Hosting a lemonade stand can be as easy as popping up a stand in your front yard or as extraordinary as creating a large community event!

This year, ALSF picked some “All-Star” Lemonade Days stand hosts that raised $2,000 last year—just like our founder Alex Scott did in 2000 at her first lemonade stand. Wondering how they did it? Keep reading!

1. Share the facts.

Stand host and hero mom, Tara Walters from Ellie Strong Lemonade Stand, suggests being prepared to educate lemonade drinkers about childhood cancer and the need for research. And don’t worry, because ALSF has you covered with some great information including an infographic for adults and a special infographic just for kids. 

2. Play the Long Game.

The Lightfoot Lemons, a group of co-workers from the Birmingham, Alabama law firm of Lightfoot, Franklin and White, maximize their fundraising power by treating their stand as a campaign to fundraise over time, as opposed to a one-day event! They share their online fundraising page in advance and after the event to increase donations. 

3. Never Underestimate the Power of Good Signage.

The amazing hosts of Jared’s Annual Lemonade Stand use neighborhood and community signage to draw in more traffic on the day of their event. Signage is available in the Lemonade Days stand kits and also on the ALSF website to download and print. You can also get creative and make your own signs! 

4. Step Up Your Offerings with Donations.

Stephen Loftis, Vice President of Marketing for Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, reaches out to food vendors for support. The vendors donate ingredients that allow Firebirds to increase their cash donation to help kids fight cancer!

5. Get Social.

Dash, who organizes the Village Garden Center Lemonade Stand, suggests not only using your personal social media pages to promote the lemonade stand, but also to post your event details in neighborhood groups to get the community excited. Need more social media tips, check out the ALSF social media tip sheet, here.

6. Make it a Tradition.

The friends and family of Kylie have held their stand at the same park year after year. And each year, the community expects them to be there and shows up to support their stand. 

7. Get to Know Alex!

The students at Stewart Manor School have gotten to know Alex’s story and the history of the Foundation. The school’s co-director, Nicole said: “By educating people about the cause and telling them about Alex, the students take great pride in what they’re doing and are motivated by compassion. As a result, they put their whole heart into fundraising.”

8. No Gift is Too Big or Too Small.

The students and teachers at Southwest Elementary use Alex’s wisdom that every penny counts! They remind supporters that no gift is too small or too large; because every penny adds up to a cure.

9. Take it offline.

The families behind Althea’s and Christopher’s Downtown West Chester Stand use their online fundraising page, but also make sure to interact directly with members of their community. Sharing stories and experiences, along with lemonade, is what really builds the interest (and support) of the community!

10. Be Your Own Publicist.

Hero mom and stand host Gretchen reaches out to her local newspapers with her story. Every time an article appears…and so do more online donations! 

11. Add a Bake Sale.

Who doesn’t love a cookie and a cup of lemonade?  At Annabelle and Daniel’s Annual Lemonade Stand, mom, Dina, does all the baking to help get more donations. To make it less overwhelming, Dina bakes in advance and freezes everything so she is ready to go on the big day!

12. Show Your Lemonade Spirit.

At Janney Montgomery Scott, showing their Lemonade spirit is the key their success. Their energetic and enthusiastic staff help give the stand amazing energy and they even have someone who dresses in a lemon costume!

13. Planning in Advance for Mega Impact.

Theresa Dudas, an Elsevier employee, says the key to their success is advance planning which allows plenty of time for employees to share the fundraising page!

14. Have Fun!

The best part of Lemonade Days is the fun you will have raising money to help researchers get closer to cures. At the Kids Helping Kids Fight Cancer Lemonade Stand, they have fun and draw in a crowd!   

Be a part of ALSF's efforts to fight childhood cancer during Lemonade Days, June 2-10, 2018. Lemonade Days is an annual event when thousands of supporters around the country host a lemonade stand or an event in their community to raise money for much-needed childhood cancer research.

Participation from individuals, families, businesses and childhood cancer hero families make this a special time to take a stand (a lemonade stand) against childhood cancer. Register here!