What to Buy for a Youth Festival

A youth festival needs more than drinks and snacks. You will need serving equipment, reusable tableware, coolers, waste bins, power supplies and furniture for both the programme and the people running it. Buy or reserve the items with limited availability first, especially tents, tables, chairs, sound equipment and a projector. Use the final guest count and activity programme to set quantities, then check the complete list before shopping and chill drinks on the day.

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What to bring

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

Furniture

Party tentsqty 4
Foldable tablesqty 12
High tablesqty 8
Folding chairsqty 80
Bar stoolsqty 12
Buffet tablesqty 4
Dressing room tablesqty 2
Waste binsqty 12
Parasolsqty 4

Tableware

Reusable cupsqty 250
Reusable platesqty 180
Reusable cutleryqty 200
Bowlsqty 80
Serving spoonsqty 12
Pliersqty 8
Pouring jugsqty 8
Thermos flasksqty 4
Serving traysqty 8

Equipment

Portable speakersqty 2
Mixer
Microphonesqty 2
Microphone standsqty 2
Extension cordsqty 8
Power stripsqty 8
Rechargeable power banksqty 4
Laptop
Projection screen
Projector
Coolersqty 6
Kettlesqty 2
Coffee machinesqty 2

Lighting

LED string lightsqty 8
LED lampsqty 12
Outdoor lighting cablesqty 4

Decorations

Buntingqty 12
Balloonsqty 200
Balloon pumpqty 2
Tableclothsqty 12
Directional signsqty 12
Program boardsqty 6
Wristbandsqty 200

Sports equipment

Footballsqty 6
Basketballsqty 4
Korfball hoopsqty 2
Frisbeesqty 8
Skipping ropesqty 10
Conesqty 30
Hoopsqty 12
Soft ballsqty 12
Water-free gamesqty 6

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 6
Chef's knivesqty 6
Mixing bowlsqty 8
Measuring cupsqty 4
Ice packsqty 24
Aluminum foilqty 4
Food storage containersqty 12
Oven mittsqty 4

Cleaning

Broom setsqty 4
Floor squeegeesqty 2
Bucketsqty 4
Mopsqty 4
Work glovesqty 12
Hand soap dispensersqty 6
Sanitizer pumpsqty 6

Catering

Groceries
- Still water - 120 bottles
- Sparkling water - 60 bottles
- Cola - 24 bottles
- Cola Zero - 18 bottles
- Sinas - 18 bottles
- Ice tea - 18 bottles
- Apple juice - 12 cartons
- Orange juice - 12 cartons
- Syrup - 6 bottles
- Coffee - 8 packs
- Tea - 4 boxes
- Sugar - 3 packs
- Milk - 12 liters
- Oat milk - 6 liters
- Stirrers - 300 pieces
- Paper napkins - 1000 pieces
- Ice cubes - 20 bags
- Mini ice pops - 200 pieces
- Paprika chips - 12 bags
- Plain chips - 12 bags
- Tortilla chips - 10 bags
- Popcorn - 8 bags
- Salted pretzels - 8 bags
- Rice cakes - 6 packs
- Muesli bars - 200 pieces
- Cookies - 12 packs
- Mini muffins - 200 pieces
- Apples - 100 pieces
- Bananas - 80 pieces
- Grapes - 12 kilos
- Cucumbers - 20 pieces
- Carrots - 10 kilos
- Cherry tomatoes - 8 kilo
- Bell peppers - 30 pieces
- Whole wheat bread - 20 loaves
- White rolls - 250 pieces
- Mini rolls - 150 pieces
- Young cheese - 8 kilos
- Ham - 5 kilo
- Sliced chicken breast - 4 kilos
- Hummus - 20 containers
- Cream cheese - 12 tubs
- Peanut butter - 6 jars
- Jam - 6 jars
- Butter - 3 kilos
- Mayonnaise - 4 bottles
- Ketchup - 4 bottles
- Mustard - 3 bottles
- Yogurt dressing - 3 bottles
- Lettuce - 20 heads
- Corn - 12 cans
- Pickles - 6 jars
- Herb cheese - 8 tubs
- Vegetarian wraps - 150 pieces
- Wraps - 150 pieces
- Falafel - 8 kg
- Vegetarian hamburgers - 100 pieces
- Hamburger buns - 120 pieces
- Hot dog buns - 120 pieces
- Vegetarian hot dogs - 120 pieces
- Frankfurters - 120 pieces
- Fried onions - 4 bags
- Satay sauce - 6 jars
- Barbecue sauce - 6 bottles
- Salt - 2 packs
- Pepper - 2 jars
- Paprika powder - 2 jars
- Olive oil - 3 liters
- Lemon juice - 2 bottles
- Coffee filters - 4 packs
- Wooden ice sticks - 300 pieces
- Baking paper - 4 rolls
- Plastic wrap - 4 rolls
- Aluminum foil - 4 rolls
- Disposable gloves - 300 pieces
- Trash bags - 100 pieces
- Organic waste bags - 30 pieces
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Dish soap - 4 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 4 bottles
- Disinfectant wipes - 10 packs
- Hand soap - 6 refills
- Tissues - 12 boxes
- Bandages - 4 boxes
- Sunscreen - 12 bottles

Tips

Plan reusable cups, plates and cutlery for the full registered group, plus a small buffer for loss or late returns. Count serving bowls, spoons, tongs, jugs and trays separately; these are easy to overlook when buying food.
Allow at least one waste bin in each main activity or eating area, and add extra liners before the festival starts. Emptying bins is much easier when the bags and replacement liners are stored nearby.
Test the mixer, microphones, speakers, projector and laptop together before the event, not just one item at a time. Check every extension cord and power strip as well, and charge the power banks the day before.
Reserve party tents, parasols, tables and chairs as soon as the date and venue are fixed. Weather protection and seating are often unavailable at short notice, especially when the forecast changes.
Chill drinks several hours before guests arrive and keep enough coolers available for separate drink stations. Put thermos flasks and kettles with the serving supplies so hot drinks do not depend on last-minute borrowing.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to buy for a youth festival?: Plan for drinks, reusable cups, plates and cutlery, serving bowls and utensils, waste bins, coolers, furniture, weather protection and event equipment. The exact quantity depends on the registered group and the number of activity and food stations.
How many reusable cups do I need for a youth festival?: Start with one cup per attendee and add around 10% extra for loss, damage or replacements. If drinks are served at several stations, spread the cups between those stations instead of keeping them all in one place.
When should I reserve tents, tables and sound equipment?: Reserve hire items as soon as the date and venue are confirmed, preferably several weeks before the festival. Do not wait for the final weather forecast: tents, seating and sound equipment may already be booked.
When should I chill drinks for a youth festival?: Chill drinks several hours before guests arrive, using enough coolers to keep them cold during service. Check the drinks and cooler setup on the final preparation day so you still have time to buy ice or arrange extra storage.

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