What families want
Simple, hot food that children will eat and parents enjoy. A hog roast roll fits, with chicken or a vegan sausage for fussier eaters.
Permission and the site
The school must agree to gas cooking and a vehicle on site. Choose a pitch away from play areas and buildings.
Allergens
Display allergen information clearly; many families manage allergies.
Raising money
Agree with the trader how money is raised, for example a pitch fee or a share of takings. Tell us what you have in mind.
Planning with the school
Talk to the school’s business manager or caretaker early. They’ll know where vehicles can go, where a cooking area could be safely set up away from buildings and play areas, and what the school needs from traders.
Queues and children
Keep the queue away from the cooking area, and make it easy for parents with children to get served quickly. A clear menu board with prices (if visitors are paying) and allergen information speeds things up.
Alternatives for families
Some families don’t eat pork for religious or other reasons. A chicken, vegetarian or vegan option means everyone can join in.
After the fair
Agree how the area will be left. Our team takes its waste and leaves the pitch tidy, so the school isn’t left clearing up.
Volunteers
PTA volunteers are stretched on fair days. A professional hog roast stall frees them for games, raffles and stalls that need them more.
Timing
Fairs often start mid-afternoon. The roast needs to start hours earlier, so the caterer may need access to the school site in the morning. Check with the school.
What sells at school fairs
School fairs attract families who’ve often come straight from school or work. Hot, filling food that’s easy to eat on the move does well: a roll is perfect. Keep prices simple if visitors are paying, and make sure there’s something for children who don’t want pork.
Permissions beyond the school
If the fair is open to the public or held on council land rather than school grounds, check whether anything else is needed, such as the landowner’s permission. The school business manager usually knows.
Pricing if visitors pay
If families are buying their own food, keep prices simple and clearly displayed. A round price is quicker to handle and keeps the queue moving.
Before you book
Send us the fair date and times, the school address, expected numbers, where the stall would go, and how food will be paid for. Confirm the school is happy for gas cooking on site.
Sports days
Sports days are usually shorter than fairs, with families arriving for set races. Rolls served quickly at a set time work well.
Quick answers
Can a hog roast come to a school fair?
Yes, with the school’s permission.
Is it safe around children?
The cooking area is kept separate from the queue and play areas.
Planning an event? Tell us about it and we’ll check the date and send a quote.