Fundraiser Auction Entertainment at a School Action: Mechanical Bull
Yee haw! During the silent auction at this school auction, guests got to ride a mechanical bull.
I’d not seen this entertainment activity at any of our other benefit auctions.
This private school auction had a western-themed auction fundraiser. To add to the ambiance, they brought in a mechanical bull for guests to ride during the silent auction period of the evening.
Although guests were wary at first, they eventually warmed to the idea and gave it a try.
The bull was positioned in the middle of an inflatable “ring.” It resembled an inflatable swimming pool for small children. When the guest was thrown off the bull (some sooner than others), he or she had a comfortable (relatively-speaking) landing.
The mechanical bull activity was easily set-up and tore-down by the entertainment company.
Because this was a western theme, guests were encouraged to dress the part. Most guests wore jeans, which was conducive to the activity of bull-riding. Men favored the activity over women, although I did see at least one woman give it a shot.
The school auction itself was held in the school auditorium. The bull was set-up in the center, on the side of the auditorium, near the bleachers. Although guests did stop shopping in the silent auction to watch the riders, it wasn’t a noticeable distraction to the silent auction itself. Most people would watch one or two guests ride, and then they’d move on, drifting back to the silent auction or bar.
The rules of riding the bull are posted outside the ring.
During the live auction, when we asked guests to sit in the bleachers, the inflatable ring was deflated so guests could easily walk to that section of the wall. Here’s a better photo of the crowd.
If you’re conducting a western-themed event and guests will be wearing casual clothing, consider talking to an entertainment company about renting a mechanical bull. It was a fun addition.
(c) 2009 Red Apple Auctions LLC
Leave a Comment