Op Shop theme night
Events, functions and fundraising activities
If you are looking for a fundraising idea with a difference, this is it!
You can put a unique spin on any club event by making it an “Op Shop Theme”. This involves everyone arriving at the event in garments purchased from the local Op Shops. Your club might even like to hold a fashion parade with a winner for best dressed.
Often major fundraisers like the trivia night and pie night get “old” and less engaging after a few years with the same format being used over and over again. Adding an Op Shop Theme can help freshen up one of your major fundraisers, engage your community and appeal to the thrift and bargain hunter in all of us. It also supports local charities through purchases at local op shops!
Why an Op Shop Theme?
Op Shop Themed nights are great because not only is it unique and fun but also doesn’t need to be costly for the participants involved.
It is important to be aware that this fundraiser does call on your club community to donate and doesn’t give an opportunity for fundraising dollars to be made from external sources.
When should I hold this fundraiser?
An Op Shop Theme can be an addition to any fundraising or social event your club is holding and this can be at any time of the year. Often an indoor event, weather is not usually a factor.
Key Activities
These are the tasks you will need to consider assign to volunteers at our club:
Before the Day
- Decide a date for the Op Shop Theme Night or the event it will be part of.
- Promote the fundraiser and ensure all advertising for any larger event also includes the dress up theme fundraiser.
- Organise the running of the day/night including space for the fashion parade.
- Organise volunteers to help, including an MC for the fashion parade.
- Organise any food and beverages that will be for sale.
- Organise any raffles or auctions that might run at the same time.
- Sell tickets.
- Pump up the dress code and build excitement around the club!
On the Day
- Ensure the room is set up and ready to go.
- Brief Volunteers of their roles.
- Ensure your MC runs the event smoothly.
- Monitor the event.
- HAVE FUN
- Run the fashion parade.
- Take lots of photos.
- Announce the best and worst dressed (if there are any!)
After the day
- Publicly thank everyone involved
- Announce the amount of money raised in club newsletters, on social media, website and around the club.
Who can help?
It is important to engage your members to help in the running of your fundraiser.
For an Op Shop Themed Night you could approach them to help:
- Promote and sell the tickets
- Secure prizes
- Source a runway set up, microphones and speakers.
- Help logistically on the day
You could also approach current club Sponsors for prizes.
Recruiting your people
It is important to create a culture of volunteering at your club to help not only with fundraising but also across the day to day running of your club. For more on how to create this at your club, click here.
Using technology to making it easier
You may like to consider using technology to reduce the workload on your volunteers and increase your fundraising dollars. For an event like this, you may like to sell tickets using a platform like TryBooking.
TryBooking lets you sell tickets, take payments and donations for events online.
This takes care of a great deal of the work that is usually left to volunteers and automates the ticket selling process.
You can set up and customise your own event page and a unique URL in minutes. This lets you easily share the event online and engage members and supporters. Your club may also like to use social media, email newsletters and your club website to promote the event.
Financial Considerations
As this event is usually an add on or a spin off to increase awareness and the success of an existing event, there is very little in the way of financial considerations for your club.
Revenue opportunities arise from an entrance fee to participate in a Fashion Parade. This can make a significant amount for the club as many people are keen to show of their thriftiness and fashion sense and could pay up to $10 for the privilege.
Clubs may also consider a prize for a best-dressed or Fashion Parade to entice more people to enter. Prizes could be sought from sponsors and local businesses at no cost in return for promotion.
It is important to create a budget for the event and identify how much cash you will need before the day. The only real costs to consider is any runway set you you would like for the fashion parade and any microphone system (if needed in your space) if your club doesn’t already have one. You may also like to purchase prizes (if not already donated).
Promotion
Promote the event utilising social media and club resources such as the website and newsletter. Don’t forget to place posters around the club and you could also create flyers to be left at strategic places like the canteen and dressing rooms. All the above can be achieved at very little cost.
With a Op Shop Theme fundraiser being such a fun and engaging addition to an event don’t forget to ask your members to get talking and build excitement at the club.
Communication considerations
As an Op Shop Themed Night may also double as a social event at your club, you can use social media to build excitement. Use social media to sell tickets and countdown to the day.
You can also live stream the event on the day so that those in your community that can’t attend can be part of the event.
Social, Moral and Ethical Considerations
Supply of Alcohol
It is important to consider whether your club will allow the sale of alcohol at club events. Events can be alcohol free or limits or restrictions set in advance. Clubs need to consider how they will manage the risks of binge drinking as well as the Responsible Service of Alcohol.
What can go wrong? (Risk Management)
Financial Risks
There are obvious financial risks if enough tickets aren’t sold and the prizes and setup costs more than is made.
Participant Safety
The health and wellbeing of those who attend your event should be a focus at all times. It is important that your club takes time to consider all possible risks and how to minimise these.
Licenses and Permits
If food and alcohol are to be served then all licences and permits need to be in place. If you are unsure then please check with your local council by explaining your event and asking for guidance. The authorities are there to help, not to avoid.
Clubs need to check with their state or territory regulatory body to make sure they have all the required permissions to run a Op Shop Theme.
Additional Factors to consider
Appropriate MC
It is imperative that the Op Shop fashion parade is run by an engaging MC. This will ensure everyone gets involved.
Celebrate the Best and Worst
As well as competitions to award the ‘Best Dressed’ for Men, Women and Kids, clubs should also consider having categories for ‘Worst Dressed’. These could be comical.
Judges
Consider asking well known club or community members to be judges. If your club members have access to high-profile sportspeople or celebrities, then get them along to be a guest judge. It all adds to the spice and fun of the night.
Additional Revenue Opportunities
Clubs will most likely look to have the Op Shop Theme fundraiser as a key activity at a larger event.
This links to other pages that have fundraising ideas that can run simultaneously, should the club like to.
Suppliers/Links
Any specific suppliers or links for this particular fundraiser. Could be used for 3rd party advertising in the future.
Disclaimer
This procedure should be treated as a guide only. Your club should seek advice specific to the needs of your club and event. Seek further details from authorities and service providers; especially in regards to insurance, licences, permits, spectator and participant safety.