Pick a date and time for the school carnival when most families and friends will be able to attend. Don't make it too close to a holiday because many people may be out of town.
Organize volunteers to staff the carnival. You will need people to run games, sell tickets, work the concession stands, man the booths and clean up. Give them the power to come up with ideas on their own because it will take a large amount of work for you to do this and organize everything else.
Create and sell tickets in advance. Many people need plenty of notice to buy tickets and plan for the event. Encourage the students to help sell tickets.
Talk to the electrician ahead of time if you will need to run electricity to the games or booths. If the event will be hosted in the evening plan for extra lighting.
Order food and organize supplies for the concession stand. Make sure to allow plenty of time for delivery. Plan to store and refrigerate the food as well.
Host a bake sale at the school carnival. Send out fliers to parents who would like to bake and sell their favorite foods to help raise money.
Arrive early to begin set up and consult with your volunteers. Plan accordingly for any last minute problems.