EVENTS – From fair to festival
Street food in the field A key element of a festival is the food. While you won’t be able to recreate the foodies’ paradise of a big weekend festival, you can look beyond the basic burgers and cupcakes. Reach out to the school community – are there any experienced caterers or parents who could run a stall? Does anyone own a portable pizza oven? Children love a margherita! Contact local food truck businesses and event
catering operations, perhaps familiar from a nearby farmers’ market. Come to a mutually profitable arrangement with third party caterers – waive pitch fees, and ask them to donate back a percentage of their takings. Indian snacks, Mexican food or fish and chips are good options, or hire a spit roast for a delicious festival twist that’s not too far removed from the usual fare. When it comes to booze, ask a local brewery if they
will set up a bar or sponsor a PTA-run bar and give you a good deal on drinks. Serve other popular summer choices such as Pimm’s and gin and tonic. Cocktails and mocktails will turn a good profit, and you’ll only know if there’s a mixologist in your school community if you ask. Adults love a margarita!
Step up
your stalls Set up a merchandise stall to sell tote bags, T-shirts and cups or mugs bearing the festival logo. Or do a shout-out to your community for vinyl and CDs, then ask a music buff parent to run a music stall. Offer fun, old-fashioned games, such as wooden skittles, shuffleboard or any games unique to your locality such as Sussex’s toad-in-the-hole pub game. Create a colourful archway or backdrop containing your logo and encourage visitors to use it for photo opportunities.
OUR FESTIVAL PLANS
are about getting us back together’ There were only 30 pupils at my children’s village infant school. It was losing numbers each year and under threat of closure. So the PTA organised a beer festival to raise funds and make people aware of our expansion campaign. The festival featured live music, traditional games, a barbecue and face painting and ran for three years. It really helped turn things around and now the school is a thriving and full primary school. I’m the PTA chair at their
April and one in June. The first is a cultural event called A Glimpse of India, which is a way to include the Indian school community with the Friends. We’ve got a merchant bazaar, Indian street food and cultural favourites such as henna art and yoga sessions. There’s also Indian dancing from different regions, and we’re asking parents to bring their dancing shoes for a show-stopping finale. Our second event is a music
secondary school now, and when the head asked if the Friends could suggest ways to rebuild the school community after Covid, I knew I had the right experience to run something special. We’ve rebranded our events as festivals, and we’re holding one in
48 SUMMER 2022
pta.co.uk
festival, which we’re calling RLS Fest. It’s a celebration for the children, and we’re inviting leavers from the past two years to come and have some fun too. There will be live bands, a barn dance and lots of stalls. We’re hoping to engage the wider community and bring parents into the school who’ve never set foot
in the buildings. If we raise some funds, that’s a bonus. Our aim is to build a reputation for holding great events. That way, we can get it on the annual calendar and encourage people to come again next time. Rachel Seago, Chair, Friends of The Royal Latin School, Buckinghamshire (1,200 pupils)
‘Raising funds is a bonus; festivals
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