Scout shows

[shortridge 184]

 

From the unit money-earning application:

 

Typically, council popcorn sales or Scout show ticket sales are approved uniform fund-raisers.

 

Anyone ever sell tickets to a Scout show? Anyone ever have a Scout show aimed at the public?

[Lisabob 13]

There is (was?) a district in my council that does (did?) a big one every year. The entire community attends. Last I heard they were charging something like $10/ticket. I'm not sure whether they're still doing it. I remember that they were getting leaned on by someone at council for a while, and they may have discontinued it. But it was a big event and, I guess, a big money maker too.

[Eagle92 110]

My district has done them, and I have sold tickets to them as a scout. My current district uses it more as a recruiting tool than anything else.

[John-in-KC 311]

When Trevorum and I were kids, there was an annual Scoutcraft Fair (later Scout-o-Rama) held at Devonshire Downs in the San Fernando Valley.

 

We got stuff for selling tickets from Council. For years I had a 4 D cell BSA flashlight

[Twocubdad 665]

The first patch I ever earned as a Cub Scout was for selling 10 Scout Show tickets. Of course that was in 1967.....

[ntrog8r 19]

Catalina Council in AZ still has a Scout Show, though they've changed tohe name to encourage other groups to participate. Tickets are sold, can be sold by the unit. Ads for the program can also be sold. Unit gets percentage of sales made. Very few units participated in these sales however when we were there. Our Pack and Troop usually made around three hundred dollars from this.

[Kahuna 172]

I was at one in Honolulu two years ago. Looks like they're declining in popularity, probably because of the expense of venues, but it is still a big money-maker in Hawai'i. Public turnout is not huge, but it's always a big ticket seller.

[moxieman 11]

Our district here in the Maine wilderness hasn't done one in nearly 20 years due to the lack of a reasonably priced venue within the district large enough to host all 80 or so units (Cubs, Troops, Crews, & Posts) of the district. I know of two venues large enough to host such an event--the Augusta Civic Center (would be several grand), and the field house at Colby College (an Ivy League school) in Waterville. One of the last ones we held was outdoors at a local fairgrounds. We got lucky with the weather, but had little turn-out 'cause it was out in the countryside rather than near one of our few population centers.

 

Meanwhile, Katahdin Area Council to our east hosts two scout shows each March--one in each of the two malls in their council (Aroostook Centre in Presque Isle in the northern part of the council and the Bangor Mall in the central part of the council). From my understanding it's a good fundraiser/publicity event for them.

[oldsm 10]

My Council did a couple several years ago. I don't recall many people from the public showing up. Probably poor location and little public publicity.

 

The 2nd one had about 5,000 scouts present. It was held at a well-known fairground facility. There was significant public presence, but I don't know how effective it was in terms of image.

 

The goal of both presumably was to create a venue to promote Scouting. The only charge was to the scouts who were participating and demonstrating what they do. The public was welcome at no charge. I think any cost was offset by the per-scout participation fee.

 

We have another one scheduled for next Spring. I know my scouts are eager to participate (some remember the last one). We'll see what happens - I hope it doesn't become a fund raiser.

[AwHeck 10]

Denver Area Council does one every year. The tickets that are sold are basically discount tickets to a variety of businesses and also serve as admission to the event. Discounts tend to be a discount on oil changes at Grease Monkey, discounts to a franchised pizza parlor, discounts on dry cleaning, discounts to Subway etc. All units are invited to host a booth at the Scout Show and we get decent turn-out. I honestly couldn't say how many attendees are non-scouts but even for scouts to see what other units are doing is fun.