Just because you can’t travel to Mexico doesn’t mean you can’t throw an awesome margarita-themed party.
But other than serving up some delicious margaritas, what elements do you need to throw an epic margarita party? There’s a lot of things you can do to take your margarita party to the next level.
Whether you’re a seasoned mixologist or you just started experimenting with cocktails, check out this guide to learn the top ideas to throw an excellent margarita party.
1. Gather the Necessary Supplies
Your first task is to gather all of the necessary supplies for your margarita party. Here are some things to add to your party supply list:
- Tequila
- Limes
- Salt
- Garnish bowls and other garnishes
- Plates, napkins, and silverware
- Jigger and cocktail shaker
- Decorations
- Ice
- Food
Of course, everyone’s list will look slightly different, but these items should help you get started.
2. Choose the Right Tequila
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Making a perfect margarita all starts with choosing the right tequila. While you can technically use any tequila you want, blanco tequila (aka clear tequila) is best.
The main difference between blanco tequila and reposado tequila (aka brown tequila) is that blanco tequila hasn’t been aged. Reposado tequila, on the other hand, is aged for about two months in an oak barrel before it’s bottled up and distributed.
Blanco tequila is also made from 100 percent agave plant, which helps it bring out the signature agave flavor of margaritas. There isn’t any specific type of blanco tequila that you need to get to make a margarita. All you need to do is choose based on what you can afford!
3. Learn How to Whip Up a Classic Margarita on the Rocks
Once you buy the right tequila, the next step is to learn how to make a classic margarita. There are two ways you can make a classic margarita: one the rocks (aka, poured over ice) or frozen.
To make a frozen margarita, you’ll need a blender, whereas you’ll just need a cocktail shaker and a jigger to make a margarita on the rocks. In addition to tequila, you also need lime, salt, freshly squeezed lime juice, and orange liqueur.
Most people make their margaritas with Cointreau orange liqueur, but any brand will do. If you want your margarita to be sweeter, you can also add agave syrup. You may also want to purchase some extra limes for garnishing. Here’s what you need to do to make a margarita on the rocks:
- If you want salt on the rim of your glass, run a lime wedge along the glass’s rim, then dip the glass rim in salt
- Combine 1.5 ounces of tequila, ¾-ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice, and 1 ounce of orange liqueur in a cocktail shaker (you can also add in a couple of teaspoons of agave syrup to sweeten up your margarita)
- Stir or shake the ingredients in the cocktail shaker
- Fill your margarita glass with ice, and then pour in the mixture
If you wish, you can serve your margarita with lime garnishes.
Related: The Paloma Wine Cocktail
4. Learn How to Make Frozen Margaritas
If you want to make frozen margaritas, it’s easier to make the drink in one big batch. You’ll need most of the same ingredients, just different amounts of everything. And as we mentioned, you’ll also need a blender.
Here’s what you need to make a frozen margarita:
- 1 cup of tequila
- Lime wedges for garnishing
- ½ cup of triple sec
- 1 cup of fresh lime juice
- 6 cups of ice
- 2 tablespoons of agave syrup
Toss the margarita ingredients in a blender and blend until it turns into a slushy texture. Pour into chilled glasses and serve immediately.
Related: Where to Buy Bottled and Canned Margarita
5. Serve Up Other Types of Margaritas
While you can’t go wrong with a classic margarita, there are other fun ways to make margaritas that we suggest trying. Here are some twists on the classic margarita that you can try:
- Spicy watermelon margarita
- Strawberry kiwi margarita
- Pomegranate margarita
- Spicy mango gummy margarita
- Champagne lemonade margarita
- Blackberry margarita
- Spicy cucumber margarita
- Tamarind pineapple margarita
- Tropical peach margarita
If you’re not a cocktail connoisseur or just don’t want to spend time making drinks at your party, you can also buy bottled or canned margaritas.
If you’re looking for a super refreshing way to enjoy your margarita, check out our line of margarita popsicles!
