Putting the spring back into spring fairs, fêtes and fiestas in COVID-19 times

Spring fairs are a staple of many schools, particularly those running kitchen garden programs, where garden produce and cooking prowess can shine. In “these times” schools are getting creative with online and COVID-friendly offerings.

Westgarth Primary School in Melbourne’s north runs a vibrant kitchen garden program which is showcased in their annual “La Gran Fiesta” each October.

In 2020 the school ran a virtual fiesta (“La Siesta Fiesta”!) and incorporated aspects of the program in activities. A real life fiesta would typically include a display of kitchen garden produce, along with a competition, and fiesta organiser and school parent Emma Savage reports: “Last year we took the competition into an online format where kids could decorate cakes, make fruit sculptures, or arrange flowers at home, photograph their entry and send it in.” The entries were then compiled into a Powerpoint slideshow and set to music by one of the clever teachers, then distributed to families via the Seesaw learning app (which families were well and truly familiar with from remote learning!).

Emma continues: “Our focus was on kids using flowers in their arrangements that they or their family had grown in their garden, so our theme was 'garden posy'. We chose the theme 'fiesta' for the fruit and vegetable sculpture section, and allowed kids to choose their own theme for cake decoration, so we saw a full range of artistic expression.

Fingers are crossed, and plans are afoot, for a “real” fiesta this year, with the school hoping to strengthen the kitchen garden program link with an option for garden tours and selling some food prepared by the children as a morning tea option.

The Foundation team put their heads together for some other ideas for your virtual spring fair celebrations. How about:

• a video walkthrough of the garden 
• an online cooking together session 
• students sharing what they’re doing at home as part of their kitchen garden program – shared via online learning platforms, your website, social media or the Shared Table, so the wider community can enjoy 
• educator cooking challenge.

And for more ideas, members can check out the spring fair resource on the Shared Table, and of course, your ideas are our inspiration – show us how you’ve been adapting and adopting by posting on the Shared Table or social media.