Assistance please, marching band budge hospitality

[momxx5]

I am in charge of the Hospitality Tent for a large marching band competition. Our school/band is hosting over 22 bands. The Hospitality tent will serve a buffet to the band directors, assistants and bus drivers. I am thinking close to 200 people.

I have never been to a marching band hospitality room and have no idea what to serve. Of course this has to be done on a budget. The main course, per se, will be BBQ pork served with slaw, beans and rolls. Other items I'm considering are: veggie tray, fruit tray, chips w/dips......what other items do you suggest?

We are serving sweet tea, coffee, hot chocolate and water. Also our dessert table with have a large sheet cake.

Thanks in advance.

 

[akcire]

Remember to have things vegetarian and vegan (no meat, no eggs, no dairy).....with so many kids you do not know, you should have something for everyone.

 

[Skatermom23]

I am in charge of the Hospitality Tent for a large marching band competition. Our school/band is hosting over 22 bands. The Hospitality tent will serve a buffet to the band directors, assistants and bus drivers. I am thinking close to 200 people.

I have never been to a marching band hospitality room and have no idea what to serve. Of course this has to be done on a budget. The main course, per se, will be BBQ pork served with slaw, beans and rolls. Other items I'm considering are: veggie tray, fruit tray, chips w/dips......what other items do you suggest?

We are serving sweet tea, coffee, hot chocolate and water. Also our dessert table with have a large sheet cake.

Thanks in advance.

I just did this for our school. Our main meal was also BBQ pork but we also had lots of crock pots donated with items like soup, chili, and meatballs. I would make sure you have a vegetarian option. Mine was a pasta dish..it did have cheese. We also had platters of fruit and cheese and crackers. You could also have a pasta salad, which could double as vegan or vegetarian.
We had a huge dessert table with lots of donated items. I also had soda. You can buy that fairly cheap or get donations. It is a lot of work but they will appreciate it!

 

[luckey-lasvegas]

Ask some local restaurants if they will donate some salads or sandwhiches.

 

[momxx5]

Thanks for the vegetarian reminder.

Donations from restaurants are out as we have been begging for donations from everywhere.....just like every other school has been.

There will be no students in the hospitality room.

Many, almost all parents, are volunteering in various other areas and its hard to ask them for donations also, but I love the idea of chilli, soups, etc because they are calling for cold rainy weather this weekend.

Keep the ideas coming.

 

[momxx5]

We also need tables & chairs, so any ideas about that would be great.

We have contacted many churches and some are helping but most are not lending things out anymore.

 

[kellyg403]

We just had our maching band competition this last week. I am handing out many kudos to you for taking on the hospitality tent! I am in charge of front gate and that can get aggravating..I know concessions or hospitality would do me in!

I did help set up some things, and like others we did the bbq and slaw option since a little goes a long way. If you have any stores around that have a deli, we were able to go in the morning of and get any cookies, brownies, cakes that were dated that day. They throw them away if no one wants them or the soup kitchen is out. Since you are planning on using them that day it would be an option for you if your stores will allow you. Then you can set them out nicely. Our deli even gave us those big trays that platters are made on to set them out and another mom ran to the dollar store and got those little doily things. We also set out some basic fruits, bananas, apples and grapes..but just a little of the grapes. For your size of crowd I wouldn't even bother with the grapes. Anyway, the idea is to free up those who planned on donating sweets to then maybe do something else..like the crackers and cheese. The pasta dishes are a great idea and something that will stretch. Will you have a fridge to store things in? Bring things out slowly. You won't have everyone at once...just some as they come in. to make sure your food stretches you will want to bring it out some at a time to replenish.

For tables, if you have a local VFW or Moose Lodge or anything like that, oftentimes they will lend you some tables. We were able to get ten from each place to avoid renting them.

In the end...just have a great time. If it will cold and rainy (happened to us last year) you can also sometimes 'borrow' from these same places those huge coffee pots...use one for coffee and one for hot water for hot chocolate. Those will go the fastest!

Kelly

 

[KCMiller]

We also need tables & chairs, so any ideas about that would be great.

We have contacted many churches and some are helping but most are not lending things out anymore.

Try your local funeral homes - they usually have folding chairs they will lend.

