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If you’re looking for an event that will be popular and attended by many people, then a community event is the way to go! Community events are easy to market to your target demographic and you can even integrate local businesses and restaurants to help out!
A community event is an event that highlights a local community and its residents. Events within the community bring community members together to support the event! There is no certain form your community event needs to follow; it can be in the form that works best for the type of event you’re having! A community event highlights the area and brings everyone together to build strong relationships.
As mentioned above, community events are a great way to bring people together to socialize and get to know each other better. There are a few benefits to hosting a community that will greatly impact the event hosts as well as the community members.
There are times that members of the community may not be all coming together. For example, after the holidays are over, people typically stay in their houses. With this knowledge, use it to your advantage! Planning an event will bring people out of their houses and socialize with their friends and neighbors. Community events allow people to get out and meet people they may not otherwise know. These events may even turn into networking opportunities, which can help people in their personal and professional lives!
Choosing a target audience can be difficult, but when you plan a community event, the target audience is right in town! As long as you market your event correctly, you will attract the right audience. Partner with local businesses to promote your event by putting fliers and posters in shop windows, which will be seen by hundreds of passersbys!
When you host a community event, you will get to meet all kinds of people, with all different backgrounds. Building a strong bond with those people will translate into more people who support you and all of the events you host. As we know, there are several types of events that you can host, from fundraisers to walkathons! When you create strong bonds, and even friendships with the members of the community, they will give back that support by attending your events.
Through community events, you are able to give back to the community that houses the wonderful supporting members. Whether you give back with a monetary donation, charity work or landscaping, the community will benefit in more ways than one. The residents will receive benefits that will make their community look better and they will feel proud to live in this community!
Community events can happen for a number of reasons. You might need to raise money for charity, celebrate diversity or just to simply have fun! Whatever the reason for your community event, you can be sure that the turnout will be great and everyone will have a great time! These 25 community event ideas will help you plan a flawless event that everyone will remember.
Charity events within the community can be marketed right to your target audience! You can also raise funds for the cause at hand, while community members can learn more about the community.
<span class="mid-size-title">1. Organize A Community-Wide Donation Drive</span>
With a community-wide donation drive, there is one common goal that everyone is working towards, and that is helping others in need. If there is a specific organization or cause that you are asking for donations for, go to them directly and ask what they need! You can set up various drop-off spot locations around the town, so they will be accessible for everyone. Some popular donation items may include:
<span class="mid-size-title">2. Invite Residents To Attend A Black Tie Gala And Silent Auction</span>
A black tie gala is a wonderful way to get the members of the community out and into their fancy dress! Typically with black tie galas, there is usually an auction to raise even more money. The silent auction usually has big ticket items that guests can bid on, such as a vacation or brand new set of golf clubs. Tickets to the gala can be sold to community members and that money can go directly towards the cause you are raising money for. This event is a great night out for everyone involved, and a great way to raise money for your cause!
<span class="mid-size-title">3. Impress Community Members With A Charity Concert</span>
Another great way to raise money is to have a charity concert! Benefit concerts bring people together through music, which everybody loves! If you need help in booking a band or musician, ask the community who their favorite local artists are; there may also be local bands who’d be more than willing to play at the charity concert! Once you secure the music, look for a venue that will fit everyone and can accommodate the musicians. You can sell tickets to this event through an event website, which will have all of the information regarding the event, such as location, date and time!
<span class="mid-size-title">4. Host A Nature Walk or Marathon</span>
Getting outdoors and getting fresh air with the community is a great way to get out there and meet new people! Marathons may not be for everyone, but there is a small community of people who enjoy running and are willing to do so. They can raise money for each mile run, and that money can go directly to the cause. Marathons need volunteers to pass out water, set up signs, etc. Marathons can get the whole community out to help or run the miles. If a nature walk is more the community’s speed, then you can create a checklist of items to look for while on the walk. People of all ages can participate in this nature walk and it will get everybody up and moving!
<span class="mid-size-title">5. Host A Talent Show</span>
Talent shows can showcase the talents of community members of all ages! Don’t put an age limit on who can participate, because there are people, young and old, who have a special talent and they should be showcased. You can sell tickets to the talent show and put those proceeds directly to the cause you’re raising money for!
<span class="mid-size-title">6. Host A Live Show</span>
Live shows can bring in all types of people, depending on what type of live show you host; you can bring in musicians, magicians or even a trivia night! These types of live shows can be altered, depending on the age demographic you are trying to attract. If you choose to have a magician, for example, it can be held on a weekend morning, so all the young children in the community can attend. If you choose to have a musician or a comedian, this can be done at night, so the adults in the community can have a night out. Whichever type of live show you have, you can be sure that the community and its residents will benefit from it!
Within every community, there are going to be people with all different backgrounds. Celebrating those different cultures will bring the community together by educating and learning about one another and their backgrounds.
