Planning The Best Family Fall Fest Ever!

So you're planning a family fall fest and want it to be the absolute best fall fest ever? There are seven keys to making your fall festival a success. The keys are revealed in my recent weekend experience while throwing a fantastic fall fest bubble show.

It was a crisp sunny day. Benches and colorful flowers lined the restful parklike setting on the lawns of the JHU office field. Gigantic moon bounce play sets filled the spacious grassy yard with splashes of fun festive colors. It's the annual Fall Fest staff appreciation day at Johns Hopkins University. A day of celebration and a veritable JHU family reunion.

This story really began when I got the idea to start handcrafting my own bubble wands. first was the bubble spray wand. It sprays hundreds of bubbles in seconds with one gust of wind. Then I designed the hoop wand that creates giant tube shaped bubbles and large bubble balls. My next creation was the tri-ring shaped wand that generates strong, long reptilian shaped bubbles and large bubble clusters.

Hoop Bubble Wand

Multi-Spray Bubble Wand

Tri-Ring Bubble Wand

By 3:30 pm families and their children began to spring from the office building doors and parking lots bursting with sounds of  excitement and awe. Wow! Ooh! Yeah! The family fun begins. That said, a fall fest should provide plenty of exciting child activities.


Brenda and I set our bubble gear for our biggest bubble show to date. And what a show it was. Scores of kids came running from all directions to see the spectacle of glistening bubble clusters, gigantic gleaming crystal spheres floating in the air. Amazed adults stopped by to eyeball the bubble floats and try out our circle of brightly colored bubble wands. Before we knew it there was a tactile hands on affair with bubbles flying everywhere, long tube bubbles and wonderful breezy bubbles sprays all in use by young children, pre-teens and the young-at-heart.

Our tubs of bubble juice quickly became frothy tubs of soap suds as kids and parents dipped and shook and wiggled their bubble wands desperate to create their own bubble formations. Laughter and cheers filled the air. Everyone was living in the moment.

As the DJ played our favorite tunes, children could not resist dancing, prancing, running and jumping while reaching out to catch every flying bubble in sight. It was enchanting and wonderful to behold. A fall fest at it's best.

When planning a fall fest add a special touch with seasonal decorations. Rent an outdoor venue with plenty of space to rip roar and run. In addition to bubbles and high wind bubble wands throw up some kites and have a face painting booth. Hey rides are fun for the whole family.

Here are a few more tips to make your fall fest the best ever.

1. Have a DJ present fun festive family oriented music
2. Serve hot dogs, fried chicken and plenty of drinks
3. Rent two or more moon bounce play sets
4. Hire a professional Bubble Master
5. Serve apple cider, nutmeg and pumpkin pie
6. Decorate with leaves, dry arrangements, cinnamon sticks, hay, squash and pumpkins
7. Include outdoor games such as the great bubble chase, bubble race and bubble toss.

Check out the fall fest event planner in Fimark's Family Reunion Planner social web app, ebook or paper back book available at Amazon.com

Living in the Baltimore Washington area? Want to add the special touch to your festival or family event? Contact Brenda at 443 813 0865 and ask how to book an Angelo and Marie's Fantastic bubble show.

Fall Family Reunion Reminders

Fall Reminders: Now is the time to start planning for a special event in November. We'll get back to that later in this post, but first... 

Autumnal Equinox

The autumnal equinox was Monday, Sept. 22 at 9:29 p.m marking the beginning of fall season in the northern hemisphere. The word equinox comes from the Latin words for "equal night." The fall and spring equinoxes are the only days of the year in which the Sun crosses the celestial equator.

At this time of year the temperatures begin to drop and the days start to get shorter than the nights. Personally I prefer longer days but colder, shorter  nights are a great time to get warm and cozy. I do like sitting by the fire with Brenda and playing music and sipping a nice warm brew with an oven toasted danish or home baked cookie for desert.

What The Proverbs Say

Some believe that how quickly leaves fall off trees serve as an indicator of what's in store for the winter. There's an old weather proverb that states, "If autumn leaves are slow to fall, prepare for a cold winter." 

Another proverb states: "Go to the ant..." What can you learn from ants this time of year? They teach us that diligent effort is needed if we wish to produce good fruitage. “Go to the ant, you lazy one; see its ways and become wise. Although it has no commander, officer or ruler, it prepares its food even in the summer; it has gathered its food supplies even in the harvest.” (Prov. 6:6-8)

I'm probably more of a gatherer than a hunter although I've had my moments. But speaking of good fruitage and gathering food supplies, It's canning time again! My sister Karen and niece Joy have spent the spring and summer growing herbs and veggies and I have dubbed myself the royal sampler of these delicious jarred gems just as soon as I can twist those tight lids off.

