28 Mexican Fiesta Party DIY Ideas for Cinco De Mayo

Written by
Stephanie White
Stephanie White is a DIY expert who has over 10 years experience teaching design, art, and do-it-yourself project.
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Stephanie White
Updated 05/07/20
Decorative drink umbrella DIYs

Tell Love And Party

Whether you go all out each year or have just recently learned about Cinco de Mayo, there are a variety of fun ways to mark the holiday. This list of vibrant DIYs featuring everything from fun, festive piñatas to sweet cupcake toppers will help you celebrate Cinco de Mayo in style.

  • 01 of 28

    DIY Mini Piñatas Favors

    DIY Mini Pinatas Favors
    Oh Happy Day

    Set the table for your Cinco De Mayo or taco Tuesday dinner party by making mini piñatas that you can leave beside everyone's dinner plate as a fun activity before the meal. These cute piñatas can be made with cardboard and tissue paper, and unlike traditional piñatas, the mini piñatas are easy to get the prizes inside out without making a mess as there is a bottom flap to open to pour out the prizes inside.

    Mini Piñatas Tutorial from Oh Happy Day

  • 02 of 28

    DIY Fiesta Balloons

    DIY Fiesta Balloons
    Studio DIY

    Decorate for your fiesta by tying together several balloons and then attaching mini gold letter balloons to the balloons cluster string. Using the mini balloons you can spell out your custom fiesta message, over two clusters of balloons for the perfect backdrop behind your Cinco De Mayo food table. 

    Fiesta Balloons Tutorial from Studio DIY

  • 03 of 28

    DIY Mini Sombrero Headbands

    DIY Mini Sombrero Headbands
    Let's Mingle

    Make sure everyone is dressed up for your fiesta by making mini sombrero headbands for everyone to wear. You can quickly make a bunch of these fun headbands in minutes by gluing the hats to a fabric headband and using a bit of thread to further secure the hat and headband together. As an added bonus the mini sombreros are a much cheaper alternative than regular sized ones and can easily be worn by children or adults. 

    Mini Sombrero Tutorial from Let's Mingle

  • 04 of 28

    DIY Fiesta Patterned Snack Bowls

    DIY Fiesta Patterned Snack Bowls
    Sugar And Cloth

    Serve up corn nacho chip and some spicy salsa for your at home fiesta by making your own set of hand painted patterned bowl by painting terra cotta bowls or creme brûlée dishes with porcelain paint to create your cacti or geometric design. Once painted, make sure to bake the dishes and follow up with a food safe clear shellac prior to using the bowls to serve food.

    Fiesta Snack Bowls Tutorial from Sugar And Cloth

    Continue to 5 of 28 below.
  • 05 of 28

    DIY Taco Pinata

    DIY Taco Pinata
    Studio DIY

    Have fun at your fiesta with a huge taco piñata that you can make in an afternoon out of cardboard and yellow, green, brown and white crepe paper. The breaking of piñatas is traditional in Mexico with almost every festival, where the piñata is suspended above and blindfolded people try to hit it with a stick to access the candies and prizes inside. Your guests are certain to enjoy being blindfolded and trying to strike your giant taco piñata.

    Taco Pinata Tutorial from Studio DIY

  • 06 of 28

    DIY Fiesta Cactus Cupcake Toppers

    DIY Fiesta Cactus Cupcake Toppers
    A Subtle Revelry

    At your Cinco De Mayo celebration offer everyone some delicious decadent cupcakes decorated with handmade cactus cupcake toppers that say "let's fiesta". You can easily make these toppers minutes before the party starts by printing out the cupcake topper template and attaching the design to toothpicks which can then be stuck in your homemade or store bought cupcakes.

    Cactus Cupcake Topper Tutorial from A Subtle Revelry

  • 07 of 28

    DIY Cactus Pillow

    DIY Cactus Pillow
    Everything Emily

    Go ahead and snuggle this cactus, it is super soft and the perfect fun accent that you can sew for your living room or next home fiesta. The cactus is made by sewing green fabric together, following the simple pattern, and then further enhanced with white yarn to form the cactus needles. The completed pillow will make a great addition to your fiesta decor byy adding it to an chair or your back yard patio but it can also be used year round to add some flair to your home decor.

    Cactus Pillow Tutorial from Everything Emily

  • 08 of 28

    DIY Giant Fiesta Paper Flowers

    DIY Fiesta Paper Flowers
    Aunt Peaches

    Get ready for your fiesta by adding a bunch of bright paper flowers that you can make out of several sheets of tissue paper that are gathered together to create large flowers. They can be hung on your wall or around a door frame with tape.

