What to buy for a village festival

A village festival needs more than food and drinks. You also need enough serving ware, cooling capacity, power equipment, lighting, and practical items for stalls and shared seating. Use the plan’s shopping list alongside your guest count, opening hours, and number of booths. Buy chilled goods as late as possible, check borrowed equipment before shopping, and leave time to collect deliveries and materials before setup begins.

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What to bring

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

Furniture

Party tentsqty 4
Foldable tablesqty 12
Folding chairsqty 80
Beer tablesqty 8
Tableclothsqty 16
Clothes racksqty 2

Equipment

Speakersqty 2
Mixer
Microphonesqty 3
Microphone standsqty 3
Extension cordsqty 8
Power stripsqty 6
Coolersqty 6
Thermos flasksqty 6
Coffee machinesqty 2
Kettlesqty 2
Handheld megaphone

Lighting

String lightsqty 8
LED lampsqty 10
Battery lanternsqty 6

Tableware

Reusable cupsqty 250
Coffee cupsqty 100
Platesqty 150
Cutlery setsqty 150
Serving plattersqty 20
Serving spoonsqty 12
Pliersqty 10

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 6
Chef’s knives and bread knivesqty 8
Measuring cupsqty 3
Mixing bowlsqty 6
Large frying pansqty 3
Gas burnersqty 3
Gas cylindersqty 3
Aluminum baking traysqty 6
Cooling matsqty 6

Decorations

Buntingqty 12
Balloon archesqty 3
Table décorqty 16
Program postersqty 20
Directional signsqty 12
Name badgesqty 100
Chalkboardsqty 6

Sports equipment

Ballsqty 12
Ring toss setsqty 3
Tug-of-war ropesqty 2
Skipping ropesqty 8
Sidewalk chalk setsqty 6

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 12
Dustpan and brushqty 4
Broom setsqty 4
Mopsqty 3
Bucketsqty 4
Cleaning glovesqty 12
Hand soap dispensersqty 6
Sanitizer pumpsqty 6
Toilet brushesqty 4
Towel dispensersqty 4

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 4 packs
- Tea - 6 boxes
- Sugar - 2 kilos
- Milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 6 liters
- Lemon - 12 pieces
- Mineral water - 120 bottles
- Sparkling water - 48 bottles
- Cola - 36 bottles
- Coke Zero - 24 bottles
- Orange soda - 24 bottles
- Ice tea - 24 bottles
- Apple juice - 12 cartons
- Orange juice - 12 cartons
- Alcohol-free beer - 48 bottles
- Beer - 120 bottles
- White wine - 12 bottles
- Rosé - 12 bottles
- Red wine - 6 bottles
- Ice cubes - 30 kilo
- Sandwiches - 180 pieces
- Whole grain bread - 8 loaves
- Baguettes - 12 pieces
- Hamburgers - 120 pieces
- Vegetarian burgers - 30 pieces
- Hot dogs - 100 pieces
- Hot dog buns - 100 pieces
- Cheese - 8 kilos
- Ham - 5 kilo
- Chicken breast slices - 5 kilos
- Hummus - 4 kilos
- Cream cheese - 3 kilos
- Lettuce - 10 heads
- Tomatoes - 12 kilos
- Cucumbers - 8 kilos
- Onions - 6 kilos
- Pickles - 6 jars
- Potatoes - 25 kilos
- Fries - 25 kilos
- Mayonnaise - 6 bottles
- Ketchup - 6 bottles
- Mustard - 4 bottles
- Garlic sauce - 4 bottles
- Barbecue sauce - 4 bottles
- Salt - 2 kilos
- Pepper - 500 grams
- Paprika powder - 250 gram
- Italian herbs - 250 grams
- Oil - 10 liters
- Butter - 3 kilos
- Eggs - 60 pieces
- Pancake mix - 8 kilos
- Jam - 6 jars
- Chocolate sprinkles - 4 packs
- Apples - 15 kilo
- Bananas - 10 kilo
- Grapes - 8 kilos
- Watermelons - 6 pieces
- Paprika chips - 12 bags
- Plain chips - 12 bags
- Tortilla chips - 10 bags
- Snack mix - 8 bags
- Popcorn - 6 kilos
- Cookies - 10 packs
- Ice lollies - 150 pieces
- Cupcakes - 120 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 6 rolls
- Cling film - 6 rolls
- Baking paper - 4 rolls
- Paper napkins - 1000 pieces
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Liquid dish soap - 4 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 6 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 3 bottles
- Sponges - 30 pcs
- Microfiber cloths - 20 pieces
- Garbage bags - 120 pieces
- Hand soap - 6 bottles
- Disinfectant gel - 6 bottles
- Paper towels - 12 packs
- Cling film gloves - 4 boxes
- Containers for leftovers - 50 pieces
- Coffee filters - 2 packs
- Teaspoons - 100 pieces
- Stirrers - 500 pieces
- Toothpicks - 500 pieces
- Napkin holders - 16 pieces

Tips

Plan around two to three drinks per person for the first hour, then one to two per person for each additional hour. Add extra water and non-alcoholic drinks for drivers, children, volunteers, and warm weather.
Count reusable cups, coffee cups, plates, and cutlery for your busiest serving period, then add at least 10% extra. Shared village events often need more tableware than expected because items stay at different booths.
Allow one cooler or equivalent chilled storage space for each major drinks or food station. Collect chilled goods on the same day whenever possible, rather than leaving them outside overnight.
Check the power plan before buying or collecting equipment: speakers, a mixer, coffee machines, kettles, string lights, and LED lamps may need separate circuits. Take extension cords and power strips only after confirming cable lengths and outlet locations.
For an outdoor setup, have lighting ready before dusk and keep battery lanterns as backup. Count tables and chairs by booth and seating area, then add a small reserve so one late change does not leave a stall without furniture.

Frequently asked questions

How many drinks do I need for a village festival?: Budget two to three drinks per person during the first hour and one to two per person for every hour after that. Include water and non-alcoholic options in the total, and add extra stock for volunteers and hot weather.
How much disposable or reusable tableware should I buy?: Prepare one cup, plate, and cutlery set per expected serving at the busiest period, plus at least 10% extra. Coffee cups should be counted separately because they are not always returned with reusable drink cups.
When should I buy chilled drinks and food for the festival?: Buy or collect chilled goods on the day of the festival whenever possible. If that is not practical, arrange cooled storage at least 24 hours before opening and check that there is enough space for every booth.
How many extension cords and power strips are needed outdoors?: Count each separate equipment area that needs power, then provide at least one suitable extension cord per area and a power strip where several devices share an outlet. Check cable lengths and connections during the site inspection, not on setup day.

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