Family Essentials Checklist
Our Fall Festival is one of our school's biggest traditions—and one of our most important fundraisers. Its success depends on every family pitching in. Whether you're volunteering for a shift, donating an item, inviting friends, or helping spread the word, every contribution makes a difference. Use the checklist below to make sure you've completed your part in helping us create a fun, successful weekend for our school community.
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Sign up for AT LEAST ONE volunteer shift PER STUDENT
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Order donation items from the wish list.
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Sell Conrad's Crab Feast Raffle Tickets. (Extras available at the school office)
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Consider becoming an event sponsor and share the opportunity with others.
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Share the event on Facebook to help increase awareness and attendance.
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Donate to the Bake Sale (homemade or store-bought!)
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Clear your calendar to attend the Fall Festival on September 18 and 19.
Volunteer Shifts
Our Fall Festival wouldn't be possible without the time and dedication of our amazing volunteers. From the first planning meeting to the final cleanup, it takes more than 2,000 volunteer hours to create the fun-filled weekend our school community looks forward to every year.
To ensure that the event is a success, we ask that every St. Margaret family sign up for at least one volunteer shift per student, and, if your schedule allows, we encourage you to volunteer for additional shifts anytime from Thursday through Sunday.
Whether you can spare a couple of hours setting up, help during the busiest festival times, or stay for breakdown, every shift makes a difference and helps ensure a fun, safe, and successful weekend for our entire school community.
As a thank you for volunteering during setup, festival hours, or breakdown, you'll earn a student reward pass! Each completed shift earns one pass for one child—your choice of an "Out of Uniform" Pass or Homework Pass. Students may earn up to three passes total, so the more you volunteer, the more opportunities your family has to earn rewards while giving back to our school.
To give you an idea of what you are signing up for, here is a brief overview of what you can expect when you choose a shift during the event:
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Concessions: Serve drinks, snacks, pizza, and other festival favorites.
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Pit Beef: Prepare sandwiches or take orders. Volunteers are especially needed for this booth!
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Balloon Pop: Help guests test their aim with our dart-throwing game.
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Big 6: Operate the popular cash prize wheel.
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Wheel Games: Assist players as they spin the wheel to win prizes.
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Dig for Gold: Help children search for hidden treasures in our prize box (no dirt involved!).
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Dip & Win: Oversee the prize bucket game where everyone has a chance to win a stuffed animal.
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Lolli Pull: Help little ones pull a winning lollipop for a prize.
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Pirate Hook Toss: Run the ring toss game and award prizes.
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PLINKO: Drop the disks, cheer on players, and hand out prizes.
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Potty Toss: Help guests toss toilet paper into the toilet bowl for a chance to win.
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Putt-Putt: Assist with our miniature golf challenge.
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Scarecrow Toss: Run the bean bag toss game and award prizes.
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Face Painter, Pony Rides & Petting Zoo: Collect tickets or payments (no experience needed!).
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Crab Feast Raffle: Sell raffle tickets throughout the festival.
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Instant Bingo: Sell tear-away bingo cards for instant cash and prize opportunities.
Donations
Help Stock the Fall Festival!
Every item on this wish list is needed to make the St. Margaret Fall Festival possible. These are supplies the school would otherwise purchase, so every donation helps offset festival costs and allows more proceeds to directly support our school.
How to Donate:
Prize Items:
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Sign up for the item you want to purchase. (Price is shown once you click the check mark next to the item)
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Purchase it using the provided Amazon link.
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Your donation will be shipped directly to a member of our Fall Festival Committee.
Bulk or Grocery Store Items
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Sign up for the item you want to purchase.
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Purchase the requested item locally.
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Drop it off at school by Friday, September 11.*
Cash, Checks, or Gift Cards
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For gift cards, please purchase in smaller denominations whenever possible so we can create more opportunities for people to win. $10 and $25 gift cards are preferred over $50 and $100. A few $50 gift cards are great, but we’d like to limit the larger denominations so we can spread the prizes among more winners.
