5 Fail-Proof Tips For Fall Family Events
At Group, we’ve spent decades trying and testing countless activities with kids and families. Here you’ll find 5 fail-proof tips from our years of discovery to make your fall family event a success!
So you’re having a fall event? Good for you! Whether it’s a Fall Festival, Backward Trick-or-Treat, Trunk or Treat, or something else, you’re on the right track for reaching families in your community. That’s because parents are looking for safe and fun activities to do with their kids.
In the many years of creating Fall Festivals here at Group, we’ve learned a few things about how to ensure that your event reaches families for Jesus.
1. Have lots of candy.
The Apostle Paul said that he becomes all things to everyone in order to reach them for the gospel. If Paul were here now, we think he’d say to load up on the candy—that’s the sweet treat that pulls kids in. If you’re not providing candy, they’ll go elsewhere (wherever candy’s aplenty). This is not a time to be a sugar disciplinarian!
2. Communicate costume filters.
Let your guests know ahead of time that they’ll need to wear appropriate costumes for the good of younger children—nothing scary. Remember, families are looking for safe, non-spooky fun for the kids.
3. Focus on one point.
What’s the point of having a family event if you have no point? Something beyond the fun of the candy and costumes. “The Point” is the truth about Jesus that you want families to walk away with, such as “Jesus is a forever friend.”
4. Train your staff.
Use a few minutes before you open the doors to communicate your vision for the event. Let your staff know that this may be the one time that families come to church this year. Tell your staff to permeate everything they do with Christ’s love and acceptance. Remind them of The Point. Encourage them to smile—and have lots of fun. Joy is contagious!
5. Plan for follow-up.
Some people complain that they’ve done all the work for a fall event, had hundreds of people attend, and only one family returned on Sunday.
We’ve got two things to say about that: First, outreach is a multifaceted strategy; not a one-time thing. Keep reaching out to those families through other seasonal events and activities.
Second, figure out a way to capture families’ contact info (email, mailing address, phone) at the event. You can have them register at the door before entering the event. Or you can have a photo booth where you capture their information to mail or email them a fun photo of their family.
You want to reach out to them with a nice personal note after the event. Then ensure that you send them invitations to other events. Even better, encourage them to come back to get a special gift—give them special coupons for a cool T-shirt. And be intentional once again when they return.
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