Sumptuous spreads are planned to feed the Democratic parties

Lions and zebras in the background and shrimp skewers on the table. It's not a typical night at the zoo. But when the California delegates step off their buses and into the Franklin Park Zoo, they will be surrounded by jungle animals with food to match. Sumptuous nibbles infused with African flavors will be offered up to the more than 600 guests expected at Sunday's fete.

Meanwhile the delegates from Maryland, Delaware, and D.C. will be noshing on an Italian and Chinese buffet at the Boston Children's Museum while traditional Caribbean fare is served to delegates from Puerto Rico and New Mexico across town.

Sunday's parties are the culinary spectacle of the Democratic National Convention festivities. The welcome parties promise to showcase local caterers' finest and most inventive food. Even though some delegations have threatened not to cross possible picket lines, the parties will go on.

"These are going to be really incredible celebrations in terms of food," said Mark Walsh, director of events for Boston 2004. Walsh is expecting caterers to pull out all the stops for the 30 events. Since the festivities go from 5 to 7 p.m., the 20 caterers involved are mostly offering passed and stationary hors d'oeuvres.

Walsh said Boston 2004 wanted to showcase New England cuisine as well as do up themes to match their settings. Lobster bakes and seafood extravaganzas will be the highlights at the L Street Bathhouse in South Boston and the Samuel Adams Brewery in Jamaica Plain. Many of the other settings are pairing food with a delegation's local cuisine.

The Franklin Park event will be catered by Max Ultimate Food. To create a tropical theme in a zoo, with guests mingling under a tent, sales manager Jennifer Wheaton said the company is relying heavily on tropical greens and grasses that can withstand summer temperatures. Shrimp and mango on sugar cane skewers with a guava lime glaze sounds promising enough to tempt nearby zebras. Chicken on bamboo skewers with kumquat relish is another treat Max has been working on. "There will be lots of skewers," said Wheaton, adding that most of their nibbles will be served room temperature.

Tropical veggie pizzas will be part of Max's fare as well. "It was fun to plan," said Wheaton, who expects there to be peacocks wandering around and zebras nearby, with lions not too far off. More African-infused bites include okra fritters with cayenne aioli, a curried carrot and coconut soup served in shot glasses, and fishcakes with paprika.

"Food is a big part of the event," said Nivia Pina, who owns Roxbury's Merengue Restaurant & Catering with her husband, Hector. The Pinas are catering a party at the Jorge Hernandez Cultural Center in the South End for delegates from Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. Pina said the idea is to highlight Latino cuisine. Everything will be served against the backdrop of a Caribbean-style cafe.

Pina's specialty is a Dominican pionono, or sweet plantains filled with ground beef. "I think it's going to be a hit," she said. "It's really good." Other Caribbean-inspired eats include shrimp ceviche with avocado sauce and lobster with a Creole sauce served in a patty shell. Traditional Spanish rice with chicken will also be served, along with sangria and margaritas. "It's going to be very much a celebration of Latin culture," said Walsh.

Watertown-based Boston Unique Events is catering the party at the Children's Museum, and because of its proximity to several Boston neighborhoods, the delegates there will be treated to food that gives a nod to Chinatown and the North End.

"We're showcasing the Boston neighborhoods," said catering manager Rebecca Joyce. There will be a wok station offering chicken, scallops, and an assortment of veggies under a Chinese pagoda. There will also be a pasta bar alongside a faux Hanover Street backdrop. Traditional shrimp cocktail, shrimp spring rolls, and sesame seared tuna with lemon garlic mayonnaise nod to the museum's surrounding waterfront.

Unique Events is working on its drinks and expects to offer the Boston Blue Blood (a blue Curacao martini) and the Patriot (a cranberry martini).

"We want to make these parties special," said Walsh, noting that delegation receptions for previous conventions have featured chips and dip. Walsh was determined that Boston would do something different. "People have really made an effort."