Just wanted to add that we added the moonbounce and slide to our festival this year among other things and it was a great success. The kids and teachers said it was the best ever!
We also have an auction of items donated by local businesses and each class makes a theme basket that is also auctioned.
It really doesn't sound to me like you are changing too much. Improvements can always be made to a successful event. Make small changes at first by just adding extra events and then begin next year to change events that didn't work. I think you'll find people jump on board pretty quickly.
WE HAVE FALL FESTIVAL OR HARVEST BASH!!
we HAVE A CHILI SUPPER AND A REGULAR CONCESSION STAND,Hotdaogs,Nachos,etc. Each class is responsible for a game.We have toilet paper toss,ring toss,country store,tattoos,cake walk,Bingo(big hit),jail,toy walk for the little ones,fish pond,duck pond, beauty shop(big hit)
they buy tickets and use 1-2 depending on the game, if they don't hit or what have you they still get a small token or candy from a treat bowl but, if they for instance hit on the toilet paper toss they recieve different tickets and can trade those in for bigger prizes at the prize booth!We also raffle a couple country hams and childrens bikes.We ask local bussinesses for donations and sometimes parents donate ,we use those small items for bingo prizes and the larger are auctioned at the end of the night. Each class room brings in items and does a theme basket,those are also auctioned ,Normally we CLEAR around $4,000
We called our festival the "Fantabulous Family Fun Fall Festival" last year! How's that for a mouth-full? We had an inflatable slide and huge air tunnel. We also had 10 carnival type games (putt-putt, ring toss, etc., a craft tent, nutrition tent where a local fitness center held hula hoop contests and we gave away apples and small boxes of raisins. The big hits were the football toss (tossing football through a tire hanging from a rope) and the baseball pitch contest (we had a radar gun and announced the winner with the fastest speed throughout the day). We also sold hotdog/chip/drink/cookie meals, and we had raffle prizes throughout the day (donated from local businesses). We organized the carnival as a fun day for the kids...not a fundraiser, but we still made about $1,600 over and above our expenses. The kids had a wonderful day! Good luck with your festival!
Regina
Go fot it!! Change creates motion, and wakes people up!!! I have been pushing changes for four years now at our school. (been prez for four years) Not all changes were welcomed and not all were as succesful as hoped. But through the change you can troubleshoot and have something to "work" on improving as opposed to the same old stale monotonous activities. Right now our Student council and principal are in charge of our "Fall Carnival"(Thats the name we use) We were offered to take it over this year, but declined. We will however be in charge of it next year.
Have a plan, put all your ducks in a row, implement your plan, and take notes throughout, success or not!
Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. John F. Kennedy
Our PTO has for the past 7 years have held a "Fall Festival" and with that we hire someone to come to the school with a small petting zoo, small pumpkins (one for each student=700) and then we have juice/cookies, tattoo station, sandy candy, guess how many candies in the jar, find the pencil in the haystack and a hay maze (complete with some really scary dads). Here is my question. Every year we do this - and the students pretty know what to expect. I am thinking of totally changing the way we do the event by adding a moonbounce, inflatable basketball shoot (for the older kids) and possibly changing it to a fall carnival instead. The only thing is, change. I know people hate change and to be honest - I'm a little nervous about the one making that change.
Ok - so here is my question, what type of name could we call it. We do it in October - but can't be linked to Halloween. Any thoughts? Any other station ideas to go with it?
We had an inflatable slide and huge air tunnel. We also had 10 carnival type games (putt-putt, ring toss, etc., a craft tent, nutrition tent where a local fitness center held hula hoop contests and we gave away apples and small boxes of raisins. The big hits were the football toss (tossing football through a tire hanging from a rope) and the baseball pitch contest (we had a radar gun and announced the winner with the fastest speed throughout the day). We also sold hotdog/chip/drink/cookie meals, and we had raffle prizes throughout the day (donated from local businesses). We organized the carnival as a fun day for the kids...not a fundraiser, but we still made about $1,600 over and above our expenses. The kids had a wonderful day! Good luck with your festival!
