Festival activities

Any suggestions for a climbing related, hands-on, "engagement" activities for an outdoor activity festival? Limited to a 10ft x 10ft tent with table and chairs.

Thanks in advance!

Jason

Table or chair bouldering (climbing from the top, all the way around, and back to the top, without touching the ground)

Guess the number of (whatever you are selling) in some kind of container. Guess the weight of (whatever you are selling)

Cairn building contest (provide rocks and a surface on which to build)

Timed one-handed knot tying

Timed rodeo clipping, or hanging/taking off draws
Timed Hanging contests on hangboard
Pullup contests
Grip strength measuring contests, if you have  a dynamometer

Thanks guys! Not sure about the folding table or chair bouldering but the other ideas got me thinking. 

Hang a rope end up and let people try the one hand tie a figure eight trick (spin a loop and shoot the rope end through it). 

Hang (or drape on a table with an end duck taped down) ropes side by side, one with a knot example, one people can try tieing. Instructions optional.

Well secured display of climbing gear, lots of "WTF is that for???" potential.

Do you have a product or service aimed at climbers, or are you just the "climbing" bit of a general public sort of show?

Have fun! Best, OLH

What age group?

Old lady H wrote:

Do you have a product or service aimed at climbers, or are you just the "climbing" bit of a general public sort of show?

We're a small operation guide, instruction and gear rental service in the Minneapolis area. We'll have some of our equipment available to showcase but the event host is specifically asking for "engagement activities" for the attendees. 

I appreciate the suggestions thus far!

JC

Jay J wrote:

What age group?

It's open to all ages but the market for our services is typically in the 20-40 age range. 

alpinejason wrote:

It's open to all ages but the market for our services is typically in the 20-40 age range. 

A few more suggestions, then. 

Obviously, have samples of whatever you rent functioning, so they can be demo'd or tried out by the climbers.

I would also suggest your people manning the booth be wearing  a full rig, as much as practical, and not just wearing company logo shirts. Clanking around with a full trad rack and harness when they go to get beer or brats is a great way to advertise.

If it isn't a hugely crowded show, you could have a quick print place do a big color shot of a summit, or something, let people "gear up" a bit, and take summit selfies.

If you have the resources, and are inside so it is visible, a monitor with great action vids is a draw.

Here's the quick and dirty I used to try and hammer into my clients, in descending order of interest:

-live animals

-super fun hands on activities

-dead animals, some really good live humans

-really good freebies

-humans who are engaging presenters

-food

-moving (video or otherwise) visuals

-interesting objects

-still, but fabulous, visuals

-hohum freebies

-engaging, very short text ("Get wet with ____", "___ will rock your summer", etc)

-body copy (never read except, importantly, by someone who is getting hot for the topic. If they're reading the fine print, they're hooked. Or, trapped, like at a dentist office)

-bad personnel. This can really hurt you big time. 

It's been a long time, but I used to do this stuff for a living.

Best, Helen

Edit to add: 10 by 10 is pretty tiny. Pick one great draw, and make it very accessible. No table at the front barricading the people you are trying to engage, if you don't need it for security with a product you are selling that day. Pay for a corner, if you can leave off a side so they can walk through.