Fete Committee

Fete planning can be a time-intensive and exhaustive time without the proper team helping to meet all your goals. Below we’ve outlined the most popular roles you may want to assign for your committee.

Convenor

The overall manager of your event; they’ll be responsible for overseeing the entire event from the committee, to planning, to making sure the day runs smoothly. While it can be a big task for just one person, it’s important to consider the impact multiple convenors may have. With each bringing different ideas to the table, it can create more hassle than it’s worth. In our experience, having just 1 (or 2) convenors works best, with a great team working around them to ensure success.

The convenor will typical liaise between the fete committee and any higher up’s at your organisation or school, like the managing directors or principals.

Some roles of the convenor:

• Chairing meetings
• Liaising with the event committee
• The point of contact for any media enquiries
• Providing general direction and leadership
• Dispute resolution

Treasurer

The treasurer should be a highly-trusted member of your organisation with an understanding of accounting. Their role is solely responsible for balancing the books, and managing any money coming in and out; before, during and after your event. As this role has access to the committee’s fund, it’s important this is a well trusted, responsible member of your committee.

Unfortunately “missing funds” is all too common with small fundraising events, so make sure this member is well trusted with some bookkeeping/accounting credentials.

Secretary

The secretary helps keep everything in order for your event. This should be someone with great organisation skills, a detailed eye and a knack for planning. They should have a folder/filed system in place to make sure everything is easy to find and follow up on. Some roles they may fill:

• Notetaking/minutes during meetings
• Organising all details for any external suppliers of your fete
• Action planning each meeting in advanced
• Distribute any required information to other committee members
• Organise meeting agendas

While these 3 roles should be filled first, there’s an additional list of supportive roles than can make everyone’s life easier:

Entertainment and Activities Coordinators

To have a successful turn-out for your fete, and keep the crowds around, it’s important to have entertainment and activities scheduled on the day. These activities should be scheduled across the day to keep crowds there. For example; running a raffle, and drawing it at the end of the day encourages those who’ve purchased a tick to hang around.

Entertainment Coordinator

Having a performance area can be a great way to keep crowds at your event. The entertainment coordinator should be responsible for:

• Organising any stages, equipment and PA systems
• Creating an entertainment schedule for the day of the fete
• Provide (or organise) an MC
• Booking performers

Rides Coordinator

Having rides at an event is a great way to keep the kids entertained. A rides coordinator would be responsible for organising the ride operators, planning which area of your grounds could house them. Making sure there’s access to the grounds for the operators before the event start time. With 20+ years of experience operating amusement rides, we can offer support and guidance on this.

Stalls Coordinator

Having stalls at your event can be a great way to raise funds, whether it’s through site fees or a percentage of sales. Stalls can be external businesses, members of your school or organisation, or a mixture of both. The coordinator would be responsible for planning where stalls might go, how and who’ll operate them, and will likely liaise closely with the infrastructure coordinator to make sure each stall has what they require. If you’re unsure on what stalls to supply for your event, we’ve got a handy guide for that too.

Infrastructure Coordinator

The infrastructure coordinator will typically liaise with all other members of the committee to make sure everyone has what they need on the day of the event. They’ll typically be responsible for:

• Organising tables and chairs for fete-goers
• Organising logistics for stalls, suppliers
• Coordinate who and how each area will be setup and when
• Help plan waste management, and water requirements
• First aid planning
• Organising security leading up to the event

Marketing Coordinators

Making sure your fete is noticed by the community can help make your event a real success. Having a team focussed on marketing can be a worthy use of resources if you have the people to do so.

Digital Coordinator

The digital coordinator should be responsible for updating your fetes social media presence and web presence.
This may be at an organisation level (like your school’s profiles, or your business’s) or at a specific level (via social profiles specific for your event).
Regardless, the coordinator should keep interest going from the lead-up to the day of your event across digital platforms; through announcements, sponsorship profiles, answering questions and starting conversations with fete attendees.

Marketing & Promotions Coordinator

This role is responsible for getting the word out about your fete in more traditional means. This role should:

• Design and develop fete flyers/posters/banners/signage
• Submit council approval for banners and street signage
• Promote the fete through newspapers, newsletters, community message boards
• Develop a sitemap for fete attendees to find everything on the day

Sponsorship Coordinator

This role is responsible for getting sponsorship to help with the fundraising and fete expenses for your event. They should be responsible for seeking sponsorship, writing and signing any agreements, and giving thanks and notice to fete attendees of their involvement. Some potential sponsors they may seek are:

• Local businesses
• Local chambers/clubs/organisations
• Local sporting clubs
• Stationery or other suppliers to your school/business
• Parents who’d like to help out

Risk & OHS Coordinators

Your fete may attract anywhere from 500 - 2,000 people on your grounds. Having a dedicated Risk & OHS Coordinator can be the difference between a successful fete, and a problematic one. These coordinators, should work on risk analysis & management leading up to the fete and confirming all risk management is met on the day of your event.