Spring racing changes the rhythm of a regional town. The Bendigo Cup brings people into town in November, and the weeks around it fill up with Cup lunches, marquee bookings, fashions on the field and staff parties. If your pub, cafe, club, salon or shop is doing something for it, good Cup week signage and a tidy set of staff shirts are what let people know, and what makes the day look planned rather than thrown together.
This checklist works from the kerb inwards. None of it needs to be big, but it does need to be ordered before the rush.
What should Cup week signage actually do?
Race day signage has three jobs.
Tell people something is on. A Cup lunch, a marquee, extended hours or a Cup day special. One message, big enough to read from a car.
Show them where to go. The entrance, the booking desk, the marquee out the back, the car park.
Make the day feel like an occasion. Matching colours on the flags, the banner and the staff shirts do more for the atmosphere than any single sign.
Unsure how much to put on each piece? Our guide to what to include on event signage and what to skip walks through it. The short version: the event, the time and how to book. Everything else can live on your website or a QR code.
Outside the venue: flags, A-frames and fence banners
The kerb is where people decide whether to stop. A custom flag is the quickest way to be seen from the road. They come in five heights, from about 1.8 metres for a doorway up to about 4.6 metres for a forecourt or a car park, with a ground spike for grass or a cross base for hard surfaces. The printed skin can be reprinted on its own later, so next year you keep the pole and base and swap the message.
At the door, an outdoor A-frame carries the detail: "Cup lunch from 12. Bookings at the bar." If your message changes through the week, a changeover A-frame lets you slide in a new poster rather than print a new sign.
For a fence, a balcony or a beer garden wall, a vinyl banner is the workhorse. It is hemmed with brass eyelets, so your team can cable-tie it up in minutes. If the fence is exposed to wind, ask about mesh banners, which let the air through.
Rule of thumb: if a driver cannot read the headline in the time it takes to pass, it is too long. Aim for five or six words on anything facing the road.
Cup lunches and marquees
If you are setting up an outdoor area, branded shade makes it look like a proper event space. A printed aluminium gazebo comes in sizes from 2 by 2 metres up to 6 by 3 metres, and optional walls carry the branding while blocking wind and afternoon sun. For smaller courtyards, market umbrellas give you shade and colour without taking over the space.
Fashions on the field and Cup parties both want a photo spot. A media wall gives guests a branded backdrop for photos, and those photos end up on social media with your name in the frame. A pull up banner at the entry or the booking desk is a lighter option that packs into its own bag afterwards.
Inside: menus, posters and the front window
A set Cup day menu is easier on the kitchen and easier for guests. Print it as its own card rather than squeezing it onto your everyday menus, so the regular menu is untouched when the week is over. Advertising posters work well at the counter and in the toilets for race times and the sweep.
Your front window is free advertising space for the whole week. Temporary window lettering can announce the Cup lunch and come off afterwards. If your hours change for Cup week, update the door as well, so nobody turns up to a locked door on the day.
What should staff wear for Cup week?
On a busy day, guests need to find a staff member in a crowd. Matching shirts do that, and they make a small team look organised. A few things to think about:
Polos for front of house. A polo with a left chest logo looks smart enough for a Cup lunch without being formal.
Aprons for the bar and kitchen. Printed aprons carry the branding while protecting the good shirt underneath.
Shade for outdoor shifts. November sun is real. A cap or a bucket hat with your logo keeps staff comfortable and looks deliberate.
Tees for volunteers and casual crew. A classic tee in a strong colour is easy to spot and easy to reorder.
Small runs are no problem. Full colour logos are made with DTF transfers, which suit a handful of shirts as well as a few dozen. Our explainer on DTF printing and small runs covers how it works, and how many shirts to order for your team helps with sizes and spares.
Hosting a Cup function or sponsoring a table? Branded stubby holders are made for a spring afternoon and go home with every guest.
When should you order for Cup week?
Work backwards from the day, not forwards from when you remember. Allow time for three things: getting the design right, checking the proof, and the making itself. Each product page shows an estimated turnaround, so you can see how much time a flag or a gazebo needs before you commit.
The weeks before the Cup are busy for every venue in town. Early October is a sensible time to start. Our guide to how early to order printing for events has a simple planning timeline.
Before you order: measure the fence, the window and the space where the gazebo will go, and send us the sizes. We design to your measurements, and your team or your builder puts the signs up.
Common questions
What is the best sign for a pub or cafe on Cup day?
For most venues, a tall flag at the kerb and an A-frame at the door do the most work. Add a fence banner if you have street frontage, and a marquee if the lunch is outside.
Can we reuse our Cup signage next year?
Yes, if you plan for it. Keep the year off the big pieces and put it on a poster or A-frame insert instead. Flag skins can be reprinted on their own, so the hardware lasts for years.
Do you put the banners up for us?
No. We design, proof and supply them, and you or your team hang them. Vinyl banners come with eyelets for cable ties, and flags come with their pole, base and carry bag.
Can we order just a few staff shirts?
Yes. Small runs are welcome, and you can design them yourself on the website or ask us to set them up.
Ready to start? Browse our signs and banners for the outside of the venue, or staff apparel for the team, and each page will show live pricing and an estimated turnaround.
