Event Idea: LifeFest

Boats have them, genres of music have them, Polish people  have them.

Have what? "Fests" aka Festivals. They bring people together through a common interest, passion, or heritage, to celebrate the uniqueness of those things. So why not, a 'fest' for life? Otherwise known as: LIFEFEST.

Don't go thinking Ozzfest plus Babies. LifeFest could be done in a variety of ways to celebrate life, promote a club or organization, and bring people together. But there are basic elements to consider:

• Advertising: Have posters that convey the feeling of the event - joyful and lighthearted. Make sure you advertise heavily and well in advance.
• Location: Preferably outside in an area many people will pass by
• Music: To call attention to your event, set the mood and draw people in
• Food/drinks: Free or for sale, every 'fest' needs food/drinks
• Socializing: Set up tables and chairs or have some other way for people to linger and socialize
• Activities: This is where you can get creative. Games, Inflatables, Competitions, etc - anything to draw attention, have fun, and celebrate life!
• Information: Set up tables with information, hang posters, pass out pamphlets, fliers, or other freebies celebrating life and with information on how to join you
• Merchandise: Consider setting up a table with T-shirts or other merchandise to sell. And if possible, have group members at the event wearing said merchandise

This is a great event to have annually or at the beginning of the school year because it is low-pressure to attend, makes a really positive first impression, prompts group socializing, and informs a lot of people of the pro-life message and how they can be involved through your group.

From Our Experience:

Our student club partnered with the Knights of Columbus to provide food, and we found a student DJ to play music for the event. We had someone take pictures of the event to download to our website and Facebook page. At planning meetings, we also had sign-ups for specific duties during the event so that everything ran smoothly. For activities we considered Frisbee, bean bag toss, crafts, stroller races, and dunk tanks, and ended up renting inflatable hamster balls that were wildly successful. Large signs advertising free food also helped draw students in.  For information we created posters about our club, its different activities, and the organizations we work with. We printed information about joining our club on half sheets of brightly colored paper and passed them out to people walking by, making sure to greet them joyfully and invite them to participate in LifeFest :)