How successful PTAs run summer fairs

1. Secure income early

One of the biggest shifts is thinking about income before the gates even open.

Sell stall pitches to local businesses

Many PTAs invite local businesses and makers to take a pitch at the fair.

A typical pitch fee is around £15 to £25 per stall, with £25 being quite common for a well-attended event.

It’s simple to organise:

• Share details in local Facebook groups or with existing contacts
• Offer a table or space, and clarify what’s included
• Take payment in advance to confirm the booking

Even a small number of paid stalls gives you guaranteed income before the fair begins.

Consider event sponsorship

Sponsorship can make a bigger difference than many PTAs expect.

In practice, this usually means offering local businesses something in return for a fixed contribution:

• Their logo on posters and banners
• A mention in newsletters or school communications
• Signage at the event, for example “Sponsored by…”
• Association with a specific activity or attraction

This does not need to be complicated. A simple package and a few local conversations can go a long way.

2. Get the whole school involved

Many of the best-performing stalls are built in advance with help from the wider school community.

• Children preparing tombola bags at home
• Requests for bottles, chocolate or prizes
• Getting children involved in selling raffle tickets

Run a simple tombola

Tombolas are one of the most reliable stalls at a summer fair, and they are easy to set up in advance.

There are a few common versions:

• Bottle tombola, families donate bottles which are numbered and displayed. Each ticket corresponds to a number, and every ticket wins a bottle. These can include soft drinks, wine, beer or toiletries like bubble bath, which makes it suitable for both children and adults.
• Chocolate tombola (rainbow style) Ask each class to donate chocolate, sweets or biscuits in a specific colour, then let children spin a colour wheel to win a matching prize (£1 a go, everyone wins). It looks brilliant, is easy to organise, and can raise a few hundred pounds with minimal effort.
• Paper bag tombola, Give each child a paper bag to decorate and fill at home (party bag style), then sell them as lucky dips (£1 a go, prize every time). It’s easy to organise, involves the whole school, and always sells out quickly.

Asking for donations through the school or a mufti day helps build up stock without the PTA needing to buy everything themselves.

Send raffle tickets home in advance

This is one of the most consistently effective ways to increase revenue.

Instead of relying on raffle sales during the fair, tickets are sent home with children beforehand:

• Each child receives a small book of tickets
• Families can sell to friends, relatives and neighbours
• Tickets and money are returned before or on the day

Raffle books can be printed relatively cheaply, often customised with your school or PTA name.

It is a simple system that significantly increases reach beyond just the people attending the fair.

3. On the day

The most effective summer fairs tend to follow a simple, repeatable structure:

• High-volume stalls, tombolas, raffles and simple games
• Anchor attractions, inflatables, “soak the teacher”, headline activities
• Food and drink, BBQs, bars or external food vendors
• Quieter areas, crafts, colouring or picnic space

This keeps people moving around the fair while also giving them reasons to stay longer.

Most fairs run for a few hours rather than a full day, which helps keep energy high and stalls busy throughout.

Keep it manageable on the day

A successful fair should feel organised, not overwhelming for the people running it.

Simple choices can make a big difference:

• Clear volunteer shifts, so people know when they are on and off duty
• Stalls that are easy to run, with simple rules and pricing
• External providers for things like food or inflatables where it helps

It is often better to run fewer stalls well than to try and do too much.

Don’t forget the basics

Alongside the stalls and activities, there are a few practical things that are easy to overlook but make a big difference on the day:

• Toilets, and providing sufficient soap and toilet roll!
• First aid and risk assessment, in line with school requirements
• Insurance cover, check your school or PTA policy covers events like this, including external suppliers
• Clear signage so people know where things are
• Bins and recycling to keep the site tidy

Most of these will be covered as part of your school’s usual event planning, but it is worth checking early so there are no surprises on the day.

For insurance, mfany PTAs will already be covered through the school or a PTA membership such as Parentkind, but it is worth checking what is included, especially if you are bringing in external providers or running larger attractions.

4. Focus on what consistently makes money

A few stalls consistently bring in the majority of income.

• Raffles, especially when tickets are sold in advance
• Tombolas, bottle, chocolate or teddy versions that sell out quickly
• Food and drink, high volume and steady demand
• Inflatables and activities, with wristbands or fixed pricing

These are familiar, easy to understand and encourage participation without much explanation.

Get the food options right

Food is often one of the biggest contributors to overall takings, and one of the biggest operational decisions.

Some PTAs run their own BBQ or bar, which can generate strong margins but requires volunteers, stock and planning. Others bring in external food vendors to reduce the workload.

If you bring in vendors, there are a few common approaches:

• Fixed pitch fee, often £20 to £50 for smaller stalls, or higher for food vendors
• Percentage of takings agreed in advance
• A combination of both

Bringing in vendors can be slightly less profitable than running everything yourself, but it makes the event much easier to manage, which is often a worthwhile trade-off.

5. Make it easy for people to spend

One common issue is that people simply do not bring enough cash.

Rather than losing out, it helps to give supporters a quick way to contribute:

• A QR code linking to your fundraising page at each stall or activity
• A simple donation page people can access on their phone, provided you have a mobile signal on site
• Your bank details available for quick transfers if needed

This is not about replacing stall payments. It is about capturing those extra moments where someone is happy to give but does not have cash to hand.

Some PTAs also use tokens or prepaid wristbands to make spending easier across multiple stalls.

It is also worth planning how cash will be handled on the day, including floats for stalls and somewhere secure to store takings.

6. Plan for weather and not just rain

Weather can have a big impact, and recent fairs have shown that heat can be just as challenging as rain.

• Gazebos and shaded areas
• Indoor backup spaces
• Flexible layouts that can be adjusted
• Plenty of drinks and cooling options

Some activities, particularly inflatables, may not be usable in extreme heat, so having alternatives planned makes a real difference.

7. Spread the word

Much of what makes a summer fair successful comes down to organisation and communication, especially before the event.

Fundraisy gives PTAs one simple place to bring everything together:

• Take stallholder payments in advance
• Collect donations online
• Share updates and event details
• Create one simple link to use everywhere