joie is 4 — Photos by Abby Idler Photography.

This Trader Joe’s-inspired fifth birthday party was a hit for moms and kids

May 19, 2026

The magic of childhood is often found in the most seemingly mundane moments. A local event planner’s daughter loves grocery shopping with her mom so much that she requested it as her fifth birthday theme.

Similar to her two-year-old son’s birthday party, local event planner Sidney Carrier initially had a vision that she pivoted to her child’s most recent passion. For her daughter Joie, that passion is grocery shopping. So Carrier ditched the butterfly theme she had originally planned on and turned The Play District into “Trader Joe’s.”

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“It’s so random, but that’s something that she truly loves to do. So I knew I had to take it and run with it,” says Carrier.

Utilizing real fruits and vegetables and a wall of the viral pastel Trader Joe’s tote bags brought guests right into the popular grocery store chain. Each child also got their own crew member name tags from The Party Sets.

The pastel bags served as the anchor of the party’s color palette, while juice boxes and fan-favorite Trader Joe’s snacks brought the party to life. Other treats included Simply Grai’s Oreo tomatoes and egg macaroons. The flower bar offered an immersive experience. Carrier notes that she added this mainly for the other moms.

“I like the moms to take something home too. I feel like the kids always get stuff at birthday parties,” she says. “For the little tote bags, even if the kids don’t use them, the moms can take them to use and have.”