Start planning while the spring bulbs are still fading

The fetes that run smoothly are almost always the ones that were being quietly organised back in February. Give yourself at least twelve weeks. The first job is not booking a bouncy castle, it is claiming a date. Check the village calendar carefully: the cricket club's fixtures, the church's summer fair, the school holidays, and the weekends when half the parish is away on caravanning holidays. A quick word with neighbouring villages will save you two events competing for the same visitors.

Once you have a date, confirm the ground. If you are using a farmer's field, agree it in writing, however brief, and ask for the field to be rested and mown a few days beforehand. If you are on the recreation ground, speak to the parish council early — they may need to book it into their minutes. Then book a wet-weather fallback, even if it is only the village hall for the cake stall and the tombola. British summers being what they are, this single decision can be the difference between a good day and a washout.

Book your stalls early, and be choosy

Stallholders are the lifeblood of a fete, but a field of twenty near-identical bric-a-brac tables is dull. Aim for variety and start inviting people in March.

• Traditional money-makers: cake stall, plant stall, produce and preserves, books, tombola, raffle.
• Things people actually buy: locally made crafts, garden tools, second-hand tools, homemade chutney, honey, cut flowers.
• Things that pull a crowd: a dog show, a classic car corner, a welly-wanging competition, a tug of war between the pub and the cricket club.
• Food and drink: cream teas, a barbecue, a licensed bar or a Pimm's tent, ice cream. These often make more than the stalls do.

Ask each stallholder for a small pitch fee rather than a cut of takings — it is far easier to administer and they know where they stand. Send a simple confirmation letter with arrival times, where to park, what they need to bring and who to ask for on the day. Chase anyone who has not replied by four weeks out, and keep a reserve list. There is always a cancellation in the final fortnight.

Share the load properly

The biggest cause of fete burnout is one person doing everything and nobody knowing what they are meant to be doing. Split the day into named roles, not vague offers of help.

• Gate and takings: two people on the gate at all times, with a locked cash tin and a clear system for emptying it.
• Parking: at least three marshals, hi-vis jackets, and a separate area for disabled parking near the entrance.
• Stall liaison: one person who knows every pitch and can sort out a wobbly table in thirty seconds.
• Sound and announcements: a willing volunteer with a microphone and a running order.
• Tea tent: somewhere volunteers can sit down for ten minutes with a free cup of tea. This is not a luxury.

Set shifts of two hours, no longer. Ask people to arrive fifteen minutes early for a handover. Put the rota on the village noticeboard and in the pub, and print a copy for the day. After it is all over, hold a short debrief in the pub within a fortnight, while memories are fresh — and write down what worked for whoever runs it next year.

Something for every age

A fete is a village photograph: toddlers, teenagers, parents, grandparents and the dog. Plan deliberately for each. A small play area with a sandpit or skittles keeps little ones happy while their parents spend money. A craft tent where children can decorate a biscuit or paint a pot buys half an hour of goodwill. Teenagers need somewhere to sit, so put a few benches and a table tennis table at the far end. Older residents need shade, seating and a lift to the gate if the field is uneven — ask the local minibus or a neighbour with a car.

Do not overlook the humble staples. A produce show with classes for jam, chutney, a single rose, a Victoria sponge and the largest marrow brings out fierce and delightful competition. A dog show with classes for waggiest tail and best veteran draws a crowd every time. Keep entry fees low — fifty pence or a pound — because people enter far more readily when it costs the price of a cup of tea.

Let everyone know, more than once

Publicity is not one poster on the church gate. Use everything the village already has: the parish magazine, the noticeboard, the school newsletter, the pub, the shop, the allotments, and any village social media groups. Put posters up three weeks before, then again the week of the event.

A simple A-board at the entrance on the morning of the fete will catch passing traffic, and a banner on the main road if you can get permission. Ask local businesses and tradespeople to display a poster in their window in exchange for a mention on the programme. Print a cheap programme with the running order and a thank-you list; people keep them, and sponsors like seeing their name in print.

Money, weather and the small print

Set a realistic target and work out your break-even before you spend a penny. Budget for insurance, a music licence if you are having live or recorded music, a temporary event notice for alcohol, and food hygiene registration for anyone selling prepared food. Raffles need to comply with small society lottery rules, so check with the local council before printing tickets.

Give each stall a float in small change, and consider a card reader at the gate and the main stalls — plenty of visitors no longer carry cash. Price things in round pounds and keep a list of what each stall takes so you can thank people accurately afterwards.

Finally, prepare for rain without panicking. Gazebos for every stall, groundsheets, a supply of bin bags, and a plan to move the cake stall and tombola indoors. A fete that carries on cheerfully in a drizzle says more about a village than one blessed with perfect sunshine ever could.