    Paper Flowers Tutorial from Aunt Peaches

    Continue to 9 of 28 below.
  • 09 of 28

    DIY Cactus Cupcake Stand

    DIY Cactus Cupcake Stand
    Oh Happy Day

    For this Cinco De Mayo make some individual cupcake stands out of green paper that make a cupcake look like a cactus. To assemble your own stands you will need to print the template on green paper and follow the simple assembly instructions. It's a fun way to enhance your cupcakes at your fiesta.

    Cactus Cupcake Stand Tutorial from Oh Happy Day

  • 10 of 28

    DIY Cactus Balloon

    DIY Cactus Balloon
    Design Improvised

    Normally cacti and balloons do not mix will together, but you can create cactus balloons by attaching two smaller balloons on a regular sized one and drawing on the needle details with a marker for a clever way to inexpensively decorate this Cinco De Mayo.

    Cactus Balloon Tutorial from Design Improvised

  • 11 of 28

    DIY Paper Fan Drink Stirrers

    DIY Paper Fan Drink Stirrers
    Tell Love And Party

    Enhance the drinks you will be serving at your Cinco De Mayo party by making mini paper fans drink stirrers that you can stick in each drink. These cute fans are quick to make out of small pieces of tissue paper that are folded and hole-punched to make a beautiful design that can be attached to wood skewers.

    Paper Fan Drink Stirrers Tutorial from Tell Love And Party

  • 12 of 28

    DIY Pinata Fringe Balloons

    DIY Pinata Fringe Balloons
    Design Improvise

    Add some piñata-inspired balloons to your party with this quick DIY. Use regular scissors or fringe scissors ti cut long strips of tissue paper with a decorative fringe on one side to wrap around inflated balloons. It's a creative way to decorate this Cinco De Mayo that only costs a few dollars to make. After the party is over, hand out a piñata fringe balloon tied to a string to each child to take home with them. It's a party favor they are sure to adore.

    Pinata Fringe Balloons Tutorial from Design Improvised

    Continue to 13 of 28 below.
  • 13 of 28

    DIY Printable Fiesta Banner

    DIY Printable Fiesta Banner
    I Heart Naptime

    An inexpensive way to decorate for your next fiesta is by making a homemade banner using a printable template. To make the banner, all you need to do is print the template and cut out all the letter flags in the banner, which can be hung from a string tied or taped onto a wall.

    Fiesta Banner Tutorial at I Heart Naptime

  • 14 of 28

    DIY Washi Tape Cactus Wall Art

    DIY Washi Tape Cactus Wall Art
    Studio DIY

    Use up some of that washi tape you have been collecting by adding some temporary large wall art to your home. Making an outline of a cactus using green washi tape on your walls is a great way to set the theme for your next fiesta. To make a bold accent wall for your party, try making several cacti outlines using various colors of washi tape, and have each cactus be a different shape and size to add visual interest.

    Washi Tape Cactus Wall Art Tutorial from Studio DIY

  • 15 of 28

    Printable Cinco De Mayo Food Toppers

    Printable Cinco De Mayo Food Toppers
    The 36th Avenue

    Continue your Cinco De Mayo party theme to the appetizers you are serving my crafting your own fiesta-inspired food toppers by printing a template of circle or flag designs that can be cut out and glued onto short wooden sticks such as toothpicks and stuck into your party snacks. The food toppers include pictures of sombreros, limes, maracas, along with Spanish words such as hola, fiesta and amigos.

    Printable Food Toppers Tutorial from The 36th Avenue

  • 16 of 28

    DIY Stamped Cactus Pattern Pillow

    DIY Stamped Cactus Pattern Pillow
    DIY Stamped Cactus Pattern Pillow Patchwork Cactus

    Toss a handmade cactus stamped pillow on your sofa to give a bit of Mexican flair to your living room. To make your own cactus pillow you will need to make your own cactus stamp by carving the design on a piece of foam and gluing the back of the foam to a small piece of wood. The completed stamp can then be used on a plain white pillowcase using a black ink pad designed for fabric to make your pattern.

    Stamped Cactus Pillow Tutorial from Patchwork Cactus

    Continue to 17 of 28 below.
  • 17 of 28

    DIY Colorful Cacti Cake Topper

    DIY Colorful Cacti Cake Topper
    DIY Colorful Cacti Cake Topper Tell Love And Party

    For a sweet ending to your fiesta surprise everyone with your homemade cake topped with a DIY cacti cake topper that features three different types of cactus plants that are made of foam sheets cut and painted to look like neon plants. 

