25 Fall Carnival Ideas That Draw a Crowd

A fall carnival has one job: draw a crowd and keep it. The Carnival Bumper Cars do the drawing, because nobody walks past five bumper cars in an arena without stopping, and the midway does the keeping, one punch card and one prize at a time. Add a ride that shows above the trees, a Corn Maze Inflatable at the far end and a treat shop by the exit, and a PTA or a parish has a carnival people drive across town for.

Here are 25 fall carnival ideas organized by what they do for the crowd: the rides that anchor the midway, the game midway itself, the big inflatables and the carnival extras that make the grounds feel like a fair. Every one of them is rentable from the carnival and picnic games collection at Perfect Parties USA, and each comes with a planning tip on space, power, staffing or tickets, whether your carnival is in Boston, Hartford or Manchester.

Rides That Anchor the Midway

One or two rides make a carnival a carnival. These are the ones that fit a school field or a church lot.

1. Carnival Bumper Cars

Carnival Bumper Cars: Five bumper cars in an enclosed arena with an operator, about 45 riders an hour, and a minimum height of 42 inches so most of the elementary crowd qualifies. Planning Tip: It needs a 45 by 45 foot footprint and two dedicated 20 amp circuits, so place it first on the site map. Rent the Carnival Bumper Cars.

2. A Ferris Wheel Over the Grounds

50′ Ferris Wheel: A 50 foot Ferris wheel is the fairground silhouette people photograph from the road, and the ride grandparents will take. Planning Tip: Large rides need site checks, clearance and a longer lead time, so start the conversation the day you set the date. Rent the 50′ Ferris Wheel.

3. The Revolution Amusement Ride

Revolution Amusement Ride: A spinning thrill ride with real amusement park energy for the middle schoolers and teenagers who have outgrown the bounces. Planning Tip: Set it at the far end of the midway so its line pulls the crowd past every game. Rent the Revolution Amusement Ride.

4. The Trackless Train

Trackless Train: A trackless train carries up to 18 passengers per trip on a loop of the grounds and doubles as the shuttle from the parking lot. Planning Tip: Run it continuously with three stops; a five to seven minute loop keeps the line short. Rent the Trackless Train.

5. The Alpine Slide

Alpine Slide: Riders race down side by side for the fastest time, which works as open play or as a timed tournament with a leaderboard. Planning Tip: Run heats by grade in the afternoon and an all-comers final at dusk. Rent the Alpine Slide.

6. The Mechanical Bull

Mechanical Bull: A mechanical bull on an inflatable landing bed, with the operator dialing the ride from gentle to rodeo depending on who climbs on. Planning Tip: Put it where the crowd can gather three deep; the spectators are part of the attraction. Rent the Mechanical Bull.

The Game Midway

Games are where the tickets get spent, so give them the center of the grounds.

7. A Five-Booth Fall Midway

Fall Carnival Stalls (5): Five striped fall booths in one package: Apple Toss, Crow Knock Down, Pumpkin Darts, Ring A Corn and Scarecrow Tooth Knock Down. Planning Tip: Run them as a loop with a punch card and a prize for a full card. Rent the Fall Carnival Stalls package.

8. The Carnival Game Trailer

Carnival Game Trailer: A trailer with a full row of carnival games built into it, which means one delivery and one setup for most of a midway. Planning Tip: It is the shortcut for a carnival with a small volunteer crew and a big kid count. Rent the Carnival Game Trailer.

9. The Grand Carnival

The Grand Carnival: A large inflatable carnival game station with several games in one footprint, so one blower and one attendant run a whole corner of the midway. Planning Tip: Pair it with the five stalls and you have a full midway for 200 to 400 guests. Rent The Grand Carnival.

10. Roll-a-Ball Horse Racing

Deluxe Roll-a-Ball Horse Racer Carnival Booth: Roll balls into the holes to advance your horse down the track; first across the line wins, and a full row of players makes it the loudest booth on the grounds. Planning Tip: Run it in heats and hand the winner a ribbon rather than a candy; the ribbons get photographed. Rent the Deluxe Roll-a-Ball Horse Racer Carnival Booth.

