Best 9 Tips for Throwing the Best Adult Circus Party Ever
Water for Elephants, The Greatest Showman, Dumbo—have I peeked your interest? I mean, who doesn’t love elephants? If your answer is yes, a circus theme is right up your alley. So don’t be shy, step right up to the Top 9 Tips for Hosting an Unforgettable Vintage Circus Party for Adults.
Hire Performers
We’ve all gone to a party where we didn’t know anyone—awkward—you know what would’ve calmed our first time jitters? PERFORMERS! It’s that simple. This is the sure fire way to add an element of drama, excitement and whimsy to your event. This is extra great if guests don’t know each other. It breaks the ice and gives them something unifying to chat about. Have stiltwalkers and flame throwers to greet guests at the entrance. Imagine a ring leader, vintage clown, and strong man mingling throughout your crowd. Create a mysterious fortune teller corner where the curious can slip behind a velvet curtain and get their cards read. Did you know trapeze artists can uncurl themselves in folds of draping and drop from their perch to pour your guest a glass of champagne? How cool is that?!
Have Concessions
A circus isn’t a circus without this staple. Rent vintage popcorn and cotton candy machines. Serve snow cone flavored cupcakes. Provide a vintage burlap sack full of peanuts with a scoop and encourage ground dropping for any stray elephants that may be walking their way. We, at POMP, decked some of our friends out in homemade candy costumes and they strolled the crowd offering lollipops from their hooped skirts.
Think dark, moody tones. Lush velvet theater curtains with gold fringe, rustic wooden boxes, piles of hay, comfy leather couches, and red velvet thrones with gilded edges are the circus love language.
Props
If you know anything about Pomp, you know that we preach details. If you want your event to express your being, details are where it’s at. Here are some fun props that Pomp rents; Carousel horses, ticket booth, unicycle, mannequin dressed as tightrope walker, lace umbrellas, life-size elephant, lion, giraffe,, circus tubs, hula hoops, accordion, vintage juggling pins.
A Big Top
You just can’t have a circus theme without something that resembles a red and white striped tent. You can do an awning over the dessert table, a striped photo backdrop with some hay and a barbell or hang red and white fabric from rafter to rafter. The look is complexity is up to you, but the stripe—it’s a must.
Marquee Lighting
Popular signs in vintage lettering are “Circus, BAR, Fortune Teller, Big Top, Midway and Carnival.”
Vintage Circus Posters
these can be found all over eBay or Etsy. Pop them into a vintage frame, hang them on both sides of narrow hallway and you have yourselves an authentic entrance to a hall of curiosities.
Signage
Marquee is the key as stated above. Find a vintage way to display circus and bring the vintage inside your venue. If it’s Edison lightbulbs surrounding your midway game or muted fringed lamps outside your fortune teller corner…keep it dim, mysterious and low key.
Games
The final and, most likely, best way to break the guest jitters, have some casual, participate as you wish, classic midway games. Pomp relies on the classics like ring toss, balloon pop, duck pond pick and balloon pop. Super simple but so fun and sure to reignite your guests’ childlike wonder and whimsy.
Let me know what you think of these suggestions by commenting below. All items mentioned above available at POMP for rental. Click here to visit our eclectic circus party inventory and have fun exploring! If you live in Ohio contact us for a free consult!