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There are several easy ways to send in your donation:
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Place it in a sealed envelope labeled “Fall Festival Donation” with your student’s name and homeroom clearly written on the envelope, and send it in your student’s folder.
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Give the sealed envelope directly to your homeroom teacher.
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Drop the sealed envelope off at the school office.
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*Drop-Off Locations
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Elementary School Students: Bring food, drinks, and supplies to the stage during morning drop-off.
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Middle School Students: Bring donations to the school office. If you have children at both campuses, please send donations with your elementary school student whenever possible to help streamline collection.
Please only sign up for items you plan to purchase so we can accurately track our remaining needs.
Fall Festival Sponsorship Packages
Premier
$10,000
- Please contact us directly for more details about this incredible branding opportunity.
Cornerstone
$5,000
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Large signage in prime real estate locations
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Branded tote bags & koozies with your company logo that will be distributed at the event
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Full-page ad in the event program
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A direct marketing piece that will be sent home to each SMS family after the event
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Company-branded banner + booth signage at the event
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One individual spotlight social media post on the event Facebook page & the SMS Facebook page
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Parish bulletin and email mention
Corporate
$2,500
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Branded koozies featuring your company logo that will be distributed at the event
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1/2-page ad in the event program
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A direct marketing piece that will be sent home to each SMS family after the event
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Company-branded banner + booth signage at the event
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One individual social media post on the event Facebook page & the SMS Facebook page
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Parish bulletin and email mention
Blue Ribbon
$1,000
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1/4-page ad in the event program
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Company-branded banner + booth signage at the event
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A group social media post (with other sponsors) on the event Facebook page and school Facebook page
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Parish bulletin and email mention
St. Margaret School Sponsor
$500
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Program mention
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Company-branded booth signage at the event
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A group social media post (with other sponsors) on the event Facebook page and school Facebook page
Booth Sponsor
$350
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Program mention
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Company-branded booth signage at the event
Program and signage design requirements will be sent to you once you complete the sponsorship form.
The direct marketing piece will be sent home to each St. Margaret School family. You can choose to include a coupon, insert, postcard or pamphlet. Details on deadlines and logistics will be discussed once the sponsorship form has been submitted.
The parish bulletin is distributed to roughly 3,000 parishioners and 2,500 email addresses.
Crab Feast Raffle
Tickets: $5 Each • Bundle of 5: $20
Each student is asked to sell 10 raffle tickets. All raffle proceeds go directly toward covering fall festival expenses.
We’ve included 10 to start in the Fall Festival Folder that will be given out at Back to School Night. Extras are available in the school office. Checks can be made out to St. Margaret School HSA. The drawing will take place Tuesday, 9/22.
Raffle Prizes
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1 Bushel of Crabs
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3 pounds of shrimp
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Ninja FrostVault Cooler
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2 Frost Buddy Can Coolers
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Maryland-themed accessories
1st Place
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3 dozen crabs
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3 pounds of shrimp
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Maryland-themed accessories
2nd Place
$200 in gift cards
3rd Place
Student Incentives & Prizes
2 Legends Suites tickets to a Ravens game, including parking food, and drinks.
*Valued at over $3,200 and
donated by Infinity Capital Finance.
1st Place
2nd Place
Nintendo Switch 2:
Choose Your Game Bundle
3rd Place
Beats Wireless On-Ear
Bluetooth Headphones
Crab Raffle Q&A
Q: What does the St. Margaret Conrad's Crab Raffle support?
A: Every ticket purchased helps offset the operating costs of the St. Margaret Fall Festival. Your support makes this beloved community tradition possible, and we truly appreciate every ticket sold!
Q: How can I pay for physical Conrad's Crab Raffle tickets?
A: Payment for physical tickets can be made by cash or check. Please make checks payable to St. Margaret HSA.
Q: How do I purchase tickets online?
