"From Spiderman to Star Wars to Rock Star Divas, costumes this year have a definite Hollywood feel, as more and more children (and adults) take their cues from the season's hottest entertainment," says Andy Bailen, Executive Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing for Party City.

Here are the company's top picks for this year:

* For the boys: The company predicts SPIDERMAN will be a huge seller, and has introduced two new costumes, one of which is an exclusive Deluxe Spiderman Costume. As STAR WARS has returned to the big screen, you can expect to see Jango Fett, Anakin Skywalker, Obi Wan Kenobi, and Yoda knocking at your front door. And little boys still can't get enough of Bob the Builder, SpongeBob, Harry Potter and Yu-Gi-Oh!

* For the girls (and even the not-so-little girls), divas are bigger than ever. Party City noted a huge response with costumes based on last year's "DIVA LOOK" and has continued to expand along those lines with diva costumes, featuring accessories such as boas, microphones and platform shoes. Padme Amidala (from Star Wars) and Dora the Explorer (based on the Nickelodeon character), as well as Jade & Cloe costumes based on the popular Bratz dolls are expected to be among this year's favorites as well.

Additionally, the PATRIOTIC STREAK continues to affect Party City's costume choices. Party City has seen a steady demand for "hero" costumes...both the traditional superhero kind (such as Batman and Superman), as well as real-life heroes, such as for policemen, firemen, and doctors, across all age groups. This year, the company has expanded its selection of costumes and accessories to include choices such as New York City firefighter and an U.S.A. cheerleader, and will carry patriotic styles for kids, teens and adults.

And don't forget about THE ACCESSORIES, which have quickly become as important as the costume itself. Popular items are expected to include everything from boas to feathered wings, eye patches to beards, platform shoes to cat ears, cowboy hats to fake teeth, nails and every kind of wig you could want.

For those who think Halloween is just for kids - think again. Party City estimates that over 30% of the costumes sold are for adults, and that number continues to grow. So whether you are four or 44, get down to Party City to check out the hottest and the coolest Halloween items. Your Halloween celebration starts at Party City!

Party City Corporation is America's largest party goods chain and currently operates 230 Company-owned stores and has 246 domestic franchise stores. To learn more about the Company, access the Company's web site at http://www.partycity.com/ .

Except for historical information contained herein, the statements in this release are forward-looking and made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company's actual results in future periods to differ materially from forecasted results. Those risks include, among other things, the competitive environment in the party goods industry in general and in the Company's specific market areas, inflation, changes in costs of goods and services and economic conditions in general. Those and other risks are more fully described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.