Looking for some tasty canning recipes? Here are a few I love straight from our 1000 Family Recipes page. Enjoy!

http://www.pinterest.com/fimarkhome/1000-family-recipes/

Fall Reminders

This is the best time of year to starting planning for next years family reunion.  That's why our group of family reunion planners dubbed November Family Reunion Planning Month. Why is November the ideal time to begin planning and organizing your next family reunion? Not only are prices on outdoor event supplies and equipment low but the season to gather with extended family will soon be upon us.  From November to January events involving the extended family make it an ideal time to come together and assist with family reunion preparations including photo and recipe swapping, heirloom documentation, refurbishment and display, genealogy research and interviews.

For more ways to observe Novembers Family Reunion Planning Month read...
http://familyreunionplanners.blogspot.com/2013/10/8-ideas-to-celebrate-annual-family.html

Making Family Reunion Planning Month Tradition

How can you make observing Family Reunion Planning Month a regular family tradition? Mid September begin sending out text reminders about the next family reunion planning meeting to all in the family and close friends. Before the meeting start brainstorming ideas for establishing date, venue and activity ideas. Also consider establishing an official family heirloom whether it be a hand-me-down artifact, a recipe book (see Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Guide and Keepsake Book) or a newly made quilt with patches of fabric material representing a special occasion from each household. 

Some families have created a family heirloom from baby clothes and accories everyone knitted over the years. You may event consider having an early fall knitting party just for that purpose. Brenda spent the past 4 years knitting scarves, hats and a beautiful blanket for our granddaughter which she still sleeps with after 4 years.

See our Knitting section for some great bootie knitting ideas:
http://www.pinterest.com/fimarkhome/the-art-of-knitting-crochet-and-sewing/

Welcome to the autumn season. The perfect season to enjoy the warmer times of our lives. 

Go ahead get inspired. Get the family reunion event planning app. What. Don't have Fimark's Family Reunion Planner social web app yet? ... the family reunion planning app click on the link found on this blog page.

10 Fun Fall Activity Ideas

Fall is just around the corner. The days get shorter. The sky turns into a fiery gold and mahogany sheaf laying a rustic leafy carpet of harvest pastels.  This is the season of Autumn Festivals where creativity knows no bounds. That said, why not plan your own fall fest this year. It's a wonderful way to introduce the seasons bounty to sons and daughters and make unforgettable memories along the way.

Here are some activity ideas:

Fall Fest Activity List

1. Plan an autumn stroll in the park and stop for some refreshing apple cider and warm pumpkin or sweet potato pie right from the picnic basket.  
2. Collect colorful leaves and press them in the pages of your favorite books. Pine cones, leaves and hazelnuts to make an autumn reef. 
3. Have a leaf raking party with all your family and friends including an outdoor BBQ and leaf bagging relay race.
4. Visit an apple orchard or pumpkin patch. 
5. Have a scarf or sweater knitting party.
6. Make your own kites and go kite flying this fall.
7. Have a harvest recipe swap complete with a dish tasting party.
8. Have a harvest themed bake sale.
9. Have an autumn themed book swapping party for adults and the kids.
10. Visit local fall festivals and enjoy those juicy sweet caramel apples.
11. Plan a school, club, corporation or community fall fest. 
    

Get fall festival marketing memorabilia ideas here.

Preserving Memories

Did you enjoy this years family reunion? Use the Newsletter template and Slide show app that comes in Fimark's award winning Family Reunion Planner Social web app and publish those memories. 

The web app interface provides access to all our standard event planning templates, printables, worksheets in pdf and word format and ebooks as well as the reunion planning spreadsheet with attendee database. What, don't have Fimark's award winning Family Reunion Planner Social web app yet? Good news. The app is reduced from $49 to only $39 for a limited time. Go to http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/index1.html and get started on your family reunion fundraiser, newsletter, slideshow and your next fun filled family reunion event.

A Family Fall Fest At It's Best

I admit that I'm a Spring time guy. But when the leaves start changing and falling my heart is smitten by the harvests of Fall.  Here are a few reasons why I think I'm so in love with all things Autumn. 

