Fete entertainment

Fetes offer a heap of ways to entertain visitors. In this section, we'll take a look at Amusement Rides and 'On-Stage' entertainment. Stalls, including sideshow alley, have their own section later on :-)

Amusement rides

From inflatable jumping castles and merry-go-rounds to climbing walls, dodgem cars and wave swingers, amusement rides of all kinds are a HUGE drawcard. They will also probably be your biggest expense, so choose wisely.

Amusement rides are transported on semi-trailers, so not only do the rides take up plenty of space, but their vehicles need special access. Get a company rep to visit your site in the early planning phase, to ensure your location has what they need.

If your space has artificial grass (or no grass!), you may be limited as to your choice of rides.

Your fete file will detail operators and rides that have worked in the past. Some amusement rides are so popular that they need to be booked at least a year in advance! Ask operators what rides are new and popular and consider what combinations of rides and carnival games (such as Laughing Clowns or Target Shooting) work well together.

If you’re starting from scratch, here are some key considerations:

• Consider your market. For primary school fetes, most joyriders are likely to be students (aged up to 11 or 12).
• Choose a mix of rides and games for different age groups (and fear levels).
• Be mindful of height restrictions: they can vary from 1m to 1.3m minimum.
• Don’t forget toddlers — they may be tag-alongs but they need entertaining (and there’s money in it for you if you plan your event well).    
• Talk to a number of amusement operators before committing. Price alone is not the only consideration. You want to be sure the supplier you use is reputable, has a solid safety record, provides professional service (including hiring appropriate staff) and is fully insured. Ask potential operators for a list of events they are attending and see them in action.
• For small schools or first-timers, you might not be ready to commit to expensive and large moving rides like roller coasters and spinning rides. Instead, consider inflatable bouncy castles or slides, Sumo suits, dunk tanks, bungee trampolines and activity buses.
• Pre-sell ‘ride bands’ leading up to your fete. The pricing of these will depend on the number of rides at your event. Ask around some schools in your area to get a better idea. Offer a discounted rate for ride bands ordered early, and a higher rate for those bought on the day. It is a good idea to hand out receipts rather than ride bands, and have a table or two set up (break it up by alphabet and mark names off the list) on the day where the receipts can be swapped for the ride bands. This avoids the inevitable ‘lost’ wristbands as well as the unfortunate (but real) risk of students sourcing identical wristbands and ‘ripping off’ the system.

Outright hire or percentage?

Most amusement ride operators offer two payment options: outright hire or a percentage. This is just one example of where the fete file comes in handy: what worked before? Or did it?

‘Outright hire’ means you pay a set fee and retain all proceeds of ticket sales. Caution: you must pay the hirer no matter how popular or unpopular the ride is. Many established fetes choose to take this option and bear the risk as it is likely to be more profitable at a proven event.

‘Percentage of takings’ means you split the profit with the ride operator. Usually you get 20 to 25 percent of overall ticket sales. This may mean less profit than outright hire but it also hedges against making a loss due to bad weather or unpopular choices. Often you will get more rides than you would if you had chosen the ‘outright hire’ option.

On stage entertainment

Your first priority with your entertainment program is to appoint a Master of Ceremonies (MC). Appoint one or two people with outgoing personalities whose job it will be to work the crowd during your event.

Your MC will need a good sound system to be heard over the entire site. If the school’s existing sound system isn’t adequate, add this to your hire/sponsor list. It’s imperative your messages on the day come out loud and clear.

The MC will require a comprehensive running sheet that lists all stalls and performances, promoting them throughout the day. Your MC will announce ‘specials’ as they occur, sprinkle through kind words about sponsors’ generosity, remind visitors about raffles and silent auctions and broadcast information about lost children. Between announcements, playing a selection of popular music adds a great vibe to the day and boosts everyone’s mood.

When it comes to onstage entertainment, schools have an immediate source: the students! By encouraging every class to perform one song, play or dance routine on the day, you guarantee a strong family turn-out to support their child’s performance. Once the family is there, few will escape without spending on rides and refreshments

To achieve this, liaise closely with your school’s performing arts department and get those involved to prepare special segments which will enliven the day and give participating kids a great confidence boost.

