A health fair is an event where organizations have an opportunity to disseminate health information to the public at booths and/or to provide health screenings. Health fairs are usually co-sponsored by groups, including hospitals, churches, sororities, and community organizations. They may last anywhere from a few hours to a few days.

The resources below will give you planning tips and resources on how to coordinate a health fair in your community.

If you are coordinating a health fair, the Health Fair Planning Guide can help get you started.
 

Download the Health Fair Time Table Checklist for a list of what to do when.

Need handouts & information? We've compiled resource packets of our favorite tips and fact sheets for your use.
 

1. Pay attention to small details, including those related to trash cans, water locations, electrical outlets, smoke alarms (if you have something like a popcorn machine), lost and found items, and name tags.
   
2. Have a back-up plan for last minute vendor cancellations or no-shows. Always have a co-chair on the planning committee, and plan knowing you will probably lose some members of the committee during the planning process.
   
3. If this is your first health fair, pay special attention to getting the word out about it in your community. Vendors and organizations that participate rely on having people with whom they can interact. Poor attendance should be avoided as much as possible.
    
4. Prepare an historical binder of vendors, evaluation forms, time lines for each planning step, sample letters, publicity materials, and lessons learned to help with future planning efforts.

Would you like to request Mecklenburg County Health Department services for your health fair?
Tell us about your event and make your request online.

Have a health fair to promote?
Add it to our community calendar, by clicking the "event calendar" link at right.