Here are some guidelines to help someone organising a barn dance for the first time. The suggestions are obviously not sacrosanct; but have been compiled from experience gained of playing and calling for Barn Dances over the last 15 years. We hope that they are helpful!

Do s:
 

• Find yourself a nice spacious hall. (if you want to put a figure on it, 20 square feet or 2 square metres of dance area, per person dancing, is comfortable, plus the extra space round the outside for tables, and 12 feet by 9 or 4 metres by 3 for the band)
• Get yourself a good band and caller; it makes all the difference!
• Run from say 8 - 11:30
• Check what time the hall must be cleared by, and arrange for the band to stop half an hour before that
• Check on access arrangements, keys etc. The band will need to get in, about an hour before the start
• Have a bar, or allow people to bring their own refreshments (tell them which). It seems to lubricate the evening
• Advertise the dance (if you like, use the poster you get with our booking letter) and ensure people know they are coming to a barn dance
• Organise a break in the middle with food. Simple food is best and quickest, so everyone can get back into the dancing. Things like any of: Chilli con Carne, ploughmans, Chicken / Fish and chips, or baked potatoes, filling and salad, always seem to go down well. Don't forget about the vegetarians!
• Have a raffle; it raises money and breaks up the second half. (Try awarding the prizes in reverse order to keep the suspense  right up to the last prize.)
• Plan it well ahead and advertise so people can get it in their diaries. Work out how to get people to commit early so you don't go through the agonies of   "Should we cancel, its only a week off and we've only sold ten tickets." Perhaps offer a discount for tickets paid for, before a certain date. Many bands (for obvious reasons) have high cancellation fees, especially if this is done in the last week.
• Encourage people to come in a group (perhap a discount again); it's better for ticket sales! and its more fun!

• Don't run past 12; invariably some people will leave and the reduction in numbers diminshes the by then atmosphere of fun.
• Don't spread straw on the floor; this makes it very slippery and painful when people fall over. Also do take care with straw bales if you have a mind to use them, because of the fire hazard. We regret that the band will stop playing and leave the hall, if straw bales and smokers are present at the same time.
• Don't arrange the seating out of sight of the band. For some inexplicable reason, people seem very reluctant to get up with this layout.
• Don't organise a three course sit down meal with coffee (unless you are talking about a wedding of course.) We have never known this take less than an hour and a half, and you only have the band available for 3½ hours anyway.
• Don't advertise it as a Country and Western Evening; they are altogether different.
• Don't organise any competing attraction, or have the food available across several hours; this detracts from the dance.
• Try not to have the bar in a different room from the dance. You lose most of the men!

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