How to Host a Carnival Birthday Party
If you’re looking for a carnival birthday party that’s fun, festive, and easy to put together, I’ve got you covered! From the carnival birthday invitations to the party food, decorations, and activities, I’ll share everything you need to plan a memorable event your child will love.
Planning an Easy Carnival Birthday Party
As I mentioned the other day when I shared Madeline’s Birthday Cupcakes – Sour Cream Cupcakes – we had an adorable carnival-themed birthday party for her last weekend.
Madeline hasn’t had a special birthday party since she turned 1, so I was extra proud of how this turned out and wanted to take a minute to share how I put the party together.
I’ll try my best to document all my sources should you wish to replicate anything from this party, however, if I miss something please don’t hesitate to ask!
Hosting a carnival birthday party was so much fun and honestly easier than I expected! The key was keeping things simple yet festive:
Planning a carnival birthday party? Here’s what we focused on for our party:
✔ Invitations – Set the tone with festive carnival party invitations (get my free printable!)
✔ Decorations – Choose a bright color scheme and a few simple but impactful decor pieces
✔ Food & Snacks – Keep it kid-friendly yet parent-approved with easy carnival treats.
✔ Activities – Plan 2-3 engaging games or surprises, like a pony ride or ring toss.
If you’re planning your own carnival-themed birthday party, I hope these carnival birthday party ideas help you create a magical and stress-free celebration!
click image to download the FREE PRINTABLE invitation, then right click > save to your computer
Carnival Birthday Party Invitations
I designed our carnival birthday invitations myself, using a beautiful carousel image I purchased. Since I wanted a horse theme, this design quickly evolved into a full-fledged carnival-themed birthday party!
To match the carnival color scheme, I adjusted the colors in Illustrator to yellow, red, and turquoise, which felt perfect for the theme.
FREE Printable! I’m offering a printable version of our carnival party invitations and a matching thank-you card. These fit perfectly in 4-3/8″ x 5-3/4″ Greeting Card Envelopes.
Note: Copyright GoodLife Eats. These are for personal use only! If you share them, please credit appropriately and link directly to this post, not the file itself.
click image to download the FREE PRINTABLE thank you, then right click > save to your computer
Carnival Party Decorations
I kept the carnival party decorations simple but festive:
- Happy Birthday Banner: I purchased a custom Happy Birthday banner from Meringue Designs on Etsy—something reusable that matches our home decor!—something reusable that matches our home decor!
- Table Linens: I used a circus print fabric and a solid turquoise fabric for the food tables.
- Balloon Bouquet: Red, yellow, and turquoise balloons tied to a wooden circus train car (found at Michael’s and painted), with a toy giraffe placed inside for an extra playful touch.
Carnival Party Food Ideas
Our party ran 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm, so we served lunch. I kept things simple with the food and selected items that most 3-5-year-olds would be guaranteed to eat, while also being tasty enough for parents to enjoy.
Since some parents choose to stay at this age, I wanted a menu that was both kid-friendly and adult-approved.
Keeping the food fun yet simple ensured that everyone had something they liked without making meal prep overwhelming!
Easy Carnival Lunch
- Hebrew National Hot Dogs with classic fixings
- Sliced Watermelon Wedges
- Red & Green Apples
- Fresh Vegetables – Broccoli, mini bell peppers, and grape tomatoes
- IZZE Sparkling Pomegranate Juice served in a Galvanized Steel Beverage Tub
- Ice-Cold Lemon Water
✔ Money-Saving Tip: I ordered the IZZE juice through Amazon Subscribe & Save for a 15% discount + free shipping with Amazon Prime. After the party, you can cancel the subscription!
Sweets & Treats Table
After lunch, I set up a dessert table with treats that reminded me of a classic carnival sweet stand. To make things even more fun, I included goodie bags so the kids could take home a bag of treats as a party favor!
- Orange Gumballs
- Blue & Clear Rock Candy
- Twizzlers – Served in a 1-Gallon Apothecary Jar
- Salt Water Taffy – Stored in a 3-Quart Apothecary Jar
- Popcorn – Made in a West Bend Theater Popper
- Sour Cream Cupcakes – Served on an Adjustable Tiered Tower.
I purchased the apothecary jars specifically for the party, and they worked out great! They are made of sturdy, thick glass and should last a long time. I plan to use them for a variety of purposes in the future, from party setups to everyday kitchen storage.
Carnival Birthday Party Ideas: Fun Activities
Since most of the kids were 3-5 years old, I kept the activities simple and focused on free play. Here’s what we did:
- Backyard Games: The kids played on the swing set, had fun with croquet, and enjoyed a classic ring toss on the grass.
