Ideas for a Brazilian Themed Party

Because Brazilian culture celebrates the joys of leisure time in the company of others, a Brazilian theme is a natural choice for a party. It's an opportunity to decorate in bright colors, wear festive attire, serve delicious foods and introduce guests to the best of Brazilian music, both classic and modern. A successful Brazilian-themed party captures the spirit of annual festivals such as Carnival and Festa Junina with their extravagant dress and generous air of conviviality.

Prepare for the event by decorating the venue in the colors of the Brazilian flag -- blue, green and yellow -- along with other vibrant colors. Cover the dining tables with brightly colored linens and vases filled with ostrich feathers or or the vividly hued flower, birds of paradise. Line the party space with potted plants native to Brazil, such as plume flowers and peace lilies, or install a set of plastic palm trees that capture the atmosphere of the coast.

Encourage guests to dress in either classy or casual clothing, depending on the theme of the party. Traditional formal attire for men includes broad-brimmed hats, boots and a monochromatic color scheme. For women, it includes long skirts and vibrantly colored shawls. Casual attire includes the blue jeans or shorts and cotton tops that are typically worn at carnival parades and on the beaches during the warm summer months. These loose-fitting clothes are sometimes accompanied by accessories like jewelry and scarves.

Prepare beloved Brazilian appetizers such as cheese bread and stuffed crab shells. Follow up by serving chicken bobo, a Brazilian specialty in which yucca root is boiled in chicken broth, to which onions, peppers and chicken are added. For additional flavor, stir in coconut milk. Or make shrimp moqueca, a shrimp stew served with onions, garlic and scallops. Set up a cocktail bar where guests can make caipirinhas. This ubiquitous Brazilian party drink is made by crushing a sugar cube and sliced limb with a pestle in a glass, and then adding cachaça and ice.

Create a festive ambience by playing artists such as Ivete Sangalo, the Brazilian singer who sold more than 15 million copies of his works, or treat your guests to a live show featuring a band or guitarist that's familiar with traditional Brazilian music. If your venue has an accessible outdoor space and a volleyball net, play footvolley, a variation on soccer and volleyball in which players attempt to get a ball over a net using only their feet.