Light gusts of wind sweep up swirling golden leaves as the sweet scent of pine cones and pungent fallen apples fill the air.  It's a virtual fest for butterflies, sparrows and other creatures great and small. The time of harvest as arrived and with that it's time to carefully store away a fruitful season of growth and memories.

There are so many creative ways to do this.  Warm woolen sweaters, pumpkins and multi-colored corn cobs beckon our creative juices. This is autumn at its very best.

My neighborhood in Maryland where I walked my dog lady everyday from age 12 up.

This is also the season of Autumn Festivals. At these special Fall events creativity knows no bounds. Each craft presentation has it's own way of reaching deep down inside us and conjuring up a warmth and closeness to nature unlike no other season.  I hope to take Brenda to a Fall Festival wonderland this year while celebrating our 33 wedding anniversary.  

What is it about fall? Perhaps it's the brilliant yet warm colors of Fall. Leaves that look like roasted caramelized nuts and toasted granola clusters with cranberry raisins speckled all over. 

Fall Fest Harvest Apron

Perhaps it's the way the trees embrace and hug forming a rich arch above our heads in magnificent gold and copper splendor. Or maybe the whiff of freshly baked sweet potato pie filling our noses and tantalizing our tongues. And if that were not enough it surely has to be the fragrance of warm apple cider, corn wine and pancakes covered in maple syrup while ham crackles on an outdoor stove top.  Yes, it's Fall Fest time again!

Autumn Decor

I love to see the creative crafts made each year at shows and stores. Butterflies made of preserved golden maple leaves and twigs. Dried autumn naturals made into decorative arrangements such as table center pieces and door wreaths. Smiley button eyed scare crows in blue jeans made out of dried corn cobs. 
Wall art made from hay, pine cones and dried flowers and berries. The wood carvings and stone etchings and paintings of brilliant fall scenes are perhaps the most beautiful ever imagined. No wonder it has been said that Autumn inspired the most beautiful works of art, music, novels and poetry.

"A Walk In Time"
Painting by Mark Askew

Recipes Galore

This is the time to collect harvestime recipes from a group of folks who are obsessed with cooking baking and creating delectable delights. Join our Family Recipes board on Pinterest and get carried away. Be careful. It is addicting. http://pinterest.com/fimarkhome/family-recipes/


Family Reunion Planning Month

At this time of the year families comes together to render much needed support, encouragement and inspiration. This led to a relatively new and exciting concept in family reunion planning. An annual observance established in 2005 centering around family reunion planning. The observance began in 2005 when our family reunion planning group of just 400 members agreed to make November the month to commence family reunion event planning. 

Mark Askew, founder of the groups official monthly newsletter, published and promoted the observance in his book Fimark's Family Reunion Planner. Read more at Wikipedia.com, keyword "Family Reunion." Since then other groups and corporations have adopted and promoted the observance including the following:

Family Reunion Helper
http://familyreunionhelper.com/blog/tag/family-reunion-month/
Cyndis List
http://www.cyndislist.com/reunions/reunion-planning/?page=2%E2%80%8E
Afrigenas
http://www.afrigeneas.com/forum-reunion/index.cgi/md/read/id/4936/sbj/family-reunion-planning-month/

I’m With Them Events
http://www.prlog.org/11678972-fabulous-fantasy-family-reunion-contest-for-families-planning-reunions-begins.html

Bigelow Tea

http://www.bigelowteablog.com/2009/06/17/make-family-reunion-month-a-festive-time/

Gone Ta Pott

http://hstrial-psvoboda.homestead.com/November-Family-Reunion-Planning-Month.html#.Ui3XdtK-ous

Pinterest

http://pinterest.com/pin/259871840969691007/

A November Heads Up!
Autumn is the time of year extended families come together making this an ideal time to discuss and establish suggested dates and activities for the next family reunion.

September thru December is one of the more intimate times of the year. Indoor activities are the norm. Yet some families love to spend it out of doors raking up the leaves and enjoying imaginative lawn and leaf or harvest parties. This includes  relay races, family football and evening storytelling around an outdoor fire. This is an ideal time to do family history information gathering including interviewing the elders of the family.

November - December is the best time to get together and swap photos and videos. It's an ideal time to start putting together family slideshows, videos and scrapbooks, family history books, memory books and family reunion keepsake booklets.

During this time the elder family members like to keep family traditions alive and  well. Some may make their own proclamations. Other focus on education and financial planning or seek to empower the family union in some other way. 

