A Melbourne Cup Party

The Melbourne Cup is hyped as Australia’s major thoroughbred horse race that stops the nation. A big event such as this has inspired many people to use it as a theme for their parties in offices, schools, and at homes. Even if you’re not going to Flemington Racecourse, you can still celebrate the race and stop the time when you host a Melbourne Cup Party.

The year 2013 will have the 153^rd Melbourne Cup running on the first Tuesday in November. The milestone event has been an official race day since 1877, but it’s difficult to determine if the holiday is a tribute to the 3,200-meter race or if it’s an urban parade for high fashion and hat assortments. If you want to bring all the ingredients of Melbourne Cup into your party, make the first stop at http://www.partiesonline.com to source all the Melbourne Cup Party Supplies that you need.

• Invitations: The invitation outlines the theme of the party, so the Stickers Peel N Place Jockey Helmets that you’ve put on the cards will easily suggest that wearing hat is a requirement. Whether you choose to be elegant or wacky, you can never go wrong with a great photo of racehorses and word twists to announce the party to your family and friends.

• Decorations: Set the scene to mimic the Flemington. It is best to have the party in a spacious area such as the backyard. Place potted roses and set the area with fabulous table settings. Hang a giant paper banner Melbourne Cup at the entrance and fill the whole space with colorful printed balloons of jockeys riding racehorses.

• Costumes: The Melbourne Cup is an opportunity to walk down in high fashion with much fanfare. You can provide the guests with a supply of plastic jockey caps in different designs and horseshoe sunglasses. Nevertheless, you can also allow them to come in their best Melbourne Cup outfit. Let the guests compete for some traditional titles as best dressed or win comical awards for outlandish equine-themed costume. A horse head plush fancy dress hat may just be the ticket to win the grand prize.

• Food and Drinks: Ideally, the food at the Melbourne Cup is deliciously served in small pieces. You can do the same by preparing food items in bite size. You can always check out the Internet to get some ideas about tasty bits of food to serve during the party. Better yet, contact a reputable caterer to take care of that special Melbourne Cup Menu. Make sure to provide enough scrumptious goodies especially if you’ve lined up several activities that can boost the guests’ appetite. Set up an open bar where there is continuous flow of good cheers. If you’re serving non-alcoholic drinks, mock champagne punch or ginger lemonade is just perfect to keep the guests toasting. However, it will be nice to have the obligatory champagne to celebrate your win.

• Games: Make sure to host prize-winning events that both kids and adults would enjoy to keep everybody’s spirits high. Of course, don’t forget the sweepstake, which is necessary. Print the name of the racing horse and let each guest draw one out. Set the corresponding prize and award each winner with rosette ribbons from Melbourne Cup. Another two great activities for entertainment are the hitting of little horse Pinata filled with goodies to die for, and a mini horse race using horse cut out. Place a Melb Cup scene setter to transform the area instantly into a racetrack filled with a huge cheering crowd. The winning jockey is awarded with a gold horseshoe cut out and a bottle of sparkling champagne.

You don’t need to be in Melbourne, Australia to be in the center of action when the whole nation stops for the Melbourne Cup. You too can celebrate the big day by throwing a Melbourne Cup party at home where you end up as the real winner.