Planning process

When the Virginia Tech-Roanoke Flip the Fair takes place in late September, planning for Flip the Fair typically begins in early to mid summer (around May). For an initial iteration and partnership building, we suggest meeting in January and reaching out to potential partners no later than early spring (around February-March). Public schools, libraries, and university units  often have their calendars set 6-12 months in advance.

Start with a meeting between the core organizing team and any key community collaborators. One of the most important early steps is selecting a date for the event.

If you're working with partners like a public library or local school district, they will likely already have their calendars set for the upcoming semester. Defer to their availability when choosing your date, especially considering school field trip schedules and library programming. On the university side, it’s ideal to hold Flip the Fair early in the academic term (e.g., September), before students and organizers become overwhelmed with coursework or other responsibilities.

Begin holding weekly planning meetings in July or August. We have found one hour per week to be sufficient in past years to assign tasks to each planning member, check in on progress, and identify questions or needs. Consistent task assignment and shared updates help distribute the workload, clarify ownership, guarantee momentum, and keep the full team aligned as planning moves forward.