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Home » Recipes » Entertaining » How to Host a Carnival Birthday Party
carnival birthday party balloons
September 21, 2011

How to Host a Carnival Birthday Party

From the Kitchen of Katie Kick

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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.

carnival birthday party table set up

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!

free printable carnival birthday party invitation

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.

free printable carnival birthday party thank you notes

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. 
happy birthday banner photo

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!

carnival birthday party food ideas

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!

carnival birthday party dessert table

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 party pony rental

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!

little girl celebrating at a carnival birthday party

Share Your Carnival Birthday Party Ideas!

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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Meet Katie Kick

My lifelong interest in cooking has shown me that part of the goodness in life is enjoying delicious food with friends and family. I love trying new foods, discovering new places & things that help my family live the good life.

More About Katie
Updated: February 24, 2025

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

  1. Onika says

    March 24, 2016 at 9:53 AM

    Are you still answering questions from this post?

    Reply
    • Katie Goodman says

      March 25, 2016 at 7:37 AM

      Yes, do you have a question?

      Reply
  2. Brina says

    September 16, 2013 at 7:42 AM

    Hi,I love the whole carnival themed birthday and I am doing one for my 1 y.o. I tried to use the invitation you put up,but the resolution turned out very low and it resulted in a very unclear picture. Why is this so?

    Reply
    • Katie says

      September 17, 2013 at 8:30 PM

      You will need to click the graphic to open it in a new window in the full resolution size. If you do that and it still doesn’t work, then I don’t know because this is the same file I used. I uploaded it to fedex/kinkos online and had it printed there.

      Reply
  3. Betsy Connolly says

    May 23, 2012 at 9:26 AM

    Thanks for the info. I received ten yards of this fabric today.
    Thanks Again

    Reply
  4. Fabric says

    February 8, 2012 at 7:37 PM

    Where did you get the fabric that the cupcake is setting on?

    Betsy Connolly

    Reply
    • Katie says

      February 8, 2012 at 8:07 PM

      I got it at Hancock Fabrics.

      Reply
  5. Rebecca says

    January 31, 2012 at 4:38 PM

    Thank you sooo much for creating and sharing this invitation template. It has been so hard to find something suitable! This will be perfect for my 6yr olds carnival party – especially as she is having a carousel cake!! Thanks again, Bec from Australia

    Reply
  6. Bethanie says

    October 1, 2011 at 4:05 PM

    And how could I not repin this fantastic party?!?
    Thanks so much for sharing!!!

    Reply
  7. Bethanie says

    October 1, 2011 at 4:04 PM

    I’m also now following you on Twitter! YAY! And I’ve tweeted about the giveaway 🙂

    Reply
  8. Bethanie says

    October 1, 2011 at 4:03 PM

    I loved eating funnel cake when we went to the carnival!

    Reply
  9. Jessica says

    September 27, 2011 at 10:44 PM

    FUNNEL CAKE!! = D & THANK YOU!! I am having my daughters 5th b-day at the end of Oct. I believe she will LOVE the carnival theme!! So, once again THANK YOU for the wonderful ideas!!!

    Reply
  10. Staci A says

    September 26, 2011 at 4:15 PM

    I love Kettle Corn and funnel cakes. Yum!

    Reply
  11. Julie U says

    September 26, 2011 at 2:59 PM

    cotton candy!!

    Reply
  12. Emily says

    September 26, 2011 at 9:27 AM

    I have to admit that the salty popcorn only comes second to the the elephant ears 🙂

    Reply
  13. Angie M. says

    September 25, 2011 at 4:56 AM

    My favorite carnival treat is funnel cake!!! Love the carnival birthday party! The popcorn machine would be a wonderful addition to my home theater.

    Reply
  14. Sarah says

    September 24, 2011 at 5:53 PM

    My favourite memory is easy! I’m not a big carnival person – I have lots of allergies (so most of he food is out) and I get sick on twirly rides (so, that’s that). But I spent one year as an exchange student in Denmark and you can’t visit Copenhagen without at least stopping by Tivoli! It was great – huge and so much more than just rides. I went on a a kind of ferris wheel with three other students, and even though we told the operator not to, he spun the twirly part of our carriage. We were able to stop it by grabbing the central pole, but the way the Japanese student cussed him out (in Japanese, of course) once the ride was over was priceless – highly amusing to the folks lined up to get into the carriage we’d just vacated. My favourite treat was something I can’t remember the name of (I didn’t speak Danish at that point), but it was thick ice cream and stewed cherries with almonds. The four of us had to split it it was so rich!

    Reply
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Katie Kick from Good Life Eats in her kitchen

Meet Katie Kick

Hi, I’m Katie! Thank you so much for visiting my corner of the internet. I am passionate about cooking delicious and beautiful, yet accessible, food for my family and friends. I love tasting new foods, discovering new places and things that help my family live that good life.

More about Katie
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