Best Fest: 4 Can’t-Miss Tips for Planning Your Fall Festival
We know a large number of churches enjoy putting on a Fall Festival. Here are four tips to help make your Fall Fest planning a treat. It’s a great way to reach out to the community and connect with families who wouldn’t normally come to your church or ministry.
1. Teamwork
Don’t scare yourself into thinking you’re going to need a large team to pull off a fantastic Fall Fest. We’ve seen a church pull off an 800-kid extravaganza with only 20 volunteers. Consider all the pre-planning that needs to be done before the event. It’s important to get a core leadership team headed by a director to help delegate the work and make the event go smoothly. A little extra recruiting at first will go a long way.
Be sure to screen your team, too. Group’s Shepherd’s Watch Background Checks partners with the leading global background check company, First Advantage. Each background check starts at just $9.
2. Picture Perfect
You could be planning a simple trick-or-treat in your parking lot, or you may be making room for a multi-station interactive experience. Either way, you’ll want new families to keep coming back long after the fest. One easy way to do this is by setting up a photo booth at the entrance. Hang up a backdrop, set up a tripod, and have a friendly volunteer invite families coming into the event over for a picture. Have families come back next week for the printed picture, or if you have the ability to print the photos right away, cut out some frames from construction paper and write a friendly note on the back of the picture inviting families to return. You can also use VBS-themed frames like these to transition from the summer fun into fall activities.
3. Be Different
Maybe an event where you have games, booths, and candy isn’t for you. Why not think way outside the box and try something new? Check out these five Halloween alternatives to find five different ways to be different. Our favorite is the Family Dinner Theater. Who wouldn’t want to come out for dinner and a show?
4. Allergy-Free
If you do candy, make sure to have allergy-free options so all the kids can go home happy. It’s a small step that goes a long way in showing families you really care about them. You might also consider providing small toy bags for candy-free families.
How does your church handle Fall Fest activities? What do you do to draw in a crowd? What’s your favorite kind of candy? Share with us using the comment section below!
For more family event ideas, check out Team Family! This book is full of fun, practical, and effective ways to engage families all year long. Need more fall fest info? Check out these posts!
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