But don’t limit your ideas to song and dance. Demonstrations by a local martial arts group or gymnastics team can be another popular drawcard (and again, performers have family entourages). Displays by local fire and police services are ever-popular. Your local dog obedience group may willingly put on a show, adding a touch of animal magnetism.

Go one step further. What about a debate: students against teachers? Or a stand-up comedy segment? Cooking demonstration? Aerial acrobatic show? Yes, it has been done — the sky is literally the limit!  What about a demonstration by the local Men’s Shed or a flash mob of singing, dancing teachers?

Entertainment should support your fetes’ theme. If your fete is an International Fair, invite the local Chinese community to perform a traditional lion dance. The crowd will love the beating drums and vibrant colours. For a Country Fair, hire a bush band and encourage a bit of square dancing and line dancing. A fete themed on the musical ‘Grease’ will be revved up by a 50s style rock and roll band.

TIP: Include your entertainment line-up and schedule in printed flyers and on signs that promote the day. Importantly, make sure a large, clear sign near the stage area lists the acts for the day. Leaving half an hour between free entertainment means there is plenty of time for visitors to wander around the market stalls and buy something to eat between acts.
 

Fireworks

When there's an overload of school fetes and carnivals that will all more than likely have rides, showbags, sausage sizzles, cake stalls and live entertainment, this adds up to a whole lot of competition that can make it hard to attract people to your event.

That’s why you need a compelling drawcard, something that stands out from the crowd and gets people to choose your event over the competition. If you want more visitors through the gates, and if you want those visitors to spend their hard earned cash at your event, then you need to give the crowd something they can’t see every day.

And what more compelling drawcard could you have than live fireworks?
Whilst it’s illegal and dangerous to organise fireworks yourself, thankfully there are a number of suppliers across the country that can handle the entire thing in a safe and affordable manner. So if you’re considering ending your event with a bang, here are a few things you need to consider.

Budget

If you’re considering fireworks, then the very first conversation you need to have with the event committee should be whether you’re willing to outlay, at a minimum, $2,000 – $3,000 for a few minutes of fireworks. Budget defines almost everything about your fireworks display, it will define the duration of the show as well as the type of fireworks you will have, so agree on your budget first.

Type of Display

As mentioned above, the budget will define the duration and type of fireworks display you get to have. Lower budgets can limit you to laser shows and smaller fireworks, whereas larger budgets can result in shows that use 300mm display shells and make a real bang!

You also have the option of having music in the background and having the fireworks orchestrated and timed with the music. It’s also worth considering who your target audience is, if it’s adults then you can make as much noise and light up the sky as much as you like, but you may want to restrict the noise and brightness if there are young people present.

Time of Day and Duration

When you start contacting suppliers to get quotes for fireworks you will need to let them know if you intend to have a daytime display or a night time one. If you’re planning on a night event then make sure you check the sunset time for the day you have in mind so that your display is timed correctly.

When it comes to the duration of the show, you need to consider whether the show will be for adults or children, as this will define the time you hold your display as well as the duration. If children are to be present then you want the display earlier in the night so they can be home in bed by a decent hour, and you want it to run around 7-8 minutes so the little ones don’t get neck cramps (seriously).

Location

When you speak with suppliers you will need to have an open space in mind for where they can situate their display, so it’s a good idea to fax across a map of your school with the target location clearly marked on it. In some cases suppliers can also run fireworks displays from the roof of your school, so if this is an option let them know when you speak with them.

Insurance

One of the most important things to organise for a fireworks event is insurance. Suppliers will be able to guide you as to how much cover you may need, so don’t forget to ask them about this when your speaking with them.

Having a fireworks display is a great drawcard for a fete or event, it will draw more people on the day and will keep them around longer which will hopefully result in more money raised on the day. With a little prior preparation and planning you can organise something that lights up your event and fills up your event coffers!

Next Chapter >> Fete Insurance and Risk Management