Who doesn’t love a good party? Events/parties/get-togethers, whatever you want to call them, are one of the best ways to help form social connections and create camaraderie among any group of people. My favorite events are complete with snacks, friends, music, and the occasional keg stand.
But when it comes to apartment complex mingling events, it’s probably in your best interest to lose the keg (lame – I know). There’s still plenty of ideas and options out there to throw the most fun resident event in town!
Here are 4 event ideas to get residents involved in your apartment community:
1. Watch Party
This is an easy one. Whether it's the season finale of The Bachelor or your state team's big game, odds are that there will be a good portion of your residents who will be tuning in. Putting the program on in a common space in your community and providing snacks and drinks is really all there is to it. Residents will watch and should engage in conversation around the show, hopefully resulting in friendship and rapport.
2. Pet Play Date
If your property has an outdoor area for four-legged friends, that’s the perfect location to host a pet play date event. A pet-friendly event is a great way to get your residents out of their unit and into comfortable conversation with other residents. Questions like: “What is your dog's name?” or “ What breed is he/she?” seem to come up naturally and are great segues into further conversation and connection making.
Disclaimer: Probably works better with dogs rather than cats, birds, goldfish, etc.
3. Pool Party
Pool parties are a classic. On a hot, sunny day there's no better event to plan than a good old fashioned pool party. If you want to take it one step further, provide refreshments, cook out, or even book a food truck for your residents to enjoy between dips. Your apartment’s pool is a great space to utilize for community engagement.
4. Karaoke Night
What better way to get your residents out of their shell than with a group karaoke night? If I know anything about karaoke, it’s that no one wants to be the first to go. Set an example and assert yourself into the situation by volunteering and singing your heart out. Not only will this set the vibe for the event, your residents will also know that their apartment staff are super cool.
These ideas are sure to work in creating a great atmosphere for residents to be involved in your community. Every event is adjustable, so feel free to put your own spin on it and make it your own. The earned rapport will increase resident retention and satisfaction.
