How to Organize a Pumpkin Hunt

Fall evokes so many wonderful notions. The changing of the leaves, county fairs, Halloween and even the occasional pumpkin hunt. What better way to celebrate the beginning of autumn than to gather the kids and send them out into the patch in search of a pumpkin. Much like its Easter Egg counterpart, it's good old clean family fun. Here are some tips how to do it.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Determine a date and place. The first thing you need is a time and place for your pumpkin hunt. Usually school yards, churches or even the town green are great places to hold your event. Check your local community calendar and see which days don't conflict with other events already going on. Also make sure the kids are out of school. (Saturdays are usually the best.) Then check with the town hall or property owner to see if you need any special permits to hold your pumpkin hunt.
2. Get sponsorship. Ask local businesses to sponsor your pumpkin hunt. While the main focus of the hunt is pumpkins, you can get local businesses to donate money to purchase candy and give coupons or free merchandise which can be dispersed amongst the pumpkin patch. This way even the kids who don't win the big prize will have the opportunity to find something when they go on the pumpkin hunt. Also these local businesses will get their named mentioned and hopefully new clients or patrons.
3. Advertise. Pass out fliers and organize announcements at your local schools and churches. Make a sandwich board that you can place in the town square. Do anything and everything to gain awareness. You can even pass out fliers at youth soccer and football games by placing them on the cars in the parking lot.
4. Pick a rain date. There's nothing worse than a muddy pumpkin hunt. Make sure you have a rain date even if it's just the following day. Not only will you get a better turn out, the patch won't get wrecked.
5. Send out reminders. The day before the pumpkin hunt, send reminders to the schools. People have short attention spans. While you need to organize it weeks before, the best reminders come the day before the pumpkin hunt.
6. Have fun. On the day of the pumpkin hunt, arrive early. Be sure that you have a proper amount of staff. Usually you only need a few people. Hide the pumpkins and the prizes amidst the field. Before the hunt be sure to thank the businesses that donated to you. Then cut the rope and let the kids loose. All of your hard work will be devoured within ten minutes tops. But the looks and appreciation on the kids faces will be worth it.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider having two different pumpkin patches. This way you can separate the pumpkin hunt into two different age groups so that kids will be with their own peers.