Summer fete-what do you have at yours?

[Eddas]

We are going to be running a summer fete this year for the first time, previously another group in our village had run it and it has been a fairly small affair with some good stalls. However I felt, and other people mentioned, that it lacked something and was fairly small. This year it would be nice to have a few more things going on. The committee have come up with some ideas but I wanted to pick the collective brains of mn and see what you have at your summer fete that is good and makes money, after all that's why the fetes are run, to raise money!

Also, what do you think are essential must have stalls at a fete?

TIA

Our Y5s make fruit kebabs. Nice little earner, especially if fruit is donated.

We have an egg throwing contest-always a big draw, The favourite event however is the "throw a sponge at a teacher stall" ( Teachers pay a fortune to throw sponges at the Head!)

As well as fund raising stalls and events as mentioned we also try to keep parents there as long as possible, so we have entertainment spread out during the afternoon. Some children do a dance exhibition, the brass instrument group play, the choir sing etc. This means that parents and grandparents have to stay around to watch, especially if they several children in school. All the seating just happens to be next to either the barbecue or the refreshments stall!

yes I think the main thing is to get the children involved and then parents have to come along, then once they're there have a plan to keep them there That's one of the reasons I like the toddler area idea. I have found that entertaining young dc at these things becomes tiresome and expensive so to have a free area might encourage people to stay a little longer?

At our pre-school events we normally have a free colouring area which goes down well as people don't need to pay/donate and the kids have something to do for a while.

I am going to ask the local pre-school about dealing with this area for us, they have the equipment and can advertise the pre-school for nothing!

I am making notes of all the brilliant ideas, thank you all.

And I am thinking of ways to get volunteers to man things. could be fun trying to work that out! We are trying to run it as a village fete rather than school one so I am hoping some of the parish council bods might pitch in. Am really hoping they can donate a compair (sp?) for the day. I'm going to go along to the Parish AGM and collar the various groups in the village to help out

Wish me luck!

(ps, any further advice/ideas still gratefully received)

Chucking sponges at teachers always the biggest draw at our school too

Coconut shy, a giant inflatable of some sort (slide usually best), face painting, our old and patched up bouncy castle, BBQ, and crafts/games for little ones all annual big draws.

We always have a theme, and then make stalls around that - eg circus last year (we had circus skills going on in one area, fancy dress comp., decorating clown biscuits etc), Wild West the year before (panning for gold, rolling tyre competition, fancy dress etc) and so on. Keeps it fresh!

try your local radio station - ours set up their stage and bouncy slide, played music all afternoon, did some games etc. also did any compering required. we were supposed to pay £50 for their presence but they never sent the invoice!

we also hassled the local icecream van - he set up and gave us 10%. he handed over £200 for 4hours work.

fairground rides - we have someone who sets up in our local shopping area every week. just approached him and he said yes. bought along two fairground rides; a traditional sweet stall and a coffee / tea / hot snack van. again 10%.

a local farm also bought goats, sheep and chickens and we had a mini farm alongside pony rides.

The key to all our events (we have what amounts to about 5 helpers!) get in as much as you can and take a % or sell tables.

also tap into friends/colleagues hobbies and interests - this year a colleague is going to tether her hot air balloon in the school field and everyone will be able to take a ride.

oo yes, we went to a fireworks display where they had the local radio station(or may have been the hospital station, which isn't far from our school), great idea. They did say they were available for hire!

Twinkletoes, do you mind me asking how much you have made? We are likely to be short on help too so just taking a % might be our way forward. I know last year they had an ice cream van and took a %. I'm still waiting to see the figures to see what was made where and what stalls were there last time.(accountant brain firmly in at the moment-geek!!)

we banked 1200 for a friday afternoon during school event so parents were limited. our outlay was about £50 for prizes, tea, coffee.

we do have a high number of families on income support, so everything is priced at 50p or under. also we weren't allowed to advertise outside the school as we starting in the school day so the school risk assessments don't allow for members of the general public to enter until school has finished.

we could have tripled that if we'd had it on a weekend afternoon.

thanks TT. Ours is going to be on a weekend day. although confirming a date within the committee which everyone can make is proving an issue. I think if we do this every year we need to book our date in much earlier!

Contact other schools who might be able to provide music groups - they're often cheap/by donation, but you do need to get them booked early!

Twinkletoes, I am sooo impressed! Your event sounds amazing!

Eddas, when orgaising fundraising events, I found that the best way of getting people to help is to approach people individually and ask if they can spare half an hout to man a stall etc. Then get a rota in place. I try not to put myself down for more then half an hour either. I know this is unusual with me organising an event, but I have young children and feel that it's my family's day too.

In fact I'd go as far as setting up and setting down but not rotaing myself in to anything during event. That way you can fill in where you are needed and cover someone who doesn't turn up to do their 30 minute slot.

PS when running the toddler area, put a laminated sign on portaloos saying that there are baby changing facilities in the tent in the toddler area just so everyone knows.

thanks for the tips jezzabelle, i'm not really organising it all, I don't have the time. My children are 6 and 4 so I'm happy to be on a stall most of the time as 4 year old will stay with dh(possibly not even come along) and dd(6) will happily help serve on the stall.

When we have a date sorted I was going to send out a memo to parents to ask for help either setting up, on a stall or clearing away. I was going to give a contact in school they can speak to, a phone number, an email address and our facebook page, so they have options as to how to approach us. My BIL & SIL have already offered to help which is fab!

I thought if we do have a toddler area perhaps put this on our advertising as I think it'd encourage people along 'Free toddler area' type message.