Planning a fall festival is all about capturing that autumn magic — colorful leaves, crisp air, and unforgettable games. Whether your event is a school fundraiser or neighborhood block party, these fall festival games will keep guests of all ages entertained. Let’s dive into a few ideas and planning tips that will bring excitement to your festival.
Top 10 Fall Festival Games
Pumpkin Bowling
Swap out traditional bowling pins for mini pumpkins and roll a round gourd down a makeshift lane. Use hay bales as bumpers for that perfect rustic touch. Kids will love the challenge, and adults will appreciate the creativity.
Apple Bobbing
What’s a fall festival without a nod to classic apple games? Fill a large tub with water and apples, and let participants try their hand at bobbing for apples. To keep things hygienic, you can have individual buckets for each player or use tongs instead of mouths. Simple, affordable, and loads of fun!
Scarecrow Relay Race
Divide players into teams and have them race to dress a scarecrow! Set out piles of oversized clothes, hats, and accessories, and see which team can get their scarecrow dressed the fastest. It’s a fun way to get everyone moving and laughing.
Hay Bale Maze
Create a mini maze using hay bales and let kids weave their way through the twists and turns. Does a huge maze seem like too big of an undertaking for your group? Try opting for a hay ride instead!
Sack Races with a Fall Twist
Sack races are always a crowd-pleaser, but why not give them a fall twist? Use burlap sacks and scatter (soft) obstacles like mini pumpkins around the course to make it more challenging and fun.
Candy Corn Guessing Game
Fill a jar with candy corn and let festival-goers take a guess at how many pieces are inside. The closest guess wins a prize and it’s a low-effort, low-cost game.
Cornhole
A classic backyard game that’s perfect for any fall festival. Set up a few cornhole boards, decorate them with fall designs, and let players complete the bean bag toss to score points.
Pro Tip:
Organize a friendly cornhole tournament to add some competitive excitement and increase the funds raised.
Pumpkin Ring Toss
Place small to medium-sized pumpkins in a line and have guests try to toss rings around their stems. Use different sizes of pumpkins for varying difficulty levels, and award prizes based on how many rings players land.
Wheelbarrow Races
Partner up festival-goers for a race like no other! One person steers the “wheelbarrow” (their partner on their hands), while the other races forward on all fours. It’s a hilarious and energetic game that gets everyone involved and laughing.
Pie Eating Contest
Line up contestants in front of delicious pies (pumpkin or apple, obviously), and see who can finish theirs the fastest. But remember, no hands allowed! It’s a messy, mouthwatering race that’s guaranteed to entertain participants and spectators. Offer different rounds for kids and adults to get everyone in on the action!
And don’t forget the fall festival game prizes
No fall festival is complete without fun prizes and giveaways! Here are a few ideas to make your giveaways memorable:
Mini Pumpkins
An affordable prize option that can be paired with a pumpkin painting station so winners can decorate their pumpkins.
Fall-Themed Gift Baskets
Create simple gift baskets filled with seasonal goodies like candles, pumpkin spice treats, or locally-made jams.
Homemade Baked Goods
Consider having volunteers donate baked goods to use as game prizes.
Candy and Sweets
Fill treat bags with candy corn, chocolate, or other seasonal sweets to hand out as quick prizes.
Fall Craft Kits
Think simple projects like DIY scarecrows, leaf wreaths, or mini pumpkin decorating sets.
Raffle Tickets for Bigger Prizes
Give raffle tickets as game prizes, with a drawing later in the day for a larger giveaway. This adds an extra layer of excitement to the event and encourages participation throughout the day.
Selling Tickets to Your Fall Festival
Now that you’ve got your fall festival game lineup sorted, it’s time to start thinking about how to sell tickets. With Cheddar Up, you can create a custom page for your event in minutes. Here’s how to make ticket sales a breeze:
Online ticketing
Set up different ticket types — early bird, VIP, family packs — whatever you need. Attendees can easily buy tickets online, eliminating the hassle of dealing with cash or paper tickets at the gate.
No transaction headaches
Cheddar Up processes payments for you, meaning all your funds get collected in one place. You can say goodbye to chasing down checks or keeping track of cash.
Customizable forms
Want to collect extra info like food allergies or T-shirt sizes? No problem! With Cheddar Up’s customizable forms, you can gather all the details you need in one go.
Automated reporting
Keep track of how many tickets you’ve sold and how much money you’ve raised, all in real time. It’s perfect for staying on top of your fundraising goals and making adjustments if needed.
Managing Volunteers for Your Fall Festival Games
Every fall festival needs a crew of awesome volunteers to keep things running smoothly. From manning the games to selling cider, there’s no shortage of jobs to fill. Organizing a team of volunteers, however, can be a time-consuming task. But with Cheddar Up’s volunteer sign-up feature, you can streamline the entire process.
Custom sign-up lists and schedules
Set up a volunteer page where people can easily sign up for shifts or roles that match their skills and availability. You can list every position you need filled — from set-up crew to game supervisors — so no detail gets overlooked.
Reminders
Cheddar Up will automatically send reminders to your volunteers, so you don’t have to worry about anyone forgetting their shift.
Promote Your Fall Festival Games for Maximum Turnout
Promoting your fall festival effectively is key to ensuring a great turnout and making your event a hit. Here are some tried-and-true ways to promote your event and maximize participation:
Social Media Hype
Start creating a buzz on your social media pages by posting regular updates leading up to the big day. Share sneak peeks of the fall festival games, prizes, or food vendors, and encourage attendees to share the event with their friends. Use engaging visuals to capture attention and get people in the autumn spirit.
Flyers and Posters in the Community
Posting flyers at local businesses, schools, and community centers can reach people who may not be on social media. Include key details like the date, location, and a quick rundown of activities. Include a QR code to your event page where people can purchase tickets or sign up to volunteer.
Partner with Local Businesses
Reach out to local shops, restaurants, or farms to see if they’d be willing to help promote or sponsor your festival. They could display your flyers or even offer a small discount or prize for attendees who visit their business after the event. Partnering with local vendors might increase interest from those who love to support local.
Email Campaigns
If you’ve hosted this festival before, you likely have a list of past attendees or community members. Send an email newsletter with festival details that will make this year’s event stand out.
Get Local Press Involved
Contact local newspapers, radio stations, or online groups to see if they’d be willing to feature your event. Getting some free press can bring in attendees who might not have found out about the event otherwise.
With these exciting fall festival games and prizes your event is set to be a memorable experience. And with the right tools to promote your event, you’ll spend less time worrying about logistics and more time enjoying the festivities. So gather your community, embrace the autumn vibes, and get ready for a fall festival that will leave everyone talking long after the leaves have fallen!
Planning your fall festival games
By combining fun games with simple and efficient tools like Cheddar Up, your fall festival will be the highlight of the season!
