As a former special events organizer, I have planned many Mardi Gras festivals over the years. Most were geared towards adults. With that said, I thought that I would share with you a few party favor ideas that would work well with such a fete. Here they are:
Beads
Over the years, Mardi Gras beads were what my guests wanted the most. Thus, you may want to think about incorporating them into your event as well. If you do decide to go that route, I would suggest buying a large case of beads. That way, you can give each guest a handful of them. On average, a 500 piece case of beads from a party supply store is apt to cost you $84.
Candy Coins
Candy and bubble gum coins are another party favor that I would recommend utilizing. You can typically purchase a 68 piece case of those for $11. One word of warning though, the chocolate coins do have a tendency to melt. As such, I would typically avoid using them in areas where the air temperature was 70 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer. In those instances, I would switch to the bubble gum coins. Based on my experience, they seemed to hold up better in the heat.
Beignets
I have found that diminutive size boxes of beignets also make welcome party favors. On average, you can get away with packaging three to four beignets per box. Boxes filled with less than that would make a poor impression. There are several companies that sell small pastry boxes. Among them are Paper Mart, Nashville Wraps, Kitchen Krafts and Box and Wrap. If you plan on giving your guests four beignets or less, I’d suggest going with a 6 x 6 x 3″ window box. They seem to work well for presenting small amounts of pastries.
Louisiana Hot Sauce
In my experience, small bottles of Louisiana hot sauce would make excellent party favors too. However, I’d recommend packaging each bottle inside a decorative bag or wrapping it with colored cellophane and ribbons. Otherwise, the bottles are apt to detract from your color coordinated tablescapes. You can typically purchase such items through department stores, discount retailers and specialty shops for modest fees.
Music CDS
Lastly, you could always give your guests Mardi Gras music CDs. Just keep in mind that each CD will typically cost you $6 to $8. Therefore, depending on the number of guests, it could prove to be a costly proposition. Oftentimes, the best places to purchase the CDS are party supply shops, wholesalers or independent music shops that are willing to negotiate a bulk price. Just make sure that you call or visit the store in advance of your purchase and ask for the manager. I have found that in most instances, he or she is the only person that can approval bulk discounts.
Source: Personal Experience
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