11. Pumpkin Bowling

Halloween Pumpkin Bowling: Roll a real or foam pumpkin down a full lane at the seasonal pins, the game every age understands on sight. Planning Tip: Give it the end of the row, where its crowd will not block the booths. Rent Halloween Pumpkin Bowling.

12. Bobbing for Apples, Supersized

Bobbing for Apples: Two contestants in bungee harnesses race to fill their buckets with foam apples before the cord pulls them back, about 60 players an hour with a crowd of spectators built in. Planning Tip: Give it a 40 by 10 foot lane where a crowd of 20 does not block the walking loop. Rent Bobbing for Apples.

13. The High Striker

High Striker: Swing the mallet, ring the bell, and settle every argument about who is the strongest person at the carnival. Planning Tip: Post the day’s best hits by age group on a whiteboard; the leaderboard is the prize. Rent the High Striker.

14. A Corn Hole Tournament

Corn Hole: Full-size boards and a bracket on a whiteboard turn a lawn game into an event inside the event. Planning Tip: Sell bracket entries as a fundraiser and let the final play on the stage. Rent the Corn Hole set.

Big Inflatables for a Fall Carnival

Inflatables give the carnival scale without the site work of a ride.

15. The Corn Maze Inflatable

Corn Maze Inflatable: A 35 by 40 foot inflatable corn maze with an 11 foot 3D corn entrance, which runs more than 150 people an hour through its turns. Planning Tip: Make the exit a punch card stop so every child goes through once. Rent the Corn Maze Inflatable.

16. The Cob-stacle Course

Cob-stacle Course: A corn themed inflatable obstacle course, timed by grade for the kids who need to burn energy. Planning Tip: Post the best times next to it; the rematches keep the line full. Rent the Cob-stacle Course.

17. The Fun House Obstacle Course

Fun House Obstacle Course: A carnival fun house built as an inflatable obstacle course, for the crowd that wants a race and a laugh at the same time. Planning Tip: Run the Cob-stacle Course for the little kids and this one for the bigger ones, side by side. Rent the Fun House Obstacle Course.

18. Fun Fair Park Playland

Fun Fair Park Playland: A carnival themed inflatable play zone for the youngest guests, with a slide and a bounce area in one footprint. Planning Tip: It is the kid zone in a single rental, so give it the corner farthest from the bumper cars. Rent the Fun Fair Park Playland.

19. The Ferris Wheel Bounce House

Ferris Wheel Bounce House: A bounce house shaped like a Ferris wheel, which gives a small carnival the silhouette of a big one. Planning Tip: Put it where it can be seen from the entrance, and the toddlers will lead their parents straight to it. Rent the Ferris Wheel Bounce House.

Carnival Extras That Make the Grounds Feel Like a Fair

The pieces that turn a field with rides on it into a carnival.

20. A Carnival Entrance Arch

Carnival Entrance Way: An inflatable carnival entrance is the front door of the event and the first photo every family takes. Planning Tip: Put the ticket table just inside it. Rent the Carnival Entrance Way.

21. A Carnival Treat Shop

Carnival Treat Shop: An inflatable treat shop that turns a concession table into part of the midway. Planning Tip: Place it on the path to the exit, where the last purchase of the night gets made. Rent the Carnival Treat Shop.

22. A Cotton Candy Serving Window

Cotton Candy Inflatable Serving Window: An inflatable serving window themed for cotton candy, so the snack line looks like a fair booth instead of a folding table. Planning Tip: Set it beside the treat shop and run both with the same two volunteers. Rent the Cotton Candy Inflatable Serving Window.

23. Fun House Mirrors

Fun House Mirror Deluxe: A set of carnival fun house mirrors that need no attendant and never have an empty line. Planning Tip: Line them along the walkway between the rides and the midway so they entertain the crowd in transit. Rent the Fun House Mirror Deluxe.

24. Carnival Photos With a Midway Backdrop

Green Screen Photo Booth: Guests pose and the green screen drops them onto a midway, a Ferris wheel or a pumpkin patch, printed or texted on the spot. Planning Tip: Add the school or parish logo to the print. Rent the Green Screen Photo Booth.

25. A Prize Wheel at the Exit

Prize Wheel: A spin-to-win wheel where every slice pays out something, so the carnival ends on a guaranteed win. Planning Tip: Make a spin the reward for a full punch card, and your youngest volunteer can run it all afternoon. Rent the Prize Wheel.

