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How to Host a Time Travel Gala

Use the following tips to plan and launch a successful time travel gala fundraising event.

1. Choose where in time you’ll travel.

Before you can travel in time, you need to know which time period you’re traveling to! You may choose an era relevant to your nonprofit’s work. For example, an animal shelter might host a 1950s-themed gala in honor of the founding of the first humane society in 1954.

A surefire way to plan a crowd-pleasing event is to ask supporters for their opinions! Through a survey, find out what time period your supporters want to travel to.

2. Plan the logistics of your gala.

Next, you’ll have to plan the actual logistics of the event. Some key details you’ll need to plan include:

  • Venue: Choose a place to host the event—either indoors or outdoors. The good news is that almost any venue can be transformed with the right decorations, so your gala can reflect the time period no matter where you host it!
  • Catering: Food can be especially important to transport attendees to a different time period. For example, fondue can take people back to the 1950s, or vintage Coca-Cola bottles might remind them of the 1980s.
  • Activities: Make the gala more immersive by planning activities to make supporters really feel like they’re in the designated time period! For example, you might plan a game of croquet for a Victorian-age gala.
  • Entertainment: Music and special performances can instantly identify an era. Plan entertainment that will fully immerse the audience in the time period!

Give your nonprofit plenty of time to plan the logistics of your gala. Also, lean on your community partnerships and corporate sponsors to find discounted or free resources for your event.

3. Sell tickets and raise money!

After you’ve planned your event, all that’s left to do is sell tickets! Promote your event on all your marketing channels and encourage supporters to bring their family and friends. A chance to travel back in time will appeal to more than just your loyal donors, so use your gala as an opportunity to spread awareness by reaching out to people outside your support network.

More Ways to Raise Funds at a Time Travel Gala

No matter what time period it’s in, your gala can raise money in more ways than just ticket sales. To generate more revenue for your organization, consider the following ways you can fundraise through your event:

  • Food and drink: Instead of providing a catered dinner, host your gala outside of regular meal times and sell snacks, finger foods, and drinks at booths throughout the venue.
  • Merchandise: Create branded merchandise for your event that matches the style of the gala’s time period. This can also serve as a souvenir from the event that supporters can keep and enjoy for many years.
  • Activities: Plan games and activities that supporters can pay a small fee to participate in, much like activities at a carnival or fair.

With these additional sources of revenue, your organization will raise more for its cause and may even surpass its fundraising goals! Remember to keep your supporters updated on your fundraising progress and give them a recap of the event’s success after it ends.

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