How to gather engaging content at your fall festival
As fall approaches, churches across the country are gearing up for one of the most anticipated events of the season—fall festivals! These events are a fantastic opportunity to bring people together for fellowship, fun, and faith-filled activities. But they’re also a great time to gather content for future marketing, social media, and outreach efforts. Here’s how your church can creatively gather and use content from your fall festival to keep your community engaged and excited, both now and in the future.
1. Capture Moments with Photos and Videos
One of the easiest and most impactful ways to gather content is by taking plenty of photos and videos during your fall festival. Whether it’s the children enjoying the hayrides, families posing in front of pumpkin patches, or volunteers working hard behind the scenes, capturing these moments helps showcase the heart of your event.
Pro Tip: Appoint a designated team or volunteer to be in charge of taking high-quality photos. They can also grab candid shots of people interacting, laughing, and enjoying the festival. For added fun, set up a fall-themed photo booth with props and a sign that includes your church’s name. That way, attendees can take home memories while giving your church some visibility on social media.
2. Interview Attendees
Another great way to gather content is through simple interviews. You don’t need fancy equipment—just a smartphone and a list of easy questions like, “What’s your favorite part of the fall festival?” or “How has attending this event impacted you?” You can also talk to volunteers and church leaders about what the festival means to them.
These interviews can be compiled into a short highlight video or shared individually on your social media platforms, helping to create a personal connection between your church and the broader community.
3. Collect Stories and Testimonials
People love to hear stories, especially those that tug at the heartstrings. Ask attendees if they have a special memory or moment from the festival they’d like to share. Maybe it’s a family that has been attending your event for years, or a volunteer who felt a deep sense of purpose through serving. These stories can be used in blog posts, newsletters, or social media to highlight the impact your church has on its community.
Don’t forget to ask for permission to share their story publicly, and be sure to give them credit if they’d like it!
4. Livestream or Post Highlights on Social Media
Many people in your community may not be able to attend the festival in person, but that doesn’t mean they can’t experience it! Livestream portions of the event, such as worship, games, or special performances. Even just a few minutes of real-time interaction can help those who aren’t physically present feel connected.
If livestreaming isn’t possible, consider creating highlight reels to post later. A short, well-edited video of the day’s festivities can go a long way in showcasing the joy and excitement of your fall festival. Bonus tip: use fall-themed filters or graphics to make the content even more festive!
5. Leverage User-Generated Content
Encourage attendees to take their own photos and post them on social media using a custom hashtag, like #ChurchFallFest2024. Not only does this generate buzz around your event, but it also provides your church with a wealth of user-generated content that can be shared or reshared with proper credit.
Make sure to give attendees some incentive, like a photo contest or a shoutout during the event, to increase participation.
6. Highlight Behind-the-Scenes Efforts
People love to see the work that goes into making an event happen. Take time to capture the behind-the-scenes preparations, like volunteers setting up booths, decorating, or preparing food. This content shows the dedication and heart behind the event, which can inspire others to get involved in future activities.
Sharing these behind-the-scenes moments on social media also helps emphasize the importance of community and teamwork within your church.
7. Create “Thank You” Content
Once the festival is over, it’s important to express gratitude to those who helped make it a success. Create a series of “thank you” posts, either featuring individual volunteers or groups, thanking them for their time and effort. A simple post with a smiling volunteer or a group photo with a message of thanks can go a long way in making people feel appreciated.
This not only helps you gather more content but also builds goodwill for future events.
8. Develop a Fall Festival Recap
A well-crafted blog post or newsletter article recapping the event is a great way to keep the excitement going after the festival is over. Highlight the key moments, include photos and quotes from attendees, and link to any videos or social media posts you’ve created.
A recap not only provides closure to the event but can also serve as promotional material for next year’s fall festival.
9. Promote Upcoming Events
Your fall festival is an ideal time to advertise future church events. As you gather content during the festival, be sure to include mentions of your upcoming holiday services, special programs, or ongoing ministries. You can weave these into your social media posts, videos, and photos from the event.
This is a great way to turn a one-time event into a long-term outreach opportunity.
10. Reflect Your Church’s Values
Above all, ensure that the content you gather reflects the mission and values of your church. Whether it’s community, hospitality, or spiritual growth, your festival content should communicate who you are as a church. This not only engages your current members but also invites others to learn more about your congregation and what you stand for.
By taking the time to thoughtfully gather and utilize content from your fall festival, your church can extend the life of the event beyond one day and continue to engage your community in meaningful ways. Fall is a season of harvest, and with these content strategies, your church will be well-prepared to “reap” the rewards of a memorable and impactful event.
With more than 20 years of experience in various media outlets, Renee McNeill has helped brands develop and implement strategies for both internal marketing and public facing campaigns alike. For the past six years, she has used the skills she has acquired not only to help her local church, but also to help those serving in global missions abroad with building awareness. As the Sr. Manager of Electronic Media at United Methodist Communications, and producer of the MyCom e-newsletter, she loves helping local churches with social media and marketing.