| It is that time of year when many churches begin to | | | | the winning seat gets to pick a delicious homemade |
| think about Halloween alternatives to attract kids and | | | | cake from a table of entries to take home as the |
| parents to Christ instead of the evil traditions rooted in | | | | prize. Most churches have expert cake bakers who |
| what seems to be a fun holiday for kids everywhere. | | | | are more than happy to donate to the cause. |
| Why not consider a Fall Festival? It is all the rage these | | | | Instead of encouraging kids to come dressed in any |
| days for churches who want to provide a fun | | | | costume, you can hold a Bible costume contest for |
| environment where kids can still celebrate the season, | | | | different age groups. This gives children a chance to |
| but with a twist on the harvest. | | | | dress up, but as a biblical character, and then be |
| Planning a Fall Festival can be anywhere from simple | | | | entered in a contest to win a cool prize. Again, prizes |
| to quite elaborate. It depends on your church's style | | | | can be simple and come as donations from area |
| and personal belief system. One thing that all Fall | | | | businesses or individuals. |
| Festivals have in common is the fact that it celebrates | | | | A pie judging contest is also a favorite at Fall Festivals. |
| the harvest and the bountiful life God has given us | | | | Pick two or three people from your congregation, |
| through His Son, Jesus Christ. In fact, some churches | | | | usually the minister and one or two other elders, to be |
| call it a Harvest Festival instead. | | | | the judges. They taste each pie and decide who has |
| Activities to do at a Fall Festival many times include | | | | baked the best pie. Then give the winner a ribbon for |
| carnival games. Simply ask your congregation to | | | | their baking abilities. The only stipulation for entering a |
| donate bags of candy throughout the months of | | | | pie for judging is that it has to be homemade. No store |
| September and October as prizes for winning the | | | | bought entries here! |
| games. Just make sure the candies are individually | | | | As you can see, planning a Fall Festival takes time to |
| wrapped. | | | | think things through. You will need a planning |
| Silent auctions or door prize drawings are also a big hit | | | | committee. In some churches, it is the Children's Ministry |
| at Fall Festival celebrations. Donations for prizes can | | | | committee who gets to plan all the fun. Other churches |
| be made by local businesses and individuals, and some | | | | assign a Bible study group or Bible class to plan the fun |
| churches will make a small budget for these items as | | | | events. The important thing is that the children are |
| well. Kids and adults love to participate in silent auctions | | | | offered a fun time without missing any parts of |
| and door prizes. | | | | Halloween traditions. In fact, their memories of a church |
| Another favorite activity that kids and adults like to | | | | Fall Festival will have many more happy returns in their |
| participate in is a Cake Walk. It is musical chairs, and | | | | life than you could ever imagine. |