• Allow enough time for planning. Don't let the success of your health fair suffer by scrimping on time! Ideally, you should have between four and 10 months to organize everything, but always try to allow at least two months for planning.

• Determine your message and your audience. Is there a specific theme you want to focus on (e.g. nutrition), or will the fair feature a variety of health information? Determining the message and the audience go hand-in-hand.

• Form a planning committee. Identify general areas that need coordination and recruit volunteers in each of those areas. These might include: registration and information, fair-site logistics, exhibitors, sponsors, publicity, and fair evaluation. The planning committee may also help to select the theme (if the fair has one) and choose the date and location of the fair.

Some things for the planning committee to keep in mind:

• Don't schedule the fair at the same time that another big event is going on. It could negatively affect attendance at the fair.

• Choose a place that is conveniently located for the audience you're trying to attract to the fair, perhaps at a school or hospital.

• Find volunteers. Student groups, schools, community service organizations, church groups, senior citizen centers, and advocacy groups are good places to start looking for volunteers.