What to Buy for a Beekeeping Open Day

A beekeeping open day needs more than hive equipment. Visitors need a clearly separated route, places to sit, refreshments, product displays and simple ways to pay. This shopping list covers the practical supplies for demonstrations, guided tours, children’s activities and honey sales. Check quantities against your opening hours, expected attendance and volunteer cover, especially for toilets, cups, coffee supplies, extension leads and payment equipment.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentsqty 2
Tablesqty 8
Folding chairsqty 70
Bar stoolsqty 6
Market tablesqty 3
Tablecloth setsqty 8
Clothes racksqty 2

Equipment

Coolersqty 4
Kettlesqty 3
Coffee machinesqty 2
Extension cordsqty 5
Power stripsqty 5
Portable sound system
Microphoneqty 2
Cash register
Payment terminal
Handheld megaphone

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 4
Chef’s knives and bread knivesqty 6
Serving plattersqty 8
Serving spoonsqty 8
Thermos flasksqty 5
Measuring cupsqty 3
Ice packsqty 12

Tableware

Reusable cupsqty 120
Coffee cupsqty 80
Platesqty 100
Bowlsqty 30
Cutlery setsqty 100
Teaspoonsqty 50
Serving tongsqty 8

Decorations

Honeycomb decorationqty 12
Buntingqty 6
Flower arrangementsqty 6
Chalkboardsqty 8
Table numbersqty 8
Price holdersqty 20
Wayfinding signsqty 10

Lighting

String lightsqty 6
LED lampsqty 10

Safety

Bee suitsqty 8
Beekeeper hatsqty 10
Protective glovesqty 12
Crowd control barriersqty 12
Rolls of barrier tapeqty 4
First aid kitsqty 2
Fire extinguishersqty 2
Flashlightsqty 4

Cleaning

Bucketsqty 4
Cleaning cartsqty 2
Broom setsqty 3
Mopsqty 4
Hand broomsqty 4
Trash binsqty 8

Catering

Groceries
- Whole grain bread - 8 loaves
- White rolls - 80 pieces
- Mini croissants - 60 pieces
- Unsalted butter - 1.5 kilograms
- Cream cheese - 1.5 kilograms
- Young cheese - 2 kilograms
- Hummus - 1 kilogram
- Cucumbers - 8 pieces
- Tomatoes - 3 kilograms
- Arugula - 500 grams
- Eggs - 60 pieces
- Mayonnaise - 1 bottle
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Honey - 8 kilograms
- Honey cake - 6 pieces
- Honey liquorice - 3 kilograms
- Oatmeal cookies - 5 kilograms
- Butter cookies - 4 kilograms
- Apple pie - 6 pies
- Whipped cream - 2 liters
- Apples - 8 kilograms
- Bananas - 6 kilograms
- Grapes - 5 kilograms
- Carrots - 4 kilograms
- Peppers - 3 kilograms
- Cherry tomatoes - 3 kilograms
- Cucumber - 3 kilograms
- Coffee - 3 kilograms
- Decaf coffee - 500 grams
- Black tea - 1 box
- Herbal tea - 1 box
- Cocoa powder - 500 gram
- Sugar - 2 kilograms
- Sweeteners - 2 boxes
- Semi-skimmed milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 6 liters
- Lemons - 2 kilograms
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 12 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Iced tea - 8 bottles
- Apple juice - 8 cartons
- Orange juice - 8 packs
- Spa Blue - 10 crates
- Sparkling water - 4 crates
- Lemonade syrup - 3 bottles
- Ice cubes - 20 kilograms
- Paprika chips - 3 kilograms
- Plain chips - 3 kilograms
- Salted sticks - 2 kilogram
- Mixed nuts - 2 kilograms
- Rice cakes - 10 packs
- Herbs - 6 jars
- Salt - 1 pack
- Pepper - 1 jar
- Olive oil - 2 bottles
- Vinegar - 1 bottle
- Napkins - 500 pieces
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Paper towels - 8 rolls
- Toilet paper - 36 rolls
- Garbage bags - 100 pieces
- Dish soap - 3 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 4 bottles
- Toilet cleaner - 3 bottles
- Disinfectant wipes - 6 packs
- Hand soap - 8 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 6 bottles
- Sponges - 2 packs
- Rubber gloves - 12 pairs
- Aluminum foil - 3 rolls
- Cling film - 3 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Labels - 200 pieces
- Receipt rolls - 5 rolls
- Pens - 20 pieces
- Wristbands - 200 pieces

Tips

Plan seating and shelter for the full visitor flow, not just the demonstration area. Party tents, tables and folding chairs are easy to overlook when the weather changes or visitors stay longer than expected.
For refreshments, prepare separate supplies for coffee, tea and cold drinks. Count reusable cups, coffee cups, plates, bowls and cutlery for at least one full serving per registered visitor, then add a 10–15% reserve.
Do a power check before buying or borrowing electrical equipment. Coffee machines, kettles, a sound system and payment equipment may need separate extension cords and power strips to avoid overloading one outlet.
Set up the honey and product sales area before the open day. Check that every product has a label, and keep the cash register, payment terminal, serving platters and tasting utensils together rather than at different tables.
Keep visitor and hive areas physically separate and easy to understand. A microphone or handheld megaphone helps volunteers repeat safety instructions when groups move between demonstrations and guided tours.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need for a beekeeping open day?: Plan supplies for four areas: visitor facilities, refreshments, demonstrations and sales. At minimum, allow seating and shelter, coffee and serving equipment, labelled honey products, payment equipment and clear separation between visitors and hives.
How many cups and plates do I need for an open day?: Start with one complete serving set per expected visitor, then add 10–15% extra for replacements and busy periods. If 100 people are expected, prepare at least 110 cups, plates and cutlery sets, with coffee cups and reusable cups counted separately.
How much coffee should I buy for a beekeeping open day?: Use the event length and attendance as your basis: allow roughly 2 cups per visitor for a short morning event and 3 cups for a longer opening. Add tea supplies and enough coffee, milk and sugar for a 10–15% reserve.
When should I check the equipment for the open day?: Check tents, tables, chairs, coolers, power leads and payment equipment at least 7 days before opening. Test coffee machines, kettles, the sound system and the payment terminal again on the day before the event.

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