 

[erin.w]

Cornbread sounds like it would go with your meal, and I don't think it's too expensive to make! (can you tell it's close to dinner time? mmmm cornbread)

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

I have taught colorguard (fall and winter) for years and have enjoyed many a hospitality tent!! I will warn you that just because the bands represented have 200 staff/drivers many of them will never go near the hospitality tent. Most of these things have LOTS of leftovers and you should be aware if you are on a budget. Most of the staff of the larger bands don't even finish helping their student until the show is almost over. The BBQ is always good, finger foods, veggies, deserts. I would say that drinks, hot and cold, are the most requested. I always liked if they had apples or oranges to take with me when I was real busy. Good luck and know that band parents are very appreciated!!!

 

[momxx5]

Thanks again for the info. It is nice hearing from someone who has been to the hospitality room. I never thought that some directors might be too busy to stop by for a bite. That is somethin to keep in mind. A friend of a friend is asking about getting tables from her church..........I'll find out this evening.

 

[richmond282]

I'm a band director and I've visited many a hospitality room/tent. Most places just have finger foods that band kids and parents have brought in. We (directors and such) don't necessarily expect a full meal, but kudos for providing one!

Our competition was 2 weekends ago. We catered our food from a local restaurant this year, but in years past we have asked the school's culinary arts department to prepare food for us (We purchased the ingredients) and that worked well too.

Good luck!

 

[Marla Hellwig]

Don't forget to add in your count all of the judges

 

[dzorn]

We also need tables & chairs, so any ideas about that would be great.

We have contacted many churches and some are helping but most are not lending things out anymore.

If picnic tables would do check with park & Rec department.

Denise in MI

 

[Marla Hellwig]

For our hosted competitions, we would bring down the tables and folding chairs from the high school's lunch room area, we also borrow several grills from parents and grill hot dogs, hamburgers, and brats both to sell at concession stands and for the hospitality tent

Our band directors worked out a system, that the seniors and juniors (and then the sophmores and freshmen) got 'first dibs' of showing up early in the day to set up and when done and released got their poker chip to turn in after the competition is over to go home early - if you don't have your poker chip you stay and clean up

 

[englishteacha]

Remember that pork isn't Kosher. It might be wise to have some other option for those who don't eat pork products. One of my high school friends was Jewish and many times she couldn't eat at events because there were no Kosher options.

 

[newtodis]

Try your local fire department as well - ours has a cooking team who may cook for you either for free or for a donation. We would probably also loan out our tables and chairs if we knew the person.

Do you have a local "skills center" or something like that who would be able to help you prepare the food (like students using the practice or experience in exchange for providing food/help for your event)? Is there a catering company that's new and looking to get their name out? They might help you pretty cheaply as well.

It sounds like it's kind of the same meal at every place - those who visit might appreciate something a bit different. I read that you didn't really want to ask people for donations if you didn't have to. Would it be ok if you asked for their crockpot or slow cooker/roaster?? Then you could throw a bunch of stuff in the night before (meatballs, pasta sauce, chili, soup, ect) if you're up for that challenge. You'd have the variety without asking people to actually do anything more than give you the cooking vessel to use. I would look for someone to donate chaffing dishes (again, here at the FD we have them and haven't used them in the 2 years that I've been here!) to help you keep things warm if needed.

I know it's very hard to ask for donations - especially during this economy - but, here at least, it seems like everyone knows someone who can help. Spread the word locally that you're looking for some things and see what happens. Can you send something home with the band kids or with the PTO or another organization to help you out? Does a group like Club Scouts or anything that need volunteer hours to earn a certain badge?? That would help you to get some kids and parents to help you out either cooking or the day of the event.

That's all I can think of right now! Good luck!

 

[bobcat]

Have someting that they can take away with them. As others metioned the directors may not have time to spend at the tent but if you offer a take away option they could send one member to get items for everyone. At least have a take away drink option, sodas or water bottles or cups with lids for the other items. Don't forget some bags or boxes for them to take the items with them, our can pepsi is delivered in six packs that come in the short cardboard trays. We use these for large orders in the concession stands.

 

[KCMiller]

Remember that pork isn't Kosher. It might be wise to have some other option for those who don't eat pork products. One of my high school friends was Jewish and many times she couldn't eat at events because there were no Kosher options.

If someone keeps kosher, they don't eat at these things at all - none of the food would be prepared correctly for them (kosher is more than just not eating pork, it's a whole preparation and serving system too). I have neighbors who keep kosher, and they always bring their own food.

But good point about the pork, because not only Jewish people, but also other religions, don't eat it. Muslims, for instance.

KC