Carnival / Circus Birthday Party Ideas

Lima Limao,

A carnival or circus themed birthday party is the perfect theme for young children, especially during summertime. Red, yellow and white are the main colors that will pop for this party theme. There are many different decor options to choose from. Cardboard cutouts, backdrops, streamers, and balloons are some of the many decor options available. Get creative to make your very big top circus event!

It’s a great idea to start with stocking up on the party essentials. There is a large variety of circus-themed plates, cups, and napkins available. You can also use solid red and white plates and cups to symbolize the colors of the circus.

red and white classic carnival birthday tent ceiling decor

Quintal de Contos.

Every party needs decorations, especially for this fun circus or carnival themed party! A classic symbol of the circus is the red and white big top tent so make sure to have a decoration whether in a backdrop or as a banner anything that would resemble the tent.

Don’t forget about the signs! There are many different circus-themed signs available to label all of your activities. You can use the signs to make it seem like you have different booths just like a real circus or carnival.

Consider adding lights around the ceiling or on the walls. If you’re having an outdoor party hand lights all throughout the party area would look spectacular. Repurpose last year’s white Christmas lights into something magical.

Balloons are also a quick and easy decoration and are often found throughout carnivals. Use an array of colorful balloons around the dessert table or have someone hand out balloons to guests to make them feel like they are truly at a carnival. You can also find circus themed balloons such as lions or clowns to display.

Give everyone guests tickets on arrival. You can find large rolls of tickets at some party stores or Amazon. Guests can use the tickets to play a raffle draw.

Never send your guests home empty-handed! Cotton candy is a classic treat that guests will love! There are many adorable themed packages on the market to make your cotton candy into a unique and fun party favor. Colorful lollipops can also make an easy favor. There are many circus-themed labels for lolly-pops and some can even be customized.

circus cotton candy bar and popcorn station

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If you’ve ever been to a carnival, you know that you can always expect a large array of food trucks with delicious smelling treats. This makes food all the more important for a circus-themed party. Have your cake transformed into a circus tent. Scenes of the circus can be added around the cake. Cotton candy is a carnival classic. If you’re not up for splurging on a cotton candy machine, many stores sell cotton candy in individually wrapped packages. Cupcakes can be decorated to look like clowns or elephants. Popcorn is an easy treat that guests will love to snack on. You can also purchase red and white popcorn buckets. If you want to serve a meal, corn dogs or hot dogs are the perfect circus food!

Beverages are a must! Many carnivals serve soda. This is an easy to serve beverage that can be bought in a variety of flavors. Some guests might prefer water. You can dress up your plain plastic water bottles with circus or carnival themed wrappers. Many wrappers are even able to be customized.

Entertain your guest with party games. With a circus or carnival themed party, games are essential. Prepare a lifesize tic-tac-toe or ring toss for indoor parties. If you have a large open area, set up a bean bag toss or even rent a dunk tank. Fill a pool with rubber ducks and have kids pick a duck to try to win a prize. If you already have a basketball hoop, incorporate it into the party. Guests can collect tickets to purchase small prizes.

A photo booth is also a great way to keep both young and old guests occupied. There are hundreds of different circus backdrops available for all different sized spaces. You might also consider adding props such as clown hats, funny glasses, and bright red noses.