Here at Life.Church, we’re running a Neighborhood Fall Fest at each of our campuses this fall. We want to share that strategy with you so your church can reach more people too. Here’s everything you need to know to pull it off.
Why Should I Run a Neighborhood Fall Fest?
Fall is coming, and there are so many ways to immerse your people into the life of your church. But here’s the thing: the best outreach events don’t feel like outreach. They feel like a party. And a Fall Fest is exactly that.
People who would never walk through your doors on a normal Sunday will show up for a fall party. They’ll bring their kids, their neighbors, their friends. And when they get there, they experience a community of people who genuinely love each other and love their neighbors.
- Lowers the barrier for first-time visitors by making church feel approachable and fun
- Gives your congregation a natural, easy invite they can make to friends, neighbors, and coworkers
- Creates real connections between your church and the surrounding community
- Sets up future attendance by giving people a positive, memorable first experience with your church
Party with a Purpose
The Neighborhood Fall Fest is a party worth throwing, a chance to invite your friends and neighbors to join you during one weekend of your church services.
A fun, family-oriented fall party built around one weekend of your church services. Designed to welcome people into your community in a way that feels warm, festive, and genuinely inviting.
We want to welcome our friends and neighbors to church for a fun, family-oriented fall party so that they connect with one another, with our church, and experience first-hand the way Jesus leads our church to love our neighbors.
Focus on creating a festive environment for families, kids, teens, and young adults who haven’t been to church in a while, or maybe not at all. Think about the people in your neighborhood who need a reason to walk through your doors.
Use decorations, fall-themed food, games, and more to create a welcoming environment in your lobby or parking lot. You decide how to engage small groups, mission partners, and your teams to create moments that lead to long-term relationships. The resources on Open Network give you everything you need to get started.
Where Do I Start?
Start by thinking through interactive elements you can set up in your lobby or your parking lot. The goal is simple: make it fun for kids, and make it an experience families want to be part of.
Here are some ideas organized by category to get your team thinking. Remember, these are just ideas to get you started. You know your community best.
- Cornhole, giant Jenga, pickleball, basketball
- Carnival-style games in the lobby or parking lot
- Pumpkin painting and face painting
- Parking team hayrides
- Fall photo ops with themed backdrops
- Chili, corndogs, soft pretzels, nachos, Frito chili pie
- Pumpkin spice anything
- S’mores, cotton candy, apple cider, hot cocoa
- Coffee with a fall twist
- Treat bags for kids
- Church swag, books, vinyl records
- Campfire coffee mugs
- Buffalo plaid throws
- Flannel blankets or pillows through lobby seating
- Welcome info table with upcoming events and fall treats
- Staff and volunteers dressed in flannel
- Fall-themed lobby and parking lot decorations
- Local missions and small group info booths
- Kids classroom ticket redeemable at the party
- Highlight community work happening through your church
How Do I Promote this Event?
We’re providing you with the exact resources we’re sharing with our Life.Church campuses. Everything you need to promote your Fall Fest is available for free right now at open.life.church.
Banners and Signage
Invite Cards
Social Media Artwork
Photo Backdrop
Planning Guide
And More
Download the Neighborhood Fall Fest Resources — Free
Banners, invite cards, social media artwork, a photo backdrop, and more — everything your church needs to throw a Fall Fest that reaches your community. Available right now at open.life.church.
What’s one thing you can do this week?
- Download the Neighborhood Fall Fest resources at open.life.church and share them with your team.
- Pick a date — ideally tied to a weekend service in late October — and put it on the calendar now.
- Walk your lobby or parking lot and start thinking through which ideas from the list above would work best for your space and your community.
- Identify one local missions partner or small group that could host a booth or activity at your Fall Fest.
A great Neighborhood Fall Fest won’t just fill your parking lot for one Sunday; it’ll introduce your neighbors to a community they didn’t know they needed.
Let’s reach people together.
Download the Neighborhood Fall Fest resources free at open.life.church →
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