A: Tickets can be purchased anytime through our online ticket sales page or by scanning the QR code found on Fall Festival promotional materials. Online purchases do not include physical tickets. Instead, a member of the raffle committee will complete the ticket stubs with your information and enter them into the official drawing on your behalf.
Q: How do I submit sold ticket stubs and payments?
A: You can submit completed ticket stubs and payments by:
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Sending them with your child to their homeroom teacher
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Dropping them off at either the Elementary or Middle School main office
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Purchasing tickets online with a credit card
If submitting physical tickets, please place the ticket stubs and payment in a labeled envelope or zip-top bag that includes your child's name, grade, and teacher so their sales can be credited toward student prizes. The final deadline to submit raffle tickets is Monday, September 21, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
Q: Where can I get additional tickets?
A: Additional tickets are available:
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At both the Elementary and Middle School offices
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From raffle committee members during dismissal on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays leading up to the Fall Festival
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By emailing SMSCrabRaffle@gmail.com, and we'll send tickets home with your child
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Online, 24/7, through midnight on September 21, 2026
Q: When is the deadline for my child's ticket sales to count toward Top Student Seller prizes?
A: To qualify for Top Student Seller prizes and incentives, all qualifying ticket sales must be turned in by Wednesday, September 16, 2026. Tickets sold after September 16 may still be submitted through Monday, September 21, 2026, and will be included in the Conrad's Crab Feast Raffle drawing, but they will not count toward student prize totals.
Q: When is the Conrad's Crab Feast Raffle drawing?
A: The Conrad's Crab Feast Raffle drawing will be held on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
All tickets must be received by Monday, September 21, 2026. No tickets will be accepted after the deadline.
Any other questions? Please email SMSCrabRaffle@gmail.com.
Bake Sale
Our Bake Sale is a Fall Festival favorite, featuring homemade treats generously donated by our school families. Whether you're baking a family favorite or picking up something sweet during the festival, every bite helps support our school. Thank you for sharing your time, talents, and delicious creations!
Items Wanted
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Cakes, pies, cake pops,
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Brownies, cupcakes, rice krispie treats,
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Popcorn balls, trail mix,
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Freshly baked bread, sourdough, focaccia, bagels, muffins, cookies,
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Gluten-free and sugar-free items
Drop-off Times
Elementary School: Morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up on Thursday, September 17.
Directly at the bake sale tent at Elementary campus after 3:00 PM on Friday, 9/18 AND after 11:00 AM on Saturday, 9/19.
PARTICIPATION RAFFLE
All participating families will be entered into a raffle for two Bakers Dozen gift baskets.
Questions? Please contact Megan Smith at megansmith10116@gmail.com.
Concessions
Great food is part of the Fall Festival tradition! Enjoy a variety of local food trucks, festival favorites, and sweet treats throughout the weekend. Whether you're craving pit beef, pizza, burgers, lemonade, or funnel cake, you'll find plenty of options to keep you fueled while you enjoy the festivities.
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Conrads
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Crossroads Bistro
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Chick-fil-a
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Kona Ice
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MaGerks on a Roll
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Sweet Kings
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State Fair Lemonade
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The Nut Cart
Friday Vendors
Saturday Vendors
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Conrads
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Chick-fil-a
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Kona Ice
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Travelin' Toms
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Magerks on a Roll
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Sweet Kings
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State Fair Lemonade
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The Nut Cart
Food & Drink Options Available All Weekend
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Pit Beef
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Pit Turkey
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Burgers
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Hot Dogs
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Pat's Pizza
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Philly Pretzels
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Cotton Candy
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Popcorn
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Chips
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Bottled Water
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Soda
Parking
We encourage guests to arrive early, as parking near campus fills up quickly. Additional public parking is available within a short walk of St. Margaret School, including:
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Bel Air Parking Garage (approximately a 5-minute walk)
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Harford County Public Library public parking lot (approximately a 3-minute walk)
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Downtown Bel Air public parking lots and legal on-street parking throughout town. A map of all public parking locations is available through the Town of Bel Air.