Cinco de Mayo | Virtual Fiesta
Even stuck at home, you can still have a festive Cinco de Mayo celebration. Take your fiesta virtual! Featuring festive watercolor elements including tacos, margaritas & tequila. This party is made possible by the power of technology! If you can't get together in person, invite guests to celebrate virtually with a video party. You don’t need to pay for meals for your guests, drinks, favors or hiring out a venue. All you need to do is organize some activities and ensure that everyone has access to the internet, a camera or microphone for the event.
To help you have a fun celebration at home, we rounded up some easy Cinco de Mayo ideas that you can try while staying safe and social distancing. Immerse yourself in the culture of Mexico, have a few drinks and a few laughs. Support your local businesses where you can and party knowing you won’t have to find a safe way to get home after a few too many margaritas.
The first thing you need to host a virtual fiesta is a video conferencing platform. Zoom, Google Meet, Facetime are all options. Download one beforehand and test it out to ensure the best quality and experience when it comes to your fiesta. Check the signal strength in the room where you want to have your service; you may need to purchase a WIFI booster or mesh system. If you want to make it seem like you’re all together, set a place for the computer, so you can all video chat during the night. Depending on your group, you may also want to consider designating a “tech captain.” That person can teach your less-tech-savvy relatives how to use Zoom in advance and help sort out any technical issues that arise day-of, so they don’t derail the entire event.
Just because the party is going virtual, it doesn’t mean beautiful invitations are out of the question. Make your guests feel extra special. Send out something festive in the mail for a personalized touch. Paper invitations also give you a chance to include some special extras for your invited guests, like photos, game cards, raffle tickets and whatever other extras that will help guests feel included in your big event. They also serve as a great keepsake! If you are sending paper invites, then you will need to adjust the invitation wording so that guests know that it is a virtual party.
Whether you’re going full out dance party or just want some ambient music, the right playlist is key. Let everyone share the evening and feel connected by creating a shared playlist. You can create collaborative playlists using Spotify, where every household can access the same playlist. Or create a playlist on YouTube, if having a video in the background is your thing, where everyone can have similar musical experience and create a lasting memento of the night that can be played again in the future.
While you won’t be eating the same meals, you can plan ahead to get everyone to make their own versions of taco night. Include the basics, like your choice of meat, tortillas, rice and beans. Don’t forget toppings like cheese, sour cream and Pico de Gallo.
To give your virtual Cinco de Mayo party a little more flare, have all participants dress up for the occasion. The colors of the Mexican flag are green, white and red. Make things extra fun with an award for best costume. Include multiple categories like kids, group and most creative. Have participants vote for the best outfit by sending in comments to the host. Whoever receives the most votes, will have bragging rights until next year! You can screenshot or record the call depending on the platform to document these fun moments.
As fun as it is to celebrate with food and drink, it is also important to know the true history of this day as well. Cinco de Mayo officially celebrates the 1862 Mexican army’s victory over the French. Educate yourself about the history of Mexico, try some authentic recipes, listen to Mexican musical artists. Do a little research and you might find you love the holiday even more knowing where certain traditions originated.
Luckily, there are so many virtual Cinco de Mayo ideas you can use to have a fun fiesta at home this year. There are still ways to support your local Mexican-owned businesses, have fun with friends and loved ones and—of course—eat and drink your heart out.