Tremont Elementary School families can mark Friday, Oct. 9, for the school's annual Fall Fest, a free carnival-style evening running from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on the Upper Arlington campus.

The Tremont PTO is billing the event as the first family gathering of the school year. Carnival games, bounce houses, photo booths and food trucks will fill the grounds, according to the PTO's event page. Admission is free.

The PTO called Fall Fest "one of Tremont's biggest nights of the year" in its Oct. 2 newsletter.

The centerpiece is the classroom basket raffle. Each classroom assembles a themed basket, and families buy $1 tickets to drop into the basket they want to win. Raffle tickets go on sale the week of Oct. 6 before and after school, and sales continue at Fall Fest until 7:30 p.m.

Students get a head start. On Thursday, Oct. 8, they will visit the Media Center for a sneak peek at the baskets and can place tickets in their favorites ahead of Friday's event.

Fall Fest caps a full day of fundraising. The PTO's Walk-A-Thon takes place during school hours on Oct. 9, with an $18,000 goal to fund enrichment programs, classroom supplies, teacher support and service activities for students and staff at Tremont.

Volunteers needed

The PTO said the event cannot run without extra hands. Three volunteer roles are open: raffle ticket sales in 20-minute slots before and after school during the week, basket monitoring on Thursday with staff member Ms. Goins as students tour the Media Center, and Fall Fest setup, breakdown and supervision of middle school volunteers in shifts of 45 minutes to two hours.

Parents can sign up through SignUpGenius links on the Tremont PTO website.

Fall Fest details: Friday, Oct. 9, 5:30–8 p.m., Tremont Elementary School, Upper Arlington. Free admission. Raffle tickets $1 each.