Anchoring script in English: a full annual function script and lines for any event
An anchoring script is what the host (anchor or emcee) says to open an event, introduce each guest and performance, link one part to the next, and close. Below is a complete anchoring script for a school or college annual function in ten parts, short scripts for farewell, freshers, Teachers’ Day and a formal seminar, a bank of transition lines, and tips to deliver it naturally. Copy it, change the names, and practise it out loud.
By The YoFluent teamUpdated 10 min read
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Full anchoring script for an annual function
1. Opening
Good evening, everyone! A very warm welcome to our honourable chief guest, our respected principal, dear teachers, proud parents and my dear friends.
I am Riya, and along with my co-anchor Aditya, I will be your host for this evening.
Tonight is not just a function. It is a celebration of one whole year of hard work, talent and dreams. So please switch your phones to silent, sit back, and enjoy the 25th Annual Day of Green Valley School!
2. Lamp lighting
Every good beginning needs light. May I request our chief guest, our principal and the members of the management to come to the stage for the lighting of the lamp.
(After the lamp) Thank you. May this light guide us through the evening and through the year ahead.
3. Welcome song and welcome speech
To welcome our guests in the most beautiful way, the school choir will now present a welcome song.
Thank you, choir. Now, to formally welcome our guests, I invite our head girl, Meera Joshi, to deliver the welcome speech.
4. Introducing the chief guest
It is our honour to have with us tonight Dr. Anil Verma, a paediatrician who has served our city for over twenty years and who runs free health camps in nearby villages.
May I request our principal to welcome him with a bouquet. A big round of applause, please!
5. Annual report
A school is only as strong as its year. To tell us about the achievements of the past year, I invite our principal, Mrs. Sunita Rao, to present the annual report.
6. Performances (link between acts)
Now it’s time for the moment our students have been practising for weeks. Our first performance is a classical dance by the students of class 6. Please welcome them with a loud applause!
(After) Wasn’t that graceful? From the classics, let’s move to something with a lot more energy. Get ready for a Bollywood medley by class 9!
(Before a play) They say the world is a stage. Tonight, our stage becomes a forest. Presenting the English play “The Lion Who Listened” by class 7.
7. Chief guest’s address
We have been inspired by our students. Now we would love to be inspired by our chief guest. May I request Dr. Verma to say a few words.
8. Prize distribution
Hard work deserves recognition. We now move to the prize distribution. May I request our chief guest and principal to give away the prizes.
The award for the best academic performance in class 10 goes to… Neha Gupta! Please come to the stage.
9. Vote of thanks
An evening like this needs many hands. To thank everyone who made it possible, I invite our head boy, Karan Singh, to propose the vote of thanks.
10. Closing
And with that, we come to the end of a wonderful evening. Thank you for being such an amazing audience.
May I request everyone to please stand for the National Anthem.
(After) Thank you, and good night!
The names, school and acts are examples. Replace them, and check every guest’s name and title with the organiser before the event.
Short anchoring scripts for other events
Farewell party
Good afternoon, everyone. Today is a day of smiles and a few tears. We are here to say goodbye to our seniors, who taught us that school is not just about marks, but about friendship. Let’s make this afternoon one they will remember. To begin, I invite our principal to share a few words with the outgoing batch.Freshers’ party
Hello, hello, freshers! Welcome to the best years of your life. We know you are nervous; we were too. So tonight, there are no assignments, no attendance, just fun. First up, let’s break the ice with a quick game. Can I have five volunteers on stage?Teachers’ Day
Good morning to our wonderful teachers and dear friends. Today we celebrate the people who believe in us even on the days we don’t believe in ourselves. Happy Teachers’ Day! We have planned a few surprises, and our first one is a song by class 10.Formal seminar or conference
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to today’s seminar on “Careers in Artificial Intelligence”. I am Nikhil, and I will be moderating the session. We have three speakers, each speaking for twenty minutes, followed by a question-and-answer round. Our first speaker is Ms. Kavita Desai, a data scientist with ten years of experience. Please welcome her.Transition lines between performances
| Situation | Line |
|---|---|
| After a dance | “What energy! Let’s give them one more round of applause.” |
| Before a song | “Music speaks where words fail. Here is…” |
| Before a play | “Let’s step into a different world for the next ten minutes.” |
| Calm after a loud act | “Let’s slow things down a little with…” |
| Technical delay | “While the team gets the stage ready, here’s a quick question for the audience…” |
| Introducing a guest | “It is my honour to invite…, who…” |
| Asking for applause | “Please put your hands together for…” |
Opening lines that set the mood
- “Good evening, everyone! The lights are on, the stage is ready, and so are our performers.”
- “A warm welcome to all of you. Tonight is about celebrating a year of effort, and every one of you is part of it.”
- “They say a school is not a building, it’s the people. Tonight, you’ll see why.”
- “Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for joining us for a day of ideas and learning.”
Tips for anchoring in English
- Know the running order better than anyone. Keep a printed copy with timings and names.
- Learn names and titles and how to pronounce them. Ask before the event.
- Keep links short. 15–30 seconds between acts; the audience came for the performances.
- Prepare two fillers (a quiz question, a quick audience game) for delays.
- With a co-anchor, split lines in advance and practise the hand-overs.
- Speak slower than feels normal into a microphone, and smile. It shows in your voice.
- The welcome and thanks have their own speeches: see welcome speech and our speech guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is an anchoring script?
An anchoring script is the text the host (anchor or emcee) of an event uses to welcome the audience, introduce guests and performances, link one part of the programme to the next, and close the event.
How do I start anchoring an event?
Greet the audience and welcome the chief guest, principal, teachers, parents and students by name or role; introduce yourself and your co-anchor; say what event it is and set the mood in one or two sentences; then invite the first item, usually the lamp lighting or a welcome song.
What is the order of an annual function programme?
A typical order is: welcome by the anchors, lamp lighting, welcome song and welcome speech, chief guest introduction, annual report, performances, chief guest’s address, prize distribution, vote of thanks and the national anthem.
How do I end an anchoring script?
Thank the guests, performers and audience, invite the person giving the vote of thanks, ask everyone to stand for the national anthem if it is part of the programme, and close with “Thank you, and good night.”
How can I anchor confidently?
Learn the running order and every name, keep links between acts short, prepare fillers for delays, rehearse out loud with the microphone if possible, speak slowly and smile.
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- Master of ceremonies, Wikipedia
- Vote of thanks, Wiktionary
- Public speaking, Wikipedia