Every summer, all over the country, people are organising local events and fetes for their schools or communities. These events take a great deal of effort and organisation – largely from public-spirited volunteers – so, anything that helps these events run smoothly can be valuable. It is always best to start planning as far ahead as possible, as there are so many different aspects to be considered. One of the most important aspects is the printed materials – everything from printing the Summer Fete posters to the advertising leaflets, flyers and banners.
Here is a checklist of the printed materials you might want to consider when organising your event:
Publicise the event
Start to alert your potential attendees about 6-8 weeks in advance. Design and order your printed material in plenty of time to properly advertise your summer event.
Poster printing
Have posters advertising the event printed and placed in libraries, leisure centres, medical centres, and public building reception areas.
Flyer printing
Print flyers to pin to notice boards in common public areas and organise volunteers to hand them out in local shopping areas. Place them on car windscreens in the car parks in the area in the week leading up to the event.
Banner printing
Street banners should be ordered well in advance, and you should check with the local council as to any restrictions on placements, or time allowed, to display them before the event. If displaying your banner in the week leading up to the event then it is better to use phrases like “This Saturday” as opposed to displaying a specific date – this makes the event seem more feasible and imminent for anyone reading it, and has the added bonus of being able to use the banner on different occasions and dates in the future!
Leaflet printing
Print leaflets showing the date, time and venue of the event, along with the specific attractions that will be available on the day. Organise a leaflet drop to the residents in the immediate area in the week prior to the event.
Programmes
Consider printing programmes for the event, and selling advertising slots in the programme to local businesses. As well as adding a professional touch to the proceedings, this helps raise funds for the event, encourages local interest and involvement, and offers the opportunity to both inform and thank local participants.
Sign printing
Make sure you have ordered the correct, and sufficient, signs to be printed for the event. Facilities like toilets, refreshments, parking and general directional signage will need to be catered.
Agendas
Print agendas for the day, and the running order of events, to distribute on the day to all of the volunteers and stall holders – this will ensure that everyone knows where they should be and when!
Feedback forms
Have feedback forms printed and, after the event, have all the stallholders and external contractors involved, complete them accordingly. This will give you valuable information on what aspects were successful, and if there are things that can be improved upon for the next event.