You, our family reunion planner readers founded Family Reunion Planning Month, an annual reunion planning observance in the month of November. This observance promotes the interests of the family union and reminds us to take time out of our busy lives to enjoy our family throughout the year culminating in a family reunion gathering.  The observance begins with  a veritable family fall fest at its best. Are you ready for big fun during the warmest season of the year? Spread the word and start planning your Fall Family Fest today.

Mark Angelo Askew is the Author of Fimark's Family Reunion Planner and Keepsake and Fimark's My Keepsake Wedding Planner. 

If you celebrated your family reunion It's a time to remember this summers family reunion events and document it in some way. Use the Newsletter template and Slide show app that comes in Fimark's award winning Family Reunion Planner Social web app for use with the latest Chrome, Internet Explorer or Firefox browser. 

The interface provides access to all our standard event planning templates, printables, worksheets in pdf and word format and ebook as well as the reunion planning spreadsheet with attendee database. What, don't have FRP Social yet? Good news. The app is reduced from $49 to only $40 for a limited time.  Planning a family reunion? To get  more information about Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app click on the link on this blog page or access the profiles page.

Fall Fest Keepsakes and Party Favors

Fall Fest Keepsakes and party favors

http://www.zazzle.com/fall_fest?rf=238710760040489359

Family Autumn Fests

Low swirling winds sweeping up golden leaves and the scent of logs burning can quickly stir the heart. Warm woolen sweaters, pumpkins and multi-colored corn cobs seem to make each porch front more cozy and inviting. Autumn at its best.

But what's even better are the feasts. Sweet potato and pumpkin pie. Warm apple cider, corn wine, maple syrup on pancakes, turkey or chicken smothered in gravy with hot buttered veggies on the side. If you're the kind of person who likes an autumn cookout or a big spread in the dining room it's Family Fest Time!

At this time of the year families comes together to render much needed support, encouragement and inspiration. This led to a relatively new and exciting concept in family reunion planning. An annual observance established in 2005.

Family Reunion Planning Month
An observance centering around family reunion planning. The observance began when a family reunion planning group of 400 members agreed to make November the month to commence family reunion event planning. Mark Askew, founder of the groups official monthly newsletter, published and promoted the observance in his book Fimark's Family Reunion Planner. Read more at Wikipedia.com, keyword "Family Reunion."

 
Why November? 10 good reasons.

1. November is the time of year extended families come together making this an ideal time to discuss and establish suggested dates and activities for the next family reunion.

2. November - January are periods of time where families swap photos and videos. It's an ideal time to start putting together materials for family scrapbooks, family history books, memory books and family reunion keepsake booklets.

3. During this time elder family members like to keep family traditions alive and may make their own proclamations, education and financial planning and seek to empower the family union in some other way. Family reunion planning helps to serve that purpose as well.

4. November thru December is one of the more intimate times of the year. Indoor activities are the norm. This includes story telling. An ideal season to do family history information gathering including interviewing the elders of the family.

5. November starts nine weeks before the close of year. A good time to note the family's contributions toward bettering the community and set goals to complete important tasks before years end. One such task could be to establish a date, time and place to hold the next family reunion.

6. Many November observances are family oriented. Aside from the obvious, others including:

National Adoption Month
I Am So Thankful Month
Child Safety and Protection Month
Family Stories Month
National Family Caregiver Month
National Family Literacy Month
International Creative Child and Adult Month

That said, the fact that spending time with family is already being given serious consideration during this season makes it ideal for family reunion planning.

7. It a great time of year for family outings including nature walks, visiting museums and relatives near and far.

8. A season families plan short modest vacations and enjoy indoor recreational activities.

9. It's a traditional time of year to express thanks, gratitude and appreciation.

10. This is also a good time to get all family members involved in the family reunion planning process and appoint each and every family member over some aspect of the event.

November's Family Reunion Planning Month observance puts family in an ideal position to enjoy a veritable family fest at its best. 

Mark Angelo Askew is the Author of Fimark's Family Reunion Planner and Keepsake and Fimark's My Keepsake Wedding Planner. Fimark Home Online at http://family-reunion-planner.fimark.net/, a family oriented special occasions planning resources featuring templates, planners and free printables for weddings, showers, anniversaries, graduations, sports events and seasonal family events including Autumn, Winter and Summer Family Fests.

Planning a family reunion? Don't have Fimark's Family Reunion Planner Social web app yet? Get it at this summers discount special. List Price $49. Now $39 for a limited time. You save $10 dollars. No coupon code needed. For more information about the family reunion planning app click on the link found on this blog page or go to profiles.