<span class="mid-size-title">7. Host A Heritage Celebration</span>
If your community has a unique background or an interesting history, you should celebrate that within your community. Hosting a heritage celebration is a great way to have the residents learn about the history that they might not know about. This festival can showcase any crafts, food or entertainment regarding the history of the community.
<span class="mid-size-title">8. Organize A Cultural Food Festival</span>
As mentioned above, food festivals are a great way to share information about the community and its background and history! Invite local restaurants to participate in this food festival, showcasing their best dishes. Not only will the residents get to try all kinds of food and drink from the local establishments, but in turn, the restaurants will receive promotion and business opportunities! A community that celebrates diversity and cultural food is a community that will be respected by everyone.
<span class="mid-size-title">9. Plan Tourist In Your Own Town Events</span>
Becoming a tourist in your own town for a day is a fun way for residents to explore their own town, something they may have never done before! While they most likely drive through their town each day, they may not truly appreciate it for all it has to offer. Encourage the town’s stores and businesses to open their doors and welcome people to window shop or purchase items. If there are any hidden gems within the community, be sure to highlight them, which will only give them more business!
<span class="mid-size-title">10. Throw A Block Party</span>
Block parties are a fun way to get residents down to the town center and truly take in the town for all it has to offer! Work with your local police department to shut down the street for a few hours, and encourage businesses to showcase their work. Local restaurants can bring their best dish and distribute it to the community members and they can answer any questions. The block party can even have a DJ to play music and keep everyone entertained!
<span class="mid-size-title">11. Hold A Craft Or Hobby Show</span>
Craft shows allow the residents who have a knack for creativity to show off their craft! Your community may be holding residents who can create beautiful pieces of art or one-of-a-kind pieces. These types of events can be held during the holiday season, in case anyone wants to buy any crafts for anyone on their shopping list. This not only helps support small business, but it also allows the craft community to bring out their best pieces and create a relationship within the community.
If you’re looking to get your community on the map, planning large events will entice people to attend. You will be able to attract the attention of people in the neighboring communities and you can even create a bond with them as well!
<span class="mid-size-title">12. Organize Monthly Regional Mega-Markets</span>
When you think of a mega-market, you think of a giant marketplace, full of items to buy. Farmer’s markets or craft fairs, for example, attract people from all over, not just the one community. Advertise your mega-market on social media so people from surrounding communities will see it. Be sure to include what type of mega-market it is, what is going to be sold and who the vendors are going to be. Community members build a strong bond with local vendors, so if they see their favorites are going to be attending the mega-market, they will be more likely to attend!
<span class="mid-size-title">13. Coordinate A Festival Celebrating What Your Community Does Best</span>
Is your community special in a certain area? What makes your community stand out above the rest? Once you find out your community’s special niche, you should celebrate it! For example, Jackson Wyoming is a quaint ski town, settled just outside of the Grand Teton Mountains. This adorable town resembles a Hallmark Christmas movie, and each year they have Christmas celebrations right within the community. It brings the people of the community out to celebrate together in this charming community. When you find what makes your community special, the events will plan themselves!
<span class="mid-size-title">14. Work With Regional Information Centers</span>
Information centers are a great way for people to learn all about your community! Whether there are people from out of town, or ones that live right in the town and just want more information, you can find it at the information center! These information centers can partner with local businesses and shops to have information placed in the center, and they can be seen by everyone who passes through the information center. As passersby drive through the town, they may see the local business or restaurant and stop because they received a great recommendation from the information center.
Events that give back to the community are the drive to keep local businesses going! When members of the community are active, the community will see a positive change everywhere.
<span class="mid-size-title">15. Offer Skill Development And Community Training Event</span>
In order to help create a strong community bond, you need to take care of the people who live there. Promoting the well being of the residents will help to create a strong community. Offering valuable classes to the community, such as CPR training or personal finance classes, will help residents who wish to learn more about these subjects. Offering classes like zumba, yoga or meditation can help with the physical and mental well being of the residents as well.
<span class="mid-size-title">16. Orchestrate Community Gardening Days</span>
Gardening days are a great way to get the community out in the sun and make the town look beautiful! Gardening can be as easy as planting flowers in the town square, or clearing out an overgrown part of the town. If there is an area in town that looks a little bare, the community can plant trees, which over time will help to improve the air quality within the town! The community will look more inviting to the residents and out-of-towners, and it helps residents get involved and make them feel like they made a difference.
<span class="mid-size-title">17. Arrange Community Clean Up Events</span>
There is alway a certain part of every community that needs a bit of sprucing up! By hosting community clean up events, the space can be cleaned up while the community gets to know one another better. Typically, in the spring, after the snow melts, there needs to be a big clean up of rivers or local parks. Your town will not only look better, but the members of the community will build a strong bond with one another by doing this activity.
