Spanish Themed Party Ideas

Serving Spanish cuisine is essential at a Spanish themed party. Traditional Spanish dishes include varieties of seafood, fresh vegetables, meat, and lots of spices. Spanish Paella (pa'e?a) is a traditional saffron rice from 19th century Spain. It consists of rice, beans, green vegetables, meat or seafood, and saffron and olive oil. Jamón serrano is another traditional Spanish dish featuring dry-cured ham. This is a great dish for parties because guests can easily pick up the cold, raw slices of ham. Also, serve Flan for a traditional Spanish dessert treat. This lightweight vanilla egg custard is a popular dessert in Spain. Another idea is a Spanish Tapas Bar, which includes an array of cold, warm, or fried appetizers. Guests can mingle and sample the finger foods without having to sit down for a formal meal. If your Spanish-themed party is for adults, then serve a variety of traditional Spanish wines. If you cannot cook a dish yourself, ask a friend who may know how to make it, or find a local Spanish restaurant that caters.

Use bright colors and set your party's mood for fun and laughter. Using flags of different Spanish countries is a great way to add color and authenticity to your party. Hang a pair of maracas from your front door so when guests arrive, they can make some noise and liven up the room. Also, find a local party store and buy a sombrero for each guest. You can also hang sombreros from the ceiling or string them together on a line to hang in doorways. Party stores also have inflatable cacti and palm trees that you can place around the room. A string of green and red lights will add a fun touch to anything you put it on.

The Spanish culture is rich with music and dancing. A Spanish-themed party should be alive with music encouraging guests to dance and have a good time. Party stores have CDs with traditional instrumental Latin music. However, there are also CDs featuring modern pop culture artists who use Spanish music influences. You can also hire a live Latin band to play mariachi, flamenco, bomba or salsa music.

Some guests may know traditional Spanish dances; however, you can find a local dance instructor to teach guests. Use a large open space and create a dance floor. El Flamenco is a popular dance from the gypsies of Andalusia in the 15th century. El Tango is another fun dance that originated in Argentina. Guests will enjoy learning la Salsa and la Mambo, which both came from Caribbean influences. La Bachata is a dance from the Dominican Republic featuring guitar music. And the cha-cha-chá is a fun dance with a steady beat that guests will enjoy dancing.