Fun Cinco de Mayo Games & Activities to Spice Up Your Fiesta!

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Cinco de Mayo is all about celebrating Mexican culture, and what better way to liven up the fiesta than with some festive games and activities? Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue, a margarita night with friends, or a family-friendly celebration, these fun ideas will keep everyone entertained. ¡Vámonos!

Piñata Smash: A Fiesta Classic
DIY Taco Bar Competition
Mexican Hat Dance-Off
Lotería (Mexican Bingo)
Salsa Dance-Off
Tequila Tasting Station (Adults Only)
Cinco de Mayo Scavenger Hunt
Churro-Eating Contest
Mexican Trivia
Make Your Own Sombrero Craft Station & Face Painting

Bonus: Fun Prizes for Your Games

Piñata Smash

Nothing says fiesta like a piñata! It’s the ultimate Cinco de Mayo tradition and a hit with all ages (pun intended). Fill a colorful piñata with candy, small toys, or even mini bottles for the adults. Blindfold your guests, hand them a stick, and let them take turns trying to break it open.

Tip: For kids, use lightweight sticks for safety. For adults, up the challenge by spinning them around a few times before they swing!

DIY Taco Bar Competition

Why not turn food into a fun competition? Set up a taco bar with a variety of toppings (think guacamole, salsa, cheese, lettuce, etc.) and let guests create their ultimate taco. Then, have a taste-testing competition to crown the Taco Champion.

Prize Idea: The winner can take home a sombrero or a bottle of tequila (for adult parties).

Mexican Hat Dance-Off

Set the scene with some lively mariachi music and hold a Mexican Hat Dance competition. Place a sombrero in the center and have guests dance around it in pairs or groups. When the music stops, they must freeze—anyone caught moving is out!

Fun Twist: Add silly dance moves or challenge participants to dance with maracas for extra flair.

Lotería (Mexican Bingo)

Lotería is a traditional Mexican game similar to bingo but with colorful cards that feature images instead of numbers. It’s easy to learn and fun for everyone! Provide small prizes for the winners, like Mexican candies or mini piñatas.

Pro Tip: You can find printable versions of Lotería online, or buy a full set for your party.

Salsa Dance-Off

Spice things up with a salsa dance-off! Create a mini dance floor and invite guests to show off their salsa skills. You can even hire a dance instructor for a quick group lesson to get everyone moving.

Bonus: Play some lively cumbia or merengue music to keep the energy high.
Items: Portable Bluetooth speakers to blast the perfect Latin party playlist.

Tequila Tasting Station (Adults Only)

For the adults, set up a tequila tasting station with different types of tequila (blanco, reposado, añejo). Provide a variety of small shot glasses, and have a guide to teach guests about the different flavors. Add lime and salt for a fun, traditional experience.

If you’d rather serve up some traditional Mexican beverages, check out this post “Cinco de Mayo Drinks and Cocktails| A Sip of History”

Activity Idea: Pair the tasting with a trivia game on the history of tequila or fun facts about Cinco de Mayo.
Food Pairing: Make sure everyone at the tasting table is also digesting something other than booze. For funzies, pair each tequila with some sort of snack for guests to enjoy in between tastings. Think, chips and salsa, tacos, or ceviche (drools). My friend, you know, the one who taught me how to make birria – she makes the best ceviche I have ever had in my life!
Items: Premium tequila brands, shot glasses, and flavored salt for the tasting. This Tequila Tasting Cocktail Set is a great start!

Cinco de Mayo Scavenger Hunt

Create a scavenger hunt that celebrates Mexican culture! Hide small objects or items around your party space and provide clues related to Cinco de Mayo history or Mexican traditions. The first person (or team) to collect all the items wins.

Examples: Hide mini Mexican flags, small piñatas, or sombreros.
Items: This Party Favor Kit will give you plenty of items to hide around the house, while the boxes can double to collect items and to let the kiddos take home what they find!

Churro-Eating Contest

Forget the pie-eating contest—let’s make it a churro-eating contest! Serve up freshly made churros and see who can eat the most in a set amount of time. It’s a sweet way to get everyone laughing.

Affiliate Idea: Promote churro-making kits or deep fryers for those who want to make their own at home.

Mexican Trivia

Test your guests’ knowledge of Cinco de Mayo history, Mexican culture, or general trivia with a fun quiz! You can mix up questions for both kids and adults, and provide prizes for the top scorers.

For a little bit of history to start forming your trivia questions, go read my post “History of Cinco de Mayo & how to throw the best Cinco De Mayo Fiesta”

Fun Twist: Break guests into teams and give them themed team names like “The Jalapeños” or “The Tacos.”
Items: Create a printable Cinco de Mayo Trivia Quiz sheet for your readers to download and use at their party.

Make Your Own Sombrero or Maracas Craft Station

For a more relaxed activity, set up a craft station where kids (and adults!) can decorate their own mini sombreros. Provide proper crafting materials and let guests unleash their creativity. This doubles as a fun keepsake they can take home!

Materials: Tiny Sombreros, Craft Maracas, Yarn, Paint, Colored Paper, Pom-Poms, Ribbons, Hot Glue Gun.
Instructions: Provide all the materials and allow kids to customize their sombrero with all the provided materials. Younger kids should be helped with the hot glue gun because, I mean – I still burn myself and ouch!

Bonus: Fun Prizes for Your Games

Here are some prize ideas for your Cinco de Mayo party games:

Mini Piñatas filled with candy.
Margarita Glasses or cocktail kits.
Colorful Maracas or Mexican-themed props.
Tequila Bottles or mini cocktail kits.
Gift cards to a local Mexican restaurant.

Let the Fiesta Begin!

With these fun games and activities, your Cinco de Mayo party will be a fiesta to remember! Whether you’re going for competitive, crafty, or dance-filled fun, there’s something for every guest to enjoy. From piñatas and trivia to taco bars and salsa dancing, you’ve got everything you need to keep the party going.

Which activity are you most excited to try? Drop a comment below and share how you’re planning to spice up your Cinco de Mayo celebration!

Finger guns to the sky in celebration! Pew Pew!

Anna