Everywhere we look in our modern age, we see charitable events looking to raise money for a host of wonderful causes, both locally and globally. With so many events and causes needing the important resource of money, it can be challenging to spark interest from the general public. That should no longer be an issue when you consider hosting a cornhole tournament to raise money for your charity.
Don’t look now, but here comes the cornhole!
Cornhole has grown in popularity over the past decade and a half and people across the country and world are turning to this fun and exciting recreation for their family gatherings and functions. Now, tournaments appeal to serious players who want to test their new skills against other avid fans of the game.
When it comes to a charity event, cornhole is the perfect answer. While there are certainly other options, like kickball and softball tournaments, motorcycle rides, and the like, cornhole can be played by anyone of any age and there’s no need to differentiate between youth and adults, male or female.
Organize your cornhole tournament
The first thing you’ll need to effectively host a cornhole tournament is a location. City parks, especially baseball fields, are ideal locations. Contact your local community parks director and begin the process of leasing the grounds for the day you have in mind. Ideally this should take place on a weekend to allow for the largest number of potential participants.
Each city will have their own requirements when it comes to hosting an effect using public areas, so you’ll need to make sure you understand what’s allowed and what you’ll be responsible for.
Next, you’ll need an estimate of the number of people who will be playing in your cornhole tournament. It can be challenging to determine this without having any inclination as to the interest it might generate in your area. It would be a good idea to limit the total number of players. The best method for this type of tournament would be single elimination, which means that players are paired up against another player and the winner moves on to the next round. If you start with 64 participants in the first round, the second round would consist of 32, the third round would be 16, then 8, 4 and 2 for the championship round. It’s always fun to have runners-up matches too.
Securing cornhole boards and bean bags
When hosting your own charity cornhole tournament, you’ll need several sets of cornhole, all set up for regulation play (27 feet apart). The more you have, the less time people will be standing around waiting their turn. Many people own their own cornhole boards and would be willing to donate them for the day’s use. Advertise in local newspapers, put up flyers and spread the word. This will also generate interest in signing up to play.
awards, awards, awards
Don’t forget the prizes. Most local shops and stores will be happy to provide free goods and services as a donation for your charity event. Ask each business if they will be able to donate to this wonderful cause. It’s usually a good idea to do this before announcing the tournament, because with some great prizes and fun, you’ll be able to cash in more and later win more for your charity event.
make everything legit
Don’t forget to check with local, state and federal authorities to ensure that your charity event is being conducted in accordance with applicable laws to oversee such events. You can never be too sure and don’t assume you think you know a rule or regulation; make sure.
Ultimately, the more fun you have putting on the event, the more fun your participants will have, and that will generate more interest in a follow-up cornhole tournament.