I decided to do a circus/carnival themed party for my daughter's two year birthday.I did it outside in my parents huge backyard. Plenty of room for kids to run around and use up energy from all the sugar that I was about to give them.    For invitations I handmade the invite to look like a circus tent. I folded a piece of cardstock to make the triangle top and square bottom then where the triangle bottom started I threaded different colors of ribbon that gathered at the top into a star shaped eyelet. I used a fun printed paper to wrap around the cardstock insert and attached an eyelet to make the door You had to untie the ribbon that opened to reveal the printed party info. I used a free circus font that introduced the party, Ladies and Gentlemen Children of all ages you are invited to the greated birthday party on earth Feauring (Name of birthday person) Performing one day only.  Showdate (Day of party) Performance time and address to the fairgrounds (my address) and RSVP to the Ringmaster (my name) was all included on the invitation. I covered 8 tables in different brightly colored plastic table cloths. For center pieces I use old-fashioned carboard popcorn boxes and tied 3 multicolored helium filled balloons inside the box then I filled it up with shelled peanuts and salt-water taffy and sprinkled the peanuts and taffy along the table. For the food we had booths. I used shade canopys and attached signs. I wanted the food simple like a circus/carnival so we had lemonade and punch, watermelon slices, chips and homemade corndogs and hot dogs. I didn't want to use premade corndogs because I think they can go soggy fast and I like Hot Dog on a Stick, but they couldn't sell me their batter. So I found the original recipe on the internet. They were the hit of the party. I made the batter the night before and then on the night of the party my husband inserted skewers into hot dogs and dipped them in the batter and fried them in a fry daddy while you waited. Everyone loved them even people who really don't like hotdogs were eating them. Hint: Because you have to sumerge the corndog fully into the oil you have to use a deep fry daddy fryer and fill it up to almost to the top. Turn the heat up the highest it can go to heat up all the oil. You also need to hold the corndog up and rotate it so the breading cooks evenly. It sound a little complicated, but it's easy.  In other booths I had snocones and a cotton candy maker.We had to make our own cotton candy which was a blast. My daughter walked around with a huge cone of cotton candy all night. For the cake I made a circus tent which I found the instructions in a magazine Family Fun. I also made cupcakes. My cousin wanted to dress up like a clown and learned how to balloon tie animals. For games:I had a toss the ring on the floating duck, parachute games and I rented a giant inflatable slide which everyone played on most of the night. The goodie bags for the kids had a clown nose, clown watch, finger puppets, slide puzzles, parachute men, whistles and candy. For the adults I had made white chocolate covered popcorn put it in an individual bags and attached a note:Thanks for clowning around with me. I also had circus music playing in the background that I got from the library. We all had a riot. Family and friends are still talking about it.