How to Throw a Cuban-Themed Party

Are you looking for a creative and fun way to spruce up your next party? Throwing a Cuban or Havana themed party can be a great way to change things up, try something new, and get people involved in something unique! Regardless of what the occasion is, consider a Cuban theme party for your next event! From birthday parties to corporate parties, there’s always a little room for Cuban atmosphere at your next get-together.

Decorations

Decorating for a Cuban themed party can be a lot of fun in itself. You’ll get to see different aesthetics from the culture just by looking around at all of the available decorating options you can use for your party. When choosing your decorations, consider what would be present in a Cuban environment or what will represent the culture the most.

• Cuban flag – the Cuban flag is red, white, and blue and can be a great focal point for your décor.
• When decorating with colors, try to incorporate the colors from the flag into various elements at the party, such as in plates, cups, and tablecloths.
• Cuban cigars and boxes
• Bongo drums
• Maracas
• Khaki colors for various tables, like the buffet table
• Demitasse (coffee) cups with candles in them
• Coffee beans lightly scattered around the cups for decoration
• Areca palms for atmosphere
• Banana leaves as place mats
• Bottles of rum as flower vases
• Hibiscus blooms
• Retro invitations and artwork
• Decorative straw hats

The possibilities for Cuban-themed decorations are truly endless. Consider picking out a few big focal points or centerpieces and building the rest of your décor around them.

Attire

It is very easy to get a feel for Cuban-themed attire simply by doing an online image search. Generally, clothing and attire should reflect the 1940’s and 1950’s.

• Our Authentic Short Sleeve Guayaberas are a very popular Cuban shirt that is lightweight, open-necked, often short-sleeved, and worn untucked.
• Panama hats, jaunty fedoras, plantation-style woven hats, and straw hats, are a great way to accessorize.
• Cuban attire is known for being very colorful, but white attire is also normal for Cuban-themed parties.

Cuisine

Cuban cuisine can be a lot of fun to prepare and serve for all of your guests. Make sure that you have everything prepared in advance so that you can actually enjoy the party, too!

• Pork rinds
• Banana chips
• Flan for desert, covered with a spoon of dulce de coco (shredded coconut in a heavy syrup)
• Cheesecake topped with guava marmalade
• Cinnamon twists
• Pineapple
• Papaya
• Melon on sticks
• Wrapped sweet potato fries
• Cuban sandwiches
• Mojitos
• Rolls of a slice of sweet ham with Swiss cheese inside, topped with stuffed olive, served as appetizers

Activities

There are so many different activities that party hosts can use to keep guests entertained at a Cuban-themed party.

• Dominoes is a popular activity for Cuban parties.
• Take it a step further and throw a domino tournament for fun!
• Mentirosa is another favorite activity involving dice and bluffing. While it can take a little while to learn, once people know how to play, it becomes an instant hit.
• Bring in a dance instructor. Getting people on the dance floor to learn authentic Cuban dances can be a great way to get everyone involved while giving them an opportunity to learn something new and authentic to the culture.

Music

The music may be one of the most important elements of any party. Without the music, people can’t get an authentic feel for what the atmosphere of a Cuban party would be like. While Cuban music can vary based on personal preference, having influences from Europe to Africa, the following are a few popular options for music atmosphere.

• Contemporary or Classic Salsa albums straight from Cuba
• Mambo
• Bossa nova
• Samba
• The Pérez Prado
• Benne Moré
• Alfredo Rodriguez
• Tito Puente
• Dizzy Gillespie
• Cuban Jazz CD and dance music from the Golden Age of Cuban Jazz
• Bring bongo drums and other authentic instruments. Anyone with experience will naturally be drawn to them, while other guests will have a chance to try out the instruments themselves.

The best way to get a feel for the Cuban theme is to read as much as you can about the culture. You can search for local Cuban stores in your area or get online to order authentic Cuban goods, gift baskets, and more for your party. The suggestions above should be enough to get you started for your very own Cuban themed party, regardless of what the occasion is!