SMALL BUSINESS CARNIVAL

The Small Business Carnival is a curated loop of carnival-style game and activity stations, each hosted by a local small business or organization. We’re looking for 10–20 local businesses to set up their own station inside the covered arena on Saturday, October 31, 2026 — running games, activities, and handing out prizes to festival attendees of all ages.

It’s part community fair, part carnival midway, and entirely Queen Creek. Stations are set up inside Arena 3 at Horseshoe Park & Equestrian Centre, on a hard-packed, wheelchair-accessible surface — rain or shine.

Who Can Participate?

This opportunity is open to:

  • Local small businesses with 50 or fewer employees in the Queen Creek, San Tan Valley, and surrounding area
  • Businesses with more than 50 employees that have been open for less than three years

Each participating business pays a $50 fee to reserve their station. Space is limited to 10–20 businesses and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis — applications close September 25, 2026 or when full, whichever comes first.


What You’ll Need to Bring

Your station, your game, your prizes — we provide the space, you bring the fun. Each business is responsible for:

  • The game or activity itself, including any tables, chairs, or equipment needed
  • Prizes for participants (all prizes must be approved by the Horseshoe Harvest Hangout team prior to the event)
  • Setup completed by 11:15 AM on Saturday — stations may not be torn down before 6:00 PM

Branded signage and banners are welcome and encouraged at your station. Pop-up canopy frames may be used to create your station structure, though canopy covers are not necessary as stations are under the covered arena.

A few things to keep in mind:

  • Hay, straw bales, and ground cover/shavings are not permitted at stations (mats are acceptable)
  • No sales at your station — this is a games and activities area only. Vendors interested in selling should contact vendors@horseshoeharvest.com
  • Soft lead generation for adults is permitted (such as a follow-to-win social media contest), but participation in your activity cannot be made conditional on lead generation

Prizes

Prizes are provided by you and can be a great way to get your brand in front of attendees — branded items like sunglasses, pens, or other promotional products are a great fit, as long as they are appropriate for children of all ages. Candy is also welcome as a minor prize. Food prizes such as cupcakes must be approved by the Horseshoe Harvest Hangout team and are subject to Maricopa County Health Department rules and regulations. All candy must be in sealed packaging prior to the event.


Cross-Promotion

If selected, your business agrees to cross-promote Horseshoe Harvest Hangout a minimum of two times leading up to the event. This could include hanging an HHH flyer or poster at your location, sharing our social media posts, or posting an original invite encouraging your audience to come see you at the event. Original social media posts must be approved by the HHH team prior to posting.


Not Sure What Game to Do?

Think school carnival. Think fall festival. There are plenty of easy, crowd-pleasing options that can be put together with a little DIY creativity or purchased as ready-to-go kits. A few ideas to get you started:

  • Cake or Cupcake Walk — A crowd favorite for all ages. Number ten spots in a circle, have participants walk as music plays, and the person standing on the called number wins a cupcake.
  • Duck Pond — Float numbered rubber ducks in a stock tank. Participants pick a duck and win the corresponding prize. Great for all ages.
  • Bean Bag Toss — A classic. Create or purchase a fall or Halloween-themed backdrop and let players toss away.
  • Ring Toss — Set up bottles in a square and have players try to land their rings. (Note: we are a Pepsi facility, so please use Pepsi-branded bottles if using clearly identifiable bottles.)
  • Dummy Roping — A natural fit for the western atmosphere. Teach attendees how to rope a steer head — great for ages 3 and up.
  • Pumpkin Tic-Tac-Toe — Two players compete on a tic-tac-toe board using two types of mini gourds or pumpkins. Good for ages 5 and up.
  • Races — Sack races, stick horse races, or three-legged races grouped by age. Short course, big laughs.

Still stuck? Search “fall festival game ideas” online — you’ll find no shortage of inspiration.

Ready to Get Involved?

Space is limited and is already filling up quickly. If you’re a local small business ready to bring the fun to Horseshoe Harvest Hangout, we’d love to have you. Please see the sign up form below for a chance for your business to set up at Horseshoe Harvest Hangout!

Questions? Reach out to the Horseshoe Harvest Hangout team — we’re happy to help you find the right fit for your business.

SMALL BUSINESS CARNIVAL INTEREST FORM

Business/organization/individual
Tiktok, X, Threads, or other social platforms
Mailing Address
What level of sponsorship are you interested in?
Drag & Drop Files, Choose Files to Upload You can upload up to 3 files.
If you have the file ready, please upload your logo here in either AI. PDF. JPEG or any type of vector file. If not, please email it to dru@horseshoeharvest.com at your earliest convenience.
An example of a short announcement: “To make the best better”, which is the 4-H slogan. 65 character limit.
Acknowledgement
Please check the box to acknowledge that this is an interest form only and does not guarantee a certain sponsorship level.

Do you have a question?
Contact Dru Alberti at 480-766-2830
or by email at dru@horseshoeharvest.com.

COME HANGOUT WITH US!

Friday and Saturday
October 30 & 31, 2026

Horseshoe Park & Equestrian Centre
20464 E Riggs Rd
Queen Creek, AZ 85142

EVENT FAQ CONTACT

Facebook-squared Facebook-squared
Instagram-1 Instagram-1

Signup for Event Updates & Giveaways!