico and the US with parades, dancing, mariachi music, and plenty of Mexican culinary favourites. 

Cinco de Mayo tends to incorporate everyone, from the very young to the most mature and can take place day or night. If you’re thinking of including all ages, consider a daytime party that ends early evening and is centred around things all can enjoy like food and music.

If adults only is more your vibe, you could make it an evening do and kick things up a notch in the bar department. Consider hiring a mixologist to create margaritas or the national drink of Mexico, the Paloma. 

Whichever way you decide to go, decide early on who you’re including on your guest list as this will inform the focus of your party as well as how much food and drink you’ll need to supply. 

Our most popular bands can get booked up weeks or even months in advance, so if you have your heart set on a live Mariachi band you’ll want to book as soon as you’ve set the date. 

Many of our Mariachi bands play a mix of traditional folk music with modern Mexican hits and Mexican takes on English music. Bands can be kept as small as three or expand to six for more volume and more fun!

If a band is out of budget, try Mariachi and Cinco de Mayo playlists of Spotify to inject a little fiesta into the atmosphere. Arriba!

If there’s one thing we love about Mexican culture, it’s the food! From tacos to burritos and quesadilla to guacamole, Mexican food is a real crowd pleaser. 

Here’s our full rundown of the most popular Mexican dishes: 

• Quesadilla – a simple corn tortilla wrap containing cheese, salsa, and sometimes beef or chicken with beans. 
• Burrito – a flour tortilla wrap, traditionally containing meat, beans and cheese. 
• Taco – a wheat or corn tortilla shell with meat, beans and vegetables and topped with salsa and lettuce. 
• Guacamole – a dip made of smashed avocados, lime juice, chili peppers and jalapeños. Onions, tomatoes and coriander are also often added.
• Nachos – a tex-mex dish made up of tortilla chips topped with melted cheese. Salsa, guacamole, beans, sour cream and jalapeños are also popular toppings. 

With plenty of toppings and sauces, we reckon a “build your own” set-up is always a good way to serve Mexican food. Have taco shells or tortilla wraps laid out with meat and meat-free options, salad, onions, tomatoes, cheese and toppings such as guacamole or salsa. 

This way, people can create their dream taco or burrito combo, and you won’t have to stand behind a counter with a ladle for half the party!

A Mexican party wouldn’t be complete without a drop of a tequila and while shots are the simplest way to serve up the agave plant-based tipple, a cocktail is the more sophisticated way to serve it. Here are some of our favourite tequila-based cocktails: 

• Classic Margarita – mix 50ml tequila with 25ml of lime juice and 20ml of triple sec to make this old favourite. Salt the rim and add lime wedges to complete.
• Spicy Margarita – add half a sliced red chilli, 25g of caster sugar and 2 fl oz of water to a saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves to create your very own chilli syrup. Add the syrup to the classic margarita recipe to transform it into a spicy marg!
• Paloma – mix 50ml of tequila with 10ml of agave syrup, 10ml of lime juice, 60ml of pink grapefruit juice and a dash of soda water to create the national drink of Mexico. Add a wedge of grapefruit and salt the rim for the final flourish.
• Tequila Sunrise – an oldie but a goodie, mix 2tsp of grenadine with 50ml of tequila, 1tbsp of triple sec, the juice of a large orange and the juice of half a lemon. Add a cocktail cherry and an umbrella for a retro vibe.

Cocktail umbrellas add a fun and colourful finishing touch to all drinks along with coloured straws and mixers. We also recommend keeping some tequila readily available for shots along with a salt shaker and some pre-cut lime wedges. 

One of the most impactful ways to inject Cinco de Mayo vibes into your party is with some well-chosen décor. Mexican celebrations are vibrant and colourful, so start with adding reds, oranges, greens and yellows to your party palette. Here are some of our favourite Mexican party decorations: 

• Sombrero Centrepiece – this simple yet fun centrepiece is an easy way to add some Mexican flavour to your tables. 
• Fiesta Tablecloth – speaking of table décor, this fiesta tablecloth is perfect if things get messy, made from plastic it can handle any margarita and salsa spills!
• Fiesta Cutout Bunting – Bright and colourful this papel picado- style bunting immediately gives authentic Mexican celebration style to any room.
• Mexican Party Pom Poms – this 16-piece set of vibrant pom poms is one of the easiest ways to inject colour into your party space. Hang them from the ceiling or create a photo backdrop with them. 
• Colour-in Sombrero Hats – inviting some younger party guests? These colour-in sombrero hats act as an activity and décor once they’re done!
• Mexican Theme Inflatables – Scatter these inflatables next to the dance floor and they’ll soon be snapped up by dancers keen to incorporate them into their moves!
• Taco Party Bunting – add a splash of colour to your walls and let everyone know where the food is by hanging this taco party bunting over the serving table. 
• Mexican Sombrero – fill the room with colour by dishing out these pom pom-edged sombreros to guests as they arrive. It’ll get everyone in the fiesta spirit!
• Multi-Colour Maracas – inject colour and sound into the party with this 24-piece multi-colour maraca set. Encourage guests to take them on the dance floor and shake them along to the music of the mariachi band. 
• Donkey Pinata – whether children are in the mix or not, a pinata is a must for a Mexican theme party. Fill it with sweets for younger guests or miniature plastic bottles of tequila for grown-ups! Don’t forget the pinata buster too. 

Whether you stick with a pinata and tacos or take things a little further with a Mexican cocktail bar, a Mexican themed party is one that can be enjoyed by all ages and is sure to be talked about for many years to come. Viva la fiesta!