6. Pair Your Margaritas With the Right Food
No margarita party is complete without some tasty snacks. Here are some delicious foods to pair with your classic margaritas, strawberry margaritas, and other flavored margaritas:
- Louisiana-style gumbo
- Thai food
- Ceviche ( a Peruvian dish that combines fresh seafood with citrus juices, garlic, onion, and other garnishes)
In general, spicy, earthy Cajun food tends to go great with margaritas, so any food of this variety will make a perfect pair.
Seeing as margaritas are Mexican drinks, you may also want to make Mexican food for your party. We suggest whipping up some enchiladas, taquitos, tacos, mole, guacamole, and chips and salsa to go with your margaritas if you want your party to have more of a Mexican theme!
7. Decorate for the Party
To get in the margarita party mood, we also suggest throwing up some decorations. If you want your margarita party to be a bit more Mexican themed, you can decorate your place with the colors of the Mexican flag- red, green, and white.
You can also add other traditional Mexican party elements to your home, such as pinatas and sombreros. Mexico is all about bright colors, so you can also add in a magenta-colored tablecloth and decorate your home with other bright colors such as yellow, teal, purple, and light green.
8. Play the Right Music
The right music playlist can help set the tone for your margarita party. Obviously, Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffet is a must.
We also suggest playing some bachata or salsa music to get people in the dancing mood. If you’re not a salsa music expert, there are many playlists on Spotify and Youtube that you can download to help set the right tone for your party.
9. Impress Everyone With Your Margarita Knowledge
You don’t want to throw a margarita party without first learning some basic margarita knowledge. Here are some interesting facts about margaritas that you can share with your guests:
- The word margarita translates to “daisy” in Spanish
- No one is exactly sure who invented the margarita, but most believe the drink was created in the 1930s
- The world’s largest margarita weighed 8,500 gallons, and it was made in Las Vegas
- There’s a World Margarita Championship every year where contestants compete to make the best margarita
Also, February 20th is National Margarita Day, so be sure to mark your calendars for an epic celebration!
Want to learn more about the legend behind the invention of the margarita? Click here!
10. Play Some Fun Games
Games can help take your margarita party to the next level. Here are some fun game ideas for your party:
- Flip cup
- Quarters
- King’s cup
- Trivia
- Truth or dare
- Never have I ever
Margarita Party Games
Of course, we also recommend playing some games that are either margarita or Mexican-themed. Here are some of the best options:
Guess the margarita flavor: To play this game, you can blindfold your contestants and pass out small glasses with different margarita flavors in them (we recommend the blindfold, as the color can give away the flavor sometimes.) After sampling the margarita, have your contestants write down their guesses on a piece of paper.
Once you’ve gone through all of the flavors, check to see which contestant got the most guesses right. You can then reward them with a margarita-themed prize.
Bebe Leche: This is essentially the Mexican version of hopscotch. While hopscotch is technically a children’s game, you can make it more adult-friendly by turning it into a drinking game. For example, you can make a rule where you have to drink if you mess up when jumping through the hopscotch.
Pinata: There aren’t really any rules that come with breaking open a pinata, but it can be a ton of fun! If you want to stay on theme, we recommend filling your pinata with some Mexican candies!
Hot chili pepper eating contest: If you want to find out who can really handle the heat, then we suggest putting together a hot chili pepper eating contest. How hot you want to go will depend on how brave your contestants are. The hottest type of pepper is pure capsaicin, but heat levels vary depending on the specific variety. You can check out the Scoville Scale to learn more about heat rankings for peppers.
Sombrero dance: This game works like the game hot potato. You pass a sombrero around from head to head. If the music stops and you have the sombrero on your hand or in your hand, then you lose.
You can also set up a mini mixology class where you teach everyone how to make their own margaritas!
Related: Bottled Margarita Cocktails
Are You Ready to Throw a Margarita Party?
With these great ideas, your margarita party should go off without a hitch. Now, it’s time to start gathering your party supplies so you can throw the ultimate margarita party!
And, check back in with our website for more ideas on how to enjoy margaritas and margarita cocktails!