Why are we doing this?

State your purpose clearly, it can help persuade participants and helpers alike and it might sharpen your thinking.

Is the priority aim to make money or to entertain?

You should always aim to make some profit; don't use "our aim is to entertain" as an excuse for failing to make money. Try to do both and make at least a little profit as a cushion against next time. Aim to make no profit and you're bound to make a loss! "Making money for a good cause by entertaining" would seem to be a good balance.

Do you have a float to start with?

Although you may arrange payment after you have counted the takings, you will need some outlay before the event. You can minimise that by asking local traders to help out, borrow kit rather than buy it, subsidise it yourself as an act of faith... but your main contribution should be in organising it and doing the work, not paying for it!

Have you considered what is the worst that is likely to happen

Have you considered what is the worst that could possibly happen.

How would you cope, financially and practically? Don't take on too much! Make informed estimates of what you can sell, what you can charge, what you can raise as a float before you begin. Do A Risk Assessment and seriously consider how to reduce or avoid dangers and problems relating to health and safety. Read Health and Safety Regulations, a short guide and talk to local experts - food hygiene, environmental health officers, emergency services, local informed people, parish counsellors, others who have arranged events in the past.

Can you identify your market - numbers and preferences?

Families, singles, pensioners, women, children ... they all have different requirements in terms of seating, timing, entertainment, food and drink - and you have to provide that if you are to be successful. If it's to be a real community event you'd hope to do this in one place at one time, though there's scope for additional targetted events too.

What are your advantages and strengths?

Play to them. Are you organisers or practical people? Do you have sports facilities, a field in the centre of the village, a green bordered by houses, a large hall, wood, entertainers, sponsors ....

What are your disadvantages and weaknesses?

Aim to minimise them by balancing with your strengths. Bring in a different kind of person, pay for equipment if you're not practical, build things if you're short of funds. If you're both poor and impractical, well, just be very careful!

Can we rope off the whole site and should people pay to come in?

Even if the aim is to bring the community in it's not such a bad thing to ask people to pay to attend. They'll appreciate it more and are unlikely to begrudge the money if they know it's going to a good cause - their own community. We charge for entry by programme and we provide a programme which informs and advertises. That way we are giving something back immediately for the cost of entry. You could charge more for entry then provide a voucher for a burger or a sausage. We remember that when we only charged a nominal £1 for entry to our Jubilee Feast, which included a Brass Band Concert, most people said we should have charged more!

We do get the occasional awkward person who asserts his right to walk his dog right through our arena but, what the heck, let him go - he wouldn't enjoy being with us anyway!