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Fundraiser Ideas with Carnival Games

One of the best ways to ensure a fundraiser's success is to also ensure that all participants have fun. Carnival games are an excellent way to achieve both. They're relatively simple to set up and run, typically inexpensive and almost universally enjoyable. Give your attendees a day of fun in exchange for their financial support.

Food and Drink
- A pie-throwing contest can bring lots of laughs.
  
  Solicit cake donations from community members, then host a cakewalk. Charge entrants $1 per walk. Give it a twist by playing fast music and telling participants to keep the beat when they walk. Kids often enjoy a pie-throwing contest. Get a bakery to donate pies and ask local celebrities to volunteer some "face" time. Charge $1 per throw. You could also fill a jar full of candy pieces and charge $1 per guess of how many the jar contains or hold a hot-dog eating competition. Make the latter more lucrative by forming teams before the carnival and asking local businesses to sponsor them in exchange for advertising at the carnival.
Competitions
- Appeal to your attendees' competitive streak.
  
  Hold a pairs' "decathlon" at your carnival made up of silly activities, such as a three-legged race. Divide pairs into age groups and charge $10 per pair. You could also set up a small stage with a backdrop, put a few chairs on it and host a variety of "game shows," such as The Newlywed Game. Charge each entrant a small fee. Host a general talent show and competition, or make it more specific, such as a freestyle competition or a dance-off.
Sports
- Let attendees show off their basketball skills.
  
  Set up a goal post and hold a football throw, or hold a Frisbee- or baseball-throwing competition. Ask the local police department to bring a radar gun to measure each throw's speed. You could also hold a horseshoes or two-on-two basketball tournament. Set up a net and have a volleyball or badminton competition. Or, set up a soccer goal, recruit a local college goalie and charge entrants $1 to try and kick the ball past the goalie. Mini golf is often a hit with carnival-goers; if you don't have access to a full course, you can purchase a one-hole setup or create your own with boards and green felt.
Other Ideas
- Give participants a peek at their future.
  
  Host a petting zoo or set up a "hair salon" where attendees can get exotic spray-on hair colors. Create a "jail" area; find or construct a large cage, get a volunteer to be a "police officer" and tell attendees they can pay $1 to have anyone put in jail. The "prisoner" then must pay $1 to get out of jail. You could also dress up as an old gypsy woman and sell fortunes or set up a "wall of treasure." Cut five or six small doors into a large piece of plywood and place different objects (some prizes, some duds) behind them. Charge $1 to open a door to try and get a prize.

Party Games