A great school fete takes a lot of work and planning – but the pay-off can be very rewarding. School fetes are not only a great way to bring together the school community to mix and mingle, but they can also raise a lot of much-needed money for schools. Here are some tips on how go get started planning a great fete at your school.
1. Get a committee together
Planning a school fete is not a one-person job. You need a committee or parents and potentially school staff members on board to organise the fete together. Many schools have parents committees or school councils which often organise things like fetes.
2. Choose a date carefully
There are not many school fetes held in the depths of winter. Clearly, the best time of year to hold a school fete is in the warmer and drier months of the year. In Victoria, popular months to hold school fetes are between September and November, as well as February and March. When picking a date it is best to avoid any public holidays, when many people go away.
3. Pick a venue
Most school fetes are held in the outdoors of the school grounds, including the oval or outdoor basketball courts. However, you may need to have a back-up indoor area available in case there is rain forecast for the day, such as a gymnasium or hall.
4. Make some enquiries for amusement rides
Any great school fete needs some big-ticket attractions to draw a crowd. Amusement rides are a great way to get more people along to your fete and raise some money at the same time. Get in contact with a trusted and reputable amusement ride hire company early to ensure the rides you want are available on the day you need them.
5. Seek some sponsorship or donations
Raffles and auctions can be great ways to raise some money at a school fete, but you are going to need some prizes for them. Local businesses or businesses with links to families at the school might be able to donate some prizes for these.
6. Promote the fete
Don’t wait until three weeks out to get the word out that your fete is on. Give the wider community plenty of notice so they can mark the date in their calendars. School newsletters, social media and physical signage out the front of the school are good ways to promote your event.
7. Organise food and drinks
The humble BBQ has long been a school fete favourite in Australia, although some schools are now opting for healthier and gourmet food options. You will also want some cold cans of soft drink for sale and organising a coffee van is always a hit.
8. Find some volunteers
For a school fete to run smoothly, you are going to need a team of volunteers to run the stalls, cook the food and sell the drinks. You might even find some volunteers to cook cakes for a cake stall or make lemonade for a lemonade stand. There will also be setting up and packing up duties.
9. Enjoy the fete!
Once you have done all the planning, enjoy the big day when it comes around. Hopefully a great day will be had by all and a large sum of money will be raised for the school.
Making school fete planning easy
Want to take some of the stress out of school fete planning? At Advanced Amusements, we have over 30 years of experience in the amusement industry and we are experts when it comes to school fetes. We supply a large range of amusement rides, but we can also provide other school fete ideas, organise refreshments and even provide bathroom facilities to ensure a stress-free event experience. We offer outright hire or commission hire options for our wide range of amusement rides and service greater Melbourne, Bendigo, Mildura, Echuca, Kerang, Swan Hill and more. Contact us today by calling 0402 922 256 or using our simple online contact form.