    Cactus Cake Topper Tutorial from Tell Love And Party

  • 18 of 28

    DIY Yarn Garland

    DIY Yarn Garland
    DIY Yarn Garland

    For a quick backyard garland for your party, you can use short pieces of brightly colored yarn tied to a long piece of string for an original garland that looks beautiful when it sways from a light breeze. 

    Yarn Garland Tutorial from Design Improvised

  • 19 of 28

    DIY Tissue Paper Lanterns

    DIY Tissue Paper Lanterns
    DIY Tissue Paper Lanterns Tell Love And Party

    Add some large colorful party decor to your fiesta by making some multi-colored lanterns e using embroidery hoops and cut sheets of tissue paper.

    Tissue Paper Lanterns Tutorial from Tell Love And Party

  • 20 of 28

    DIY Frida Kahlo Inspired Floral Headband

    DIY Frida Kahlo Inspired Floral Headband
    DIY Frida Kahlo Inspired Floral Headband My Poppet

    Get dressed up for your party by making your own Frida Kahlo inspired floral headband to wear by covering the top of a headband with silk flowers.

    Floral Headband Tutorial from My Poppet

    Continue to 21 of 28 below.
  • 21 of 28

    DIY Colorful Disposable Flatware

    DIY Colorful Disposable Flatware
    DIY Colorful Disposable Flatware

    Add some fun to your table setting for your fiesta by dipping the handles of boring white plastic cutlery into acrylic paint to add some bright hues to your temporary party flatware. 

    Colorful Flatware Tutorial from Delineate Your Dwelling

  • 22 of 28

    DIY Gold Gilded Pinata

    DIY Gilded Pinata
    DIY Gilded Pinata Studio DIY

    Transform a regular store bought pinata into something glamorous with a fresh coat of gold spray paint and some decorative tissue paper flower accents. 

    Gold Gilded Pinata Tutorial from Studio DIY

  • 23 of 28

    DIY Fiesta Favor Bags

    Fiesta Favor Bags
    Fiesta Favor Bags Camille Styles

    Beautifully package up bags of homemade treats to send home with guests for your Cinco De Mayo fiesta with this super easy DIY. All you need to do is download the free template from Camille Styles and print it on vellum bags which can later be filled with a delicious treat.

    Fiesta Favor Bags Tutorial from Camille Styles

  • 24 of 28

    DIY Mini Cactus Pinatas

    Mini Cactus Pinatas
    Mini Cactus Pinatas Oh Happy Days

    Instead one large pinata group together several small cactus pinatas made out of toilet paper rolls and green crepe paper to decorate your home for Cinco De Mayo.

    Mini Cactus Pinatas Tutorial from Oh Happy Day

    Continue to 25 of 28 below.
  • 25 of 28

    DIY Fiesta Food Signs

    DIY Fiesta Food Signs
    DIY Fiesta Food Signs Happy Thought

    Label all your Cinco De Mayo food essentials such as guacamole, pico de gallo or spicy chocolate cupcakes with these 12 colorful printable signs that you can cut out and fold in half in minutes.

    Food Signs Tutorial from Happy Thought

  • 26 of 28

    DIY Papel Picado Straw Flags

    DIY Papel Picado Straw Flags
    DIY Papel Picado Straw Flags Cupcakes & Cutlery

    Add papel picado banner to the cocktails you will be serving this Cinco De Mayo by making straw flags out of tissue paper cut with a paper cutter punch to easily create an intricate pattern on a small piece of tissue paper that can be attached around a straw.

    DIY Papel Picado Straw Flags Tutorial from Cupcakes and Cutlery

  • 27 of 28

    DIY Cinco De Mayo Party Favor Boxes

    DIY Cinco De Mayo Party Favor Boxes
    DIY Cinco De Mayo Party Favor Boxes Paper Loving

    Download a copy of these 4 printable Cinco De Mayo favor boxes that you can print onto cardstock and assemble to create easy party favor boxes.

    DIY Cinco De Mayo Party Favor Boxes Tutorial from Paper Loving

  • 28 of 28

    DIY Pull Pinata Garland

    DIY Pull Pinata Garland
    DIY Pull Pinata Garland Love + Cupcakes

    End your party with a bang with this clever DIY made out of toilet paper rolls and tissue paper. Affordable to make, this handmade garland is an easy way add color to your fiesta, and to end your party in a memorable way, invite each guest to pull on one of the pinatas to let candy or prizes inside the individual size pinatas pour down into their hands. 

    DIY Pull Pinata Garland Tutorial from Love And Cupcakes