- The Pony Surprise: The highlight of the party was two rented ponies from a local stable. Madeline is obsessed with horses, and we decided that rather than giving her more toys, this experience would be a birthday memory she’ll cherish forever.
Madeline’s Reaction: We kept the ponies a total surprise, and when she saw them, she was stunned! Her little face said it all—pure excitement, mixed with a bit of disbelief, as if she was wondering, “Is this really happening?”
Moments like these remind me why I love creating special memories through birthday parties. It was a magical moment—one that made the party so much more special than a standard goodie bag.
Tip: If your child loves animals, consider renting ponies or another unique experience instead of buying extra gifts!
Did you throw a carnival birthday party for your little one? I’d love to hear all about it! Share your favorite moments, creative carnival party decorations, or fun activities you included in the comments below.
On Instagram? Tag me @goodlifeeats with #goodlifeeatsrecipes so I can see your amazing party setups! Let’s inspire each other to create unforgettable celebrations.
More Birthday Party Inspiration
Looking for more fun birthday party ideas? Check out these creative celebrations:
- Space Themed Birthday Party – A fun and inexpensive party for your future astronaut! Get ideas for space-themed snacks, decorations, and favors.
- Vanilla Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting – Soft, fluffy vanilla cupcakes topped with a rich, tangy cream cheese frosting—perfect for any birthday celebration.
- Lemon Blackberry Cupcakes – Tangy lemon cupcakes with fluffy blackberry buttercream, garnished with fresh blackberries for a beautifully delicious birthday dessert!
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Cindy B. says
My favorite carnival treat is cotton candy!
Kari says
I loved snow cones.
Vaishali Sharda says
Shaved ice!
Kristen says
Looks like such a fun time! I have to admit… I love cotton candy!
Amanda Thompson says
Hand-dipped corn dogs, cotton candy, and kettle corn!!
Melissa says
I don’t do well on rides. I remember once going on a ride three times to try to overcome my fears, didn’t work. My husband got me to go on a ride once and he regretted it because I screamed all the way through it, it was the pirate ship, I guess it’s a baby ride but it scared me.
I still go to places with rides for my family. I just sit and wait for them to finish their ride and walk to the next one. I love to see them happy.
Jacqui says
My favorite carnival treat was always cotton candy! And as I got older I always had to get either funnel cake or fried oreos 🙂
Mary K. says
What an adorable party! I love the color scheme you chose. Adorable!! My favorite carnival treat is definitely the COTTON CANDY!! Love that stuff.
Michelle Torres says
My favorite carnival memory was when me and my sister’s would eat the candied apples together! We always went crazy excited for those things and there was no way a carnival would have felt complete without eating those sticky delights!
Lisa says
My favorite carnival memory is the carnival that came to our military base a few days before my husband deployed to Afghanistan in 2009. Our boys had such a great time riding kiddie rides with their daddy, and I savored our joyful time together! Thanks for the fun giveaway!
I absolutely loved your party ideas and photos! It’s something I could imagine featured in Martha Stewart’s Living or another magazine!
barbara n says
my favorite carnival treat was always cotton candy – what a sugar rush!
Amy Tong says
What a wonderful giveaway! My best carnival memory was with my best friend who visited from Canada. We had an amazing time and enjoyed the carnival so much especially the cherros. Now whenever I came across cherros or something cinnamon-y, I thought of my best friend and the great time we had together. 🙂
amy [at] utry [dot] it
Jamie says
I retweeted
JamieG63 Jamie Gibbs
RT “I entered to win a West Bend Stir Crazy Theater Popcorn Popper from @goodlifeeats su.pr/2RYECb #giveaway”
Jamie says
I now follow @goodlifeeats on Twitter
Jamie says
So many memories so much fun. My favorite carnival memory is from growing up in New Orleans. Catholic school fairs are a big thing in New Orleans. They are usually 2 to 2 1/2 day events and the kids from the school perform through out the fair. One year, I was probably in 6th grade me my sister and 2 friends choreographed a dance to the song Rockin Robin. We work the same shorts and tank tops that we put a record decal on. We then did the dance at the fair. 🙂
Jamie says
My favorite carnival memory is from growing up in New Orleans. Catholic school fairs are a big thing in New Orleans. They are usually 2 to 2 1/2 day events and the kids from the school perform through out the fair. One year, I was probably in 6th grade me my sister and 2 friends choreographed a dance to the song Rockin Robin. We work the same shorts and tank tops that we put a record decal on. We then did the dance at the fair. 🙂