How To Organise A Beautiful Summer Fete

Popular theories and studies suggest that people are more likely to spend money in the summer, or at least, when there are more hours of daylight. So if you run an animal sanctuary or small business on your land, or you like to hold charity events on your property, and you use those events to raise money, then the summer is the best time to do it. Who doesn’t love a summer fete? Hazy light, bright pastel colours, cold refreshments and light hearted entertainment – they are amazing ingredients for memory-making. You can definitely make a good amount of money with this kind of event. The only catch is, you have to firstly, get people interested, and two, then get them to part with their hard earned money. It doesn’t sound easy, and it isn’t. Don’t worry, help is at hand! With these easy tips, you’ll be organising a beautiful summer fete with tons of visitors, and hopefully, a great amount of money made for your cause at the end of it:

Summer has always been my favorite season. I feel happier. – Zooey Deschanel

Use The Right Colours

It is important to pick the right colour theme for your fete so that people feel happier, and therefore more likely to spend. According to studies, there is a deep psychology with colour and how people respond to it. Generally speaking:

• Green invokes a connection to the earth and nature, and most people have a positive association with the colour
• Red promotes quick responses, so it could be useful for encouraging impulse buying at your event
• Blue is peaceful and positive and makes people think of a sunny sky.
• Yellow is not generally popular amongst the masses
• Orange represents good value, so you may want to consider using it all over special offers and places you want people to spend more
• Pink is calming, so it could be worth using in places where people may get a bit hot headed, in areas with sports or competitions
• White is associated with boredom so although it might seem tempting to use it for a neutral backdrop, it won’t have much of an impact on your customers

In most instances, it will work well to use creamier, pastel colours in your summer fayre design so that the overall look is appealing, and brighter, bolder colours in your marketing to draw attention to your event.

Be Safe

Being safe and prepared is so important for your event. If you are unsure how to ensure the event will be safe, then should hire an expert to do a risk assessment and help you keep the event as safe as possible.

Play To The #Foodie Trend

The foodie trend is going to be a massive asset at your event and is an easy way to get people to spend more money. Everyone is a foodie now and according to studies, it is for lots of different reasons. One is the recession in 2008 which pushed everyone to start cooking at home to save money. Another is the health trend which means nearly 60% of all Americans seek out the nutrition of their food. People are also more aware of ethics and the environment now which means that nearly 70% of Americans want to know where the ingredients in their food comes from. And lets not forget Instagram, which has 800 million active users. Taking pictures of food for Instagram has had all of us thinking more carefully about how we plate up our dinner, and when it comes to eating out, the more adventurous equals the more likes on Instagram.

To play to this trend and get more money for food, consider:

• Using exotic meats for burgers like ostrich or crocodile (just make sure it is legal!)
• Making hot dogs ‘gourmet’ with toppings like guacamole, salsa, cheese and nachos, or chilli and cheese
• Offering drinks with a twist, like kombucha, artisan cocktails or milkshakes made with popular chocolate brands blended in
• Selling flavoured popcorn, where you make plain popcorn and top it with flavourings like salt and black pepper, strawberry powder, cheesy powder or even sugary edible glitter for ‘unicorn popcorn’ which the kids will love

Search foodie hashtags on Instagram such as: #foodporn #streetfood #foodie #foodart and get inspiration for your event.

Prepare Well

This kind of event could earn your chosen cause a lot of money, but if it is badly organised it can spell disaster for a summer fete. You should be looking at planning your event well in advance, along with those helping you. Consider using a planning app on your phone or computer to keep on top of the project. Have a list of things you need to buy or hire, such as pasting tables, decorations, a diesel generator and toilet facilities, and give yourself time to shop around and get the best deal. Do also make sure you are clear on your goals for this event, as a lack of clear goals is the most common factor when it comes to project failure.

The more planning you do and the sooner you do plan, the more likely your event is to be successful.

Involve Local Businesses, Companies And Organisations

Statistics show that for every £10 spent on a local business, an extra £50 goes back into the local economy. So, it is a great thing to support local businesses if you can. You will of course buy all your supplies for the fete locally. But why not go one step further? You could:

• Offer a local decor or printing shop promotion in return for decorations like bunting and signage, or in return for a discount.
• Invite local businesses like bakeries and food stalls to attend the event.
• Invite local dance schools to hold performances at the event.
• Invite local bands to perform at the event.
• Ask local charities to hold fund-raising stalls at the event.

The best preparation for tomorrow, is doing your best today. – H Jackson Brown JR

Your summer fete is going to be a fantastic success, as long as you give yourself the time and creativity to put all your plans into place. Use your contacts, your skills and your ingenuity to make this event everything you want it to be, and the result of plenty of happy customers, and a memorable event that raises plenty of cash, will absolutely be worth it in the end.