What to Buy for a Camping Open Day
A camping open day needs more than tables and refreshments. Visitors move between parking, demonstrations and tours, so plan for clear signs, portable power, weather cover and easy-to-carry drinks. Use your confirmed visitor list to calculate cups, plates and food, then add a small buffer for volunteers and unexpected guests. Check the forecast before shopping: tents, coolers, lights and power banks are easy to overlook until the day is already underway.
What to bring
Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.
Furniture
- Party tentsqty 3
- Foldable tablesqty 10
- Beer tablesqty 6
- Folding chairsqty 80
- High tablesqty 6
- Buffet tablesqty 4
- Bar stoolsqty 12
- Waste binsqty 8
- Coat racksqty 2
Tableware
- Reusable coffee cupsqty 80
- Reusable drinking glassesqty 120
- Reusable platesqty 100
- Cutlery setsqty 100
- Serving spoonsqty 8
- Serving plattersqty 12
- Serving tongsqty 6
- Coffee potsqty 4
- Teapotsqty 3
- Water jugsqty 8
Equipment
- Coffee machinesqty 3
- Kettlesqty 3
- Coolersqty 6
- Extension cordsqty 8
- Power stripsqty 6
- Battery-powered speakersqty 2
- Wireless microphonesqty 2
- Megaphonesqty 2
- Laptopsqty 2
- Power banksqty 6
Lighting
- String lightsqty 8
- Battery lanternsqty 12
- LED lampsqty 10
Decorations
- Buntingqty 12
- Camping flagsqty 6
- Welcome sign
- Direction signsqty 12
- Program boardsqty 4
- Tableclothsqty 12
- Flower arrangementsqty 8
- Name badge holdersqty 100
- Chalkboardsqty 6
Sports equipment
- Footballsqty 3
- Frisbeesqty 6
- Baking tinsqty 10
- Skipping ropesqty 6
- Conesqty 20
- Picnic blanketsqty 12
Kitchen
- Cutting boardsqty 6
- Chef's knivesqty 6
- Mixing bowlsqty 6
- Cooling racksqty 4
- Serving traysqty 10
- Thermos flasksqty 6
- Aluminum traysqty 10
Cleaning
- Trash bag holdersqty 8
- Dustpan and brushqty 4
- Bucketsqty 6
- Mopsqty 4
- Broomqty 4
- Cleaning glovesqty 8
Safety
- First aid kitsqty 2
- Flashlightsqty 6
- Barrier tapeqty 4
- Traffic conesqty 12
- Fire blanketsqty 2
Catering
- Groceries
- Coffee - 4 packs
- Decaf coffee - 1 pack
- Black tea - 2 boxes
- Green tea - 1 box
- Herbal tea - 1 box
- Sugar - 2 kilos
- Sweetener - 1 box
- Milk - 8 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Lemons - 8 pieces
- Still mineral water - 12 bottles
- Sparkling mineral water - 8 bottles
- Cola - 6 bottles
- Cola Zero - 6 bottles
- Sinas - 4 bottles
- Ice tea - 4 bottles
- Apple juice - 4 packs
- Orange juice - 4 cartons
- Beer - 8 crates
- Alcohol-free beer - 2 crates
- Rosé - 8 bottles
- White wine - 8 bottles
- Red wine - 4 bottles
- Sparkling wine - 3 bottles
- Paprika chips - 6 bags
- Plain chips - 6 bags
- Tortilla chips - 6 bags
- Salted peanuts - 3 bags
- Cocktail nuts - 4 bags
- Salty sticks - 4 bags
- Popcorn - 3 bags
- Mini crackers - 6 packs
- Hummus - 6 tubs
- Cream cheese - 4 tubs
- Olives - 4 jars
- Sun-dried tomatoes - 3 jars
- Pickles - 3 jars
- Cherry tomatoes - 4 kilos
- Cucumbers - 6 pieces
- Bell peppers - 12 pieces
- Carrots - 3 kilos
- Grapes - 4 kilos
- Apples - 50 pieces
- Bananas - 30 pieces
- Oranges - 30 pieces
- Melons - 4 pieces
- Mini rolls - 120 pieces
- Baguettes - 12 pieces
- Whole grain bread - 8 loaves
- White sandwich rolls - 60 pieces
- Young cheese - 3 kilos
- Brie - 1.5 kilos
- Boiled ham - 2 kilos
- Smoked chicken - 1,5 kilo
- Vegetarian spreads - 12 tubs
- Peanut butter - 2 jars
- Jam - 3 jars
- Honey - 2 jars
- Butter - 1 kilo
- Mayonnaise - 2 bottles
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Pesto - 3 jars
- Wraps - 8 packs
- Pasta salad - 8 kilo
- Potato salad - 6 kilos
- Green salad - 6 kilos
- Herb butter - 12 tubs
- Mini muffins - 120 pieces
- Cookies - 8 packs
- Brownies - 80 pieces
- Apple pie - 6 pieces
- Vegan pastries - 30 pieces
- Gluten-free pastries - 20 pieces
- Ice cubes - 20 kilo
- Napkins - 600 pieces
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Trash bags - 100 pieces
- Organic Waste Bags - 40 pieces
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 4 bottles
- Toilet cleaner - 3 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 8 bottles
- Liquid hand soap - 8 bottles
- Sponges - 12 pieces
- Microfiber cloths - 20 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Wooden stirrers - 500 pieces
- Cardboard coffee cups - 100 pieces
- Paper straws - 200 pieces
- BBQ starter cubes - 4 boxes
Tips
- Plan two to three drinks per visitor for the first hour, then one drink per person for each additional hour. Buy extra water for volunteers, drivers and warm weather rather than relying only on coffee and tea.
- Allow one reusable cup, plate and cutlery set per guest per meal, plus 10% spare. Pack serving spoons, platters and tongs separately so food service can start without unpacking every box.
- Match power equipment to the site before shopping. Count every coffee machine, kettle, speaker and light, then bring enough extension cords and power strips without daisy-chaining them.
- Take at least one waste bin for each main visitor area and one near food service. Empty them before they overflow, especially after lunch and at the end of the demonstrations.
- Prepare signs and visitor materials before the final shopping trip. Print route, parking and programme signs, and keep spare batteries or power banks with the microphones, megaphones and speakers.
Frequently asked questions
- How many cups and glasses do I need for a camping open day?
- Plan one reusable coffee cup and one drinking glass per visitor for each service period, plus 10% spare. For 100 visitors, that means at least 110 of each if cups and glasses are collected and washed between uses.
- How much food and drink should I buy for an open day?
- Use the final visitor list as your base: allow two to three drinks per person in the first hour and one per person for every later hour. For food, calculate one full serving per registered visitor, then add 10% for volunteers and late arrivals.
- What equipment should I buy or bring for a camping open day?
- Check the programme area by area and count tables, chairs, tents, coolers, bins, coffee equipment, microphones and lights. Finish this check at least 3 days before the event so missing equipment can still be collected or hired.
- When should I prepare the shopping and coolers?
- Complete the main shopping at least 1 day before the open day. Fill the coolers on the morning of the event, and chill drinks for several hours beforehand so they are ready when visitors arrive.
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