Sometimes, a community event doesn’t have to have a significant reason- having fun can be enough! It’s beneficial to host a community event that allows residents to relax, let loose and meet new people within the community. The connections you make with people can last a lifetime, and who knows who you might meet at these events!
<span class="mid-size-title">18. Host A Community Field Day</span>
Field days will transport the community’s residents right back to elementary school with all of the outdoor games! Each age group can have their own set of games and activities and offer prizes for the winners. Games can include egg tosses, potato sack races, crab soccer and more. If you need sponsors for your event, partner with local businesses and restaurants in exchange for marketing and promotion! You can also sell snacks, drinks and even merchandise to raise money for a cause of the community’s choice.
<span class="mid-size-title">19. Organize An Open Mic Night</span>
Open mic nights encourage people to get out there and express themselves through their words. Depending on how many people are attending this event, you may want to choose a smaller venue, as it feels more intimate for the presenters and attendees. Participants can play music, recite poems or even tell stories. If you choose to, you can charge a small fee for tickets and spread that cost between the artists and the venue.
<span class="mid-size-title">20. Share A Meal With A Community Member</span>
Sharing a meal with someone who doesn’t live with you is a great way to get to know your neighbors and fellow community members. This can be done by hosting a community meal, such as a barbecue or spaghetti dinner. No matter how big or small the event is, you can have the guests bring something to eat, and they can even share recipes with one another. Members of the community can eat, drink and mingle with one another!
<span class="mid-size-title">21. Hold A Pumpkin Painting Contest</span>
Fall is a great time of year for members of the community to get out and mingle with one another. The weather is cooler, the foliage is gorgeous and there are so many fun fall activities! Hosting a pumpkin painting contest is a fun way to have everyone, of all ages, participate and get creative. There can be prizes for all different age groups, from most artistic to most creative. This kind of event allows members of the community to showcase their artistic skills, and the pumpkins can be displayed all over town for other community members to vote on which one they like the best!
<span class="mid-size-title">22. Hold A Cook-Off/ Food Festival</span>
Food cook-offs bring all amateur cooks together to create their best dishes! For example, a chili cook-off can bring out home cooks and they can display their best chili recipes. If you choose to raise money for this event, you can charge a small fee for entry and tickets. Food trucks are a great way to showcase these cuisines as well, and there is typically something for everyone to enjoy!
<span class="mid-size-title">23. Hold A Trivia Night</span>
Trivia nights bring out the competitive side of people, but it’s always good fun! Guests can create teams of 4-6 members, create a team name and get ready to win. The trivia questions can range from pop culture, sports or music and can even be themed towards the seasons or holidays. As each team gets a correct answer, they get a certain number of points, and the team with the most points at the end wins. This event can bring out all types of people within the community as they get to know each other!
<span class="mid-size-title">24. Have A Treasure Hunt</span>
Treasure hunts can be a great way for children within the community to get out there and search for the “treasure”. Maps lined out for the treasure hunt can be given to every participating child, and with the help of their parents, they can set out on an adventure! Clues can be left at any landmarks or popular buildings, all leading them to the treasure.
Plan to ensure that each participating child has some sort of treasure to prevent anyone from feeling left out!
<span class="mid-size-title">25. Have A Bingo Night</span>
Bingo nights can bring together all types of people for a fun night! Participants can pay a small entry fee, and they are provided with all of the necessary tools to play bingo. Cash prizes can be given out to the winners, and people of all ages can play!
<span class="mid-size-title">The Beginning Planning Stages
In the beginning of the planning stage for your community event, you need to create an event objective. Are you looking to fundraise, build a community bond or just have fun? When you determine the event objective, the rest of the planning will be a breeze.
<span class="mid-size-title">Understand Your Demographic
When the event objective is established, you can then begin to create your target demographic. When you have your demographic in mind, you can then begin to market your event! Using pictures and enticing event information will bring people to your event. You can also partner with local businesses and restaurants to provide food and beverage, which will only generate business for them!
<span class="mid-size-title">Promoting Your Event
In terms of promoting your event, you will want to do this in a number of places. You can market your event on websites, email and social media. When you partner with local businesses, they will allow you to put marketing at their businesses for everyone to see as well.
<span class="mid-size-title">Send Out Reminders And Post-Event Surveys
In the weeks and days leading up to your event, be sure to send out reminders to the community members. This will create a sense of urgency to buy tickets or RSVP to the event. Once the event is over, be sure to send out post-event surveys. The feedback you receive will only help you to understand the likes and dislikes of the community and plan for any future community events.
Your community events, whatever they may be, are the perfect way to get the members of the community out and getting to know one another. Thinking about your event objective helps you to plan each segment of the event. Within each community, there are people who don’t know each other. By hosting a community event, it brings people out to participate and mingle with their neighbors. Community events can be geared towards children, and children can make new friends as well as the parents making friends! When you focus on the community as well as its residents, everyone will flourish and the community will be a wonderful place to live.
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