In July we held a birthday party for my 6 year old. I made the invitations ahead of time on our computer - using clip art that I found on the Disney CARS site.
They had one of the cars on the front - there are a variety to choose from - if you go to the web site and go into the cars showroom - click on models and then portraits. There are different pictures of each car from the show. I printed these out - then put a racing flag border around the picture. On the front of the invitation - it said Nickolas is turning 6" on the inside let's have some run! Lap five is over but we're not done! Start your engines for Nick is 6! Race on over to join in the mix." "Birthday Party for all Race Fans to be held at Radiator Springs - (your family) Raceway - (Your address) Date & Time Race should be over by (ending time) All entries should RSVP by (date) to reserve your pit pass contact Pit Boss at (your phone number). The next thing that I did was to start construction on Radiator Springs. I made the whole town. I got large cardboard boxes (from a local appliance store). I looked at pictures of the town (from the web site). I cut out and painted signs for the following: Luigi's Tire Flo's Cafe Ramone's house of body art Filmore's Sarge's Supply Lizzie's Radiator Springs Curio's The Cozy Cone Motel The Courthouse Tow Mator's Junkyard and Route 66 Road Signs. Then I proceeded to make three cars for the race. I got cardboard boxes (all the same size) and painted them to look like Lightning The King and Chick Hicks. I ordered a few items online to complete the party supplies and favors. From our local dollar store I also purchased a few items and with the help of our computer I made wedding bubbles into cars bubbles etc. My son could hardly wait until party day. On his birthday we got up very early - as there was so much to do. When the kids started arriving we had set up my son's train table on the back porch (which was part of the Cozy Cone Motel) on the table we set up all his diecast cars to play with as everyone was arriving. Once all the race fans were assembled the tour guide for Radiator Springs arrived (Nick's older sister). She told the race fans that they were getting a tour thru Radiator Springs and would finish with a Piston Cup Race. First stop was The Courthouse. At the courthouse the children all got a license to drive. I took our yearbook and copied the children's pictures glued them to cardstock cut them about the size of a real license and glued racing flag border to them. The kids were thrilled that their picture was actually on a license. I purchased plastic sleeves and string from the dollar store to put the license in - so they could wear them around their necks for the party. At the courthouse they were also told that for every stop they completed along their tour they would earn a pit pass. For some of the stops they would get more than one - if there team won the races. The pit passes I also made from some clip art. Second stop - Ramone's House of body art - at this stop the kids all received body art - temp. tatoos - found online. Third stop - Luigi's Tire - at this stop we played a stack the tire game. I put two rods in the ground and had blow up intertubes (purchased at the dollar store) - which actually looked like tires. We divided them into two teams the kids had to roll the tires around an object in the yard and then stack them on the rod at the Luigi's sign - to make two stacks of tires. First team done received three pit passes - the other team received two pit passes. Next stop was Fillmore's Organic Fuel. Here the race fans received a pit pass and some fuel (a snowcone). Fifth Stop was Lizzie's Curio Shop. At this stop the kids made license plates - using cardboard that I had cut the length of a real license plate. They painted them and then put stickers - numbers and letters on them to make vanity plates - such as their names or UGOGIRL. After this we took a break at Flo's Cafe for a Pizza Party - Fuel again! Pizza was quick and easy! Once everyone was full - we went off to fix the road. As any car fans know - Lightning tore up the road when he came to town. I took a very large cardboard box - and painted it black and put two yellow stripes down the middle - then I cut it up like a puzzle and the kids each took a turn (or two) to put it back together. Next stop was Mater's junkyard. We played another game - using the same innertubes - I made a big hook (like Mater's hook) from cardboard - attached it to a long pole and the kids had a few mintues each to see how many tires they could hook. After this we all came back to Flo's to have cake and ice cream. I made two cakes. My son wanted a strawberry cake but for allergy reasons - we had two cakes. The one was made in the shape of Lightning - I purchased a pan from Wilton. The second cake was made in a regular rectangle shape - and I made a race track on it and put NEW diecast cars of Lightning King and Chick on it. Very Cool! The ice cream was the individual ones - great for parties! After this - it was off to the Piston Cup Race! I set up a race track (in the neighbor's yard - you need a flat surface - level enough for kids to run around in). Using yellow caution tape just make an oval large enough for three kids (with boxes around them to run around). Using our "CARS" the kids took turn with each one - some winning the race - some coming in 2nd or 3rd (but no one losing!). Each received more pit passes each time they raced. After the race we all headed over to Sarge's Supply Depot. At this location they were able to turn their pit passes back in for items to keep for themselves. I purchased some small items - from glow sticks and candy necklaces - to larger items - balls and books. Prizes ranged from 1 pit pass to 3 pit passes. We drew names to see who would pick first. Each received approx. 10 passes and were able to get quite a bit of items from Sarge's. At this point the party was winding down we had only one more thing to do - award the Piston Cup. We gathered all the racers together and passed out individual mini trophies to each of them (bought online - approx. 6" tall). The birthday boy recieved a very large piston cup trophy purchased at our local trophy shop - with his name and birthday party date on it - says "Piston Cup 2007 Grand Champion Nick (last name) and date". We took pictures of all the kids and their trophies. We gave out loot bags - which we wouldn't have had to do with all the other items they got at Sarge's - but we already had them ready. The kids are still talking about this party - 5 months later! The parents were all glad that their child wasn't close to Nick's birthday month - they were afraid that they wouldn't be able to come close! We used the whole 3 hours that I allowed for the party! Parents were allowed to stay - but were asked to sit in the spectator's section. This was the best one that we ever had - just not sure how to out-do myself next year!"