How to Choose Fall Carnival Attractions for Your Event

Start with your crowd and your grounds. A PTA carnival on a school field wants the bumper cars, the five-booth midway, the Corn Maze Inflatable and the Fun Fair Park Playland, with tickets for the ride and the maze; the carnival game ideas for school fairs and carnivals guide covers the ticket and volunteer plan, and the carnival games for fundraisers post covers pricing. A parish festival on a lot wants the train, the treat shop and the midway, with the mechanical bull for the evening crowd. A town carnival with a big field is the one that earns a Ferris wheel and the Revolution.

As a rule of thumb, plan for one game booth per 25 to 50 guests and one ride or big inflatable per 150 to 200 guests, and book the rides first, because the last two weekends of October fill fast across Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire. The carnival ride rentals in Massachusetts guide covers the site requirements for the rides, the most popular carnival attractions post ranks the crowd draws, and if you are on the North Shore the amusement ride rentals in Peabody, MA page shows what is nearby. For the games themselves, the fall festival games list has the full lineup.

Rent Fall Carnival Attractions From Perfect Parties USA

Perfect Parties USA is based in Peabody, Massachusetts and owns hundreds of attractions, including every rentable item on this list, so the games you book are the games that arrive, maintained and ready to play. Every rental includes delivery, professional setup, trained attendants and prizes for staffed games, and complete teardown. We are fully insured, with a certificate of insurance available for venues and schools, and we have produced events of every size across New England and the Northeast for decades, from Massachusetts, Boston, Connecticut and Rhode Island to New Hampshire and New York.

Ready to get this party started? Contact Perfect Parties USA to talk to one of our Party Pros. Request a Quote.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best fall carnival ideas for a school?

The best school fall carnival ideas are the Carnival Bumper Cars as the headline ride, the five-booth Fall Carnival Stalls midway with a punch card, the Corn Maze Inflatable, a kid zone such as the Fun Fair Park Playland and a treat shop at the exit. Perfect Parties USA builds that lineup for PTAs across New England.

What fall carnival rides fit a school field or a church lot?

The Carnival Bumper Cars, the Trackless Train, the Alpine Slide and the Mechanical Bull all fit a school field or a parish lot, with the bumper cars needing a 45 by 45 foot footprint and two dedicated 20 amp circuits. A 50 foot Ferris Wheel or the Revolution Amusement Ride needs a bigger field and a longer lead time.

How many attractions do you need for a fall carnival?

Plan for one game booth per 25 to 50 guests and one ride or big inflatable per 150 to 200 guests. A carnival of 300 people runs well on the bumper cars, the five fall stalls, the Corn Maze Inflatable, one obstacle course and a kid zone. Perfect Parties USA sizes carnival lineups for schools and parishes across New England.

Can you rent carnival rides and games for a fall carnival?

Yes, every ride, booth and inflatable in this guide is available to rent, from the Carnival Bumper Cars and the Trackless Train to the Fall Carnival Stalls, the Carnival Game Trailer and the Corn Maze Inflatable. Rentals from Perfect Parties USA include delivery, professional setup, trained operators and attendants, and complete teardown.

Does Perfect Parties USA deliver fall carnival rentals in Massachusetts and New England?

Yes, Perfect Parties USA delivers fall carnival rentals across Massachusetts, including Boston and the North Shore, and throughout Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and New York. The company is based in Peabody, Massachusetts, owns its rides and games and provides a certificate of insurance for schools and parishes on request.

Is a fall carnival a good fundraiser?

A fall carnival is one of the strongest fall fundraisers a PTA or parish can run because rides and games sell tickets all afternoon. Charge per ride on the bumper cars and the mechanical bull, sell punch cards for the midway, run a Corn Hole bracket with an entry fee and put the big prizes on the Prize Wheel, and the rides pay for themselves.

How far in advance should you book fall carnival rides?

Book fall carnival rides two to three months ahead, and earlier for a Ferris wheel or the Revolution Amusement Ride, which involve site checks and permits. The Carnival Bumper Cars and the Fall Carnival Stalls package are reserved first for October weekends, so lock those in with Perfect Parties USA as soon as your date is set.