If you’re looking for a way to bring your friends and family together for a lively event, consider hosting a kids talent show. It may sound daunting, but with a talent show planning checklist, you can easily put together a memorable event. A talent show is also an excellent fundraiser idea. Younger children love to show off their special talents, such as reciting their favorite poems, playing a tune on their recorder, or showing off their newest dance moves. Teen and adults can show off their vocal skills, or lack thereof when you host a singing competition. Keep reading to learn more about how to put on a talent show under an amazing festival tent.
Talent Shows Are More Popular than Ever
You only have to look at the evening television line-ups to know how popular talent shows are these days. From celebrity and professional dancing competitions to all kinds of singing and talent shows, people love to participate in and watch talent shows. If you wish to put on your own talent show, you are in luck because there is no shortage of fun talent show ideas.
A 9-Step Checklist to Organize a Talent Show
Keep reading to learn more about how to put on a talent show.
#1 Choose the Type of Competition
To start planning the event, first, decide whether you want to host a talent show as a fundraiser or just for fun. After you make that decision, then you’ll have to decide what kind of talent you’d like to showcase. It could be a dance competition, a singing competition, or even a comedy showdown. Consider your audience when choosing the type of competition. Will it be primarily adults or families with young children? Make sure the show will be age-appropriate.
Some Talent Show Ideas
Coming up with ideas for the talent show is part of the fun! Think about your audience - what will the age group be for the audience? Do you need to come up with talent show ideas for kids or adults? Remember that audiences in a younger age range have a short attention span, so give cotenants a time limit. Keeping that in mind, some ideas for your talent show include:
- Singing competition: You can leave the song options open for the contestants, or you can choose a theme, such as country western songs, favorite movie songs, or pop favorites.
- Dance competition: You can also choose a theme for a dance competition, such as jazz, hip-hop, or tap. Or you can feature two dancers at once for a dance-off.
- Musical instrument competition: You can create mini orchestras with multiple musicians, pair duets, or soloist competitors.
Other ideas for the talent show include magical acts or martial arts competitions.
#2 Create a Budget
You don’t have to spend big bucks to have a great talent show; after all, the entertainment is free! But you should budget for things such as sound, stage, and, of course, snacks! You’ll also need to include the winning prize in your budget. Gift cards to local shops or a donation to the victor’s favorite charity are the kinds of prizes that make everyone feel like winners.
#3 Choose a Date
Now it’s time to choose a date. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to plan your talent show. Put together a talent show planning checklist to help keep you on track. Some things to consider include recruiting and auditioning talent, choosing a venue and reserving a venue, and sending out invitations. You should also consider whether your show will be inside or outside. Finally, avoid holidays and times when people typically vacation to maximize attendance.
#4 Create an Events Committee
Feeling overwhelmed? Whether you’re trying to figure out how to organize a dance competition, how to host a singing competition, or just how to plan a talent show in general, you don’t have to do it alone! Put together a planning or steering committee and delegate responsibilities, such as:
- Venue selection
- Talent recruitment
- Rehearsal management
- Budgeting
- Choosing awards or prizes.
Other considerations for how to run a talent show include lighting and sound technicians and refreshments for attendees.
#5 Consider the Venue
When thinking about event planning and how to start a talent show, the venue is one of the most important considerations. Churches, school gymnasiums, or auditoriums are options for a large-scale indoor talent show. If you are planning a non-profit fundraiser, local community centers may allow you to use their space. If you are planning an outdoor competition, many public parks have pavilions available for rent, otherwise, you could consider renting or buying event tents to ensure that competitors and guests are protected in case of inclement weather.
#6 Recruit the Talent and Hold Auditions
You can’t have a talent show without talent! You should have a committee that knows how to set up a talent show that is specifically devoted to recruiting talent. This same committee could also serve as judges when you hold auditions, or you could bring in local figures, such as the town officials or local talent to judge. Social media, websites, and email are all excellent communication and recruitment tools. Make sure to include specifics about your competition, including the type of talent you’re looking for (i.e., singing, comedy, magic, etc.) try-out dates, and any other requirements including age, if applicable. If you’re hosting a school talent show, create fun posters to encourage student participation. For time management and efficiency, create deadlines to sign up and schedule a limited number of audition dates. Keep in mind that everyone loves prizes, so be sure to advertise what the lucky winner will receive - besides the always important bragging rights of course!
#7 Promote Your Talent Competition
You’ve chosen the big day, lined up your venue, and have your talented contestants - it’s time to start promoting ticket sales for your talent show! Plan to start promotions weeks in advance so that everyone can mark their calendars and also build excitement and anticipation for your upcoming event. Ways to promote a talent show include:
- Create talent show flyers and post them locally.
- Design a talent show invitation and share it with local schools and community groups.
- Try to engage local media to promote your event on television, social media, and in newspapers.
Sometimes it can be helpful to create a theme for promotions. Currently, dance and singing competitions are very popular on television, so you could mimic one of those programs for your theme. You could also give hints about the performances to peak curiosity and entice your audience to attend.
#8 Set Up Food Stands
You don’t want your guests, or contestants, to get hungry at the talent competition! Create a healthy, easy menu so that attendees can easily fill up a plate when hunger pangs hit. You may even want to plan for separate pop-up tents for selling food so that performances aren’t interrupted. Some things to consider include:
- Use disposable plates and silverware and keep trash and recycling receptacles nearby.
- A cash box for making change and a tip jar.
- Clean-up supplies for after the show is over.
#9 Let the Show Begin
You’ve done all of the prep work and the big day is here! Since running a show smoothly can get hectic, be sure to have a checklist for the big day to ensure you don’t miss any critical tasks. You also should have a back-up plan in case the weather does not cooperate. Most importantly, sit back and enjoy the show!
Conclusion
Planning a talent takes some work, but you don’t have to do it alone. If you’re planning an outdoor talent show, we can help you choose a quality tent for your venue. If we don’t have the exact tent you need, we can customize a tent for you! Contact us today to get started.
