An Amazing Race Theme Party

The Amazing Race is a television show where teams of contestants travel around the world on a global scavenger hunt, performing challenges and gathering clues at "pit stops" to keep them moving along on a quest to be the team to finish first. You can host your own Amazing Race party on a smaller scale by adapting your travel area to include stops at different places in your town or city. Here's how...

INVITATIONS

• Write your party information on a map of your town, putting an "X" where you live as the starting point. (This could also be a helpful tool for teams to use during the competition.)

• Send your invitation information written in a small notepad with a pencil attached.

• Make your invitations look like passports that the contestants can get stamped at each stop during the party.

• Create invitations that look like the clues given out on the Amazing Race television show.

**General Invitation Tips** -- If you choose to make your own invitations, don't forget to include the date, location, and time of your party. It is also helpful to put the host's name, RSVP by date, and either your phone number or email. Be sure to tell your guests to wear comfortable clothing and shoes since they will be traveling around performing challenges.

PREPARING FOR
AN AMAZING RACE THEME PARTY

1. Divide Your Group Into Teams -- Each team should have between 2-5 team members, depending on the size of your party. Each team also needs a driver (If your guests aren't old enough to drive, each team should have a parent or chaperone to help them out.) Make sure that each team takes at least one cell phone with a contact number in case they have questions or run into problems. It is also ideal to send at least one camera or video camera with each group to capture the fun of the evening.

2. Plan Your Route(s) -- The Amazing Race is comprised of different "legs" of the journey. Mentally map out in advance the different stops you want your teams to make. It works best to give each team a different route on their quest, so that they don't keep running into each other as they progress.

3. Plan Your Stops and Challenges -- Some things that make the Amazing Race theme special are the inclusion of challenges and international flair. Try to consider both of these when planning your party. It's also a fun idea to include a stop or two that has special meaning to you or your guests, such as a favorite restaurant or recreation spot. Also, you will need to have someone available at each stop to make sure the challenges are completed and to hand out the next clue. If you are asking people who work at your stopping points for help in passing out your clues, set this up ahead of time to make sure it's okay with them and their employers. Here are some ideas:

• Visit a Japanese restaurant and order (and eat) one of the following: ika frita (fried squid), chuka (seaweed salad) or kappamaki (cucumber roll). Ask your host for the next clue. (Japan)
• Look up a specific fact about a country and tell it to the head librarian to get your next clue. (country of your choice)
• Make a rubbing of a grave stone with a specific year of death at the local cemetery. (Transylvania)
• Visit American Eagle Outfitters and sing the National Anthem to the cashier for a clue. (USA)
• Go to the local grocery store and find (fill in a unique ethnic food). Ask the cashier at stand #1 for the next clue as you check out. (country of your choice)
• Find a bubble tea shop and try a pào mò hóng chá; literally "foam red tea". (China)

These are just some ideas. Tailor your stops and challenges to your group. If your guests are all of legal drinking age, you might make your race a pub crawl, where the teams have to do things such as try a drink at one stop, try a food at another, perform a dance at a third, and get their picture taken with the bartender at the fourth.

You should also include a road block challenge which is an especially difficult challenge that only needs to be completed by one member of a team (eating a questionable food works well for this), and a detour challenge where the group gets to choose between two options, and all must complete the choice.

4. Create Your Clues -- The clues that you give the teams should be fairly cryptic, but easy enough to figure out so that no one gets too off track. A fun option for clues is to record them onto DVDs. Just make sure that each team has access to a portable DVD player before you begin.

5. End the Race at Your House or a Local Restaurant -- A great way to finish up the race is by serving a big international buffet somewhere to regroup, celebrate, and compare stories.

AMAZING RACE THEME DECORATIONS

Since this is a movable party, you really don't need too many decorations. However, if you're getting together for food and drinks at the end of the evening, you might incorporate an international theme into your decorations. Use things like maps, travel posters, and international flags.

FAVORS

• Ten $100,000 Candy Bars
• The Amazing Race Wii Game
• Luggage Tags
• The Amazing Race Mugs

• Design Your Own Award Medals or Small Gold Trophies
• The Amazing Race DVD

Share Your Party With Us!

Have you hosted or attended a great party recently? We would love to hear about it! Tell us about your party and what made it special. We'll post it here to share with all our readers. Plus, your party will automatically be entered in our next party submission contest!

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