EVENTS – Fair attractions
as their parents are present. It can also provide specialist adaptive climbing equipment, including for wheelchair users, which can be combined or separate from a traditional set-up.
Infl atables Infl atables are a fun and colourful
addition to any fair and always attract a crowd. Go beyond the bouncy castle by hiring an infl atable challenge from a company such as Knockout Challenge (knockoutchallenge. uk), which offers games packages that include everything from infl atables and generators to an enthusiastic commentator. Or try The Labyrinth Challenge (
thelabyrinthchallenge.com), an obstacle course where participants can complete against the clock or just for fun. To participate in the main course, contestants must be at least 1.2m tall, and there’s a mini course for smaller children.
Falconry Give your audience the chance to
get close to the wonders of birds of prey. With fi ve centres around the UK, Falconry UK (
falconry-uk.org) offers static and fl ying displays, generally bringing fi ve to eight birds. It provides a 30 to 50-minute fun educational talk, questions from the fl oor and a chance to meet and have a photo taken with birds including owls, vultures, American kestrels, kookaburra and eagles.
Giant board games From supersized chess to giant
Jenga, oversized games appeal to visitors of all ages. Some games are quicker to play than others, so consider your pricing strategy carefully or offer them for free as an enticement to attend. Choose from traditional games such as pub skittles and dominoes to childhood favourites such as giant Operation and giant Twister. Try Games2Hire (
games2hire.co.uk).
Laser tag
Perfect for getting hearts racing, laser tag takes place inside an infl atable arena fi lled with swirling fog. Players use laser guns to score points by shooting their opponents. However, they must also avoid getting shot, as this results in a loss of points. ‘We wanted to try something
traditional vintage carousel. And who doesn’t like showing off their skills on the coconut shy? Hire A Funfair (
hireafunfair.com) has a range of rides and stalls to choose from.
Funfair
Go back to basics by hiring an old-fashioned funfair, with something to
appeal to all ages. School fairs are a good excuse for multi- generational families to have a day out together. Thrill-seeking youngsters will love riding a mini Ferris wheel or steering a dodgem, while others might prefer to hop aboard a
‘Our aim is for all the children at our school to have a fun time. We also want their parents to join in, not just show their faces and leave after an hour. The longer people stay, the more profi table the fair is. We use an outside company to provide the things we cannot do ourselves – usually the big rides.
Last year we hired a helter
skelter, carousel, chair-o-plane and pony ride from Hire A Funfair. We sold tokens for £1 each and we charged one to three tokens per ride. We took separate card payments for food, drink and the cake stall. We were fortunate to raise
£25,000 for the school last year.’ Georgia Koropouli, chair,
Kensington Prep School Parent Association (300 pupils)
different at our summer fair, so we went for laser tag. The kids loved it! We used Altitude Events (
altitudeevents.org). The hire package includes an infl atable arena, fl at-screen TV and LED screens showing scores, 12 laser guns and two or three fully trained staff to oversee and run the games. Up to 12 people can play at one time (the minimum age is six years) and we charged £3 for fi ve minutes. To maximise profi ts but keep costs low, we asked local businesses for sponsorship. Four or fi ve companies contributed, which meant all the money raised went straight to the school. The laser tag made around £500 in three and a half hours. It cost just under £800 to hire. My tip is to book early! It’s a very popular attraction. Sasha Pyatt, chair, Friends of Southover Primary School, Lewes, East Sussex (370 pupils)
42 SPRING 2024
pta.co.uk
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