Virtual Event Ideas for Your Community
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, people are searching for ways to social distance and still feel a sense of community. Luckily, with several videoconferencing platforms out there, it’s easier than ever. Bring the residents in your community together with these fun virtual event ideas.
Exercise Classes
Spending more time at home doesn’t mean we have to slack on our physical activity. Encourage your community to stay active by offering an online group exercise class like yoga and Zumba®. These workouts require no equipment and allow everyone to sweat from the comfort of their living room.
Indoor Scavenger Hunt
Hosting an online scavenger hunt is one of the best virtual event ideas communities can do to get the whole family involved. Once all participants are ready to begin, distribute a list of household objects they’ll need to find in a certain amount of time. You can create your own or scour Pinterest for pre-made lists. At the end of the hunt, have everyone show their items or send in a picture, and whoever has the correct items wins.
Decorating Contest
A patio-decorating contest is excellent for both multi-family and single-family communities. Also, it's a favorite amongst a variety of spring virtual event ideas. To start, choose a theme or ask your residents to get creative and come up with their own. Try to keep it simple so everyone will be able to participate by finding decor around the house. This is also a great way to spend the holidays virtually with your community.
Virtual Bingo
Bingo is always a fun way to bring people together virtually. Send out downloadable bingo cards to your residents and live stream calling the letters until you have a winner. As one of the easiest Zoom virtual event ideas, you can even make this an ongoing get-together and offer an incentive like a gift card to encourage more residents to play.
Cooking Classes
With everyone spending more time in the kitchen, an online cooking class is one of the best virtual event ideas for residents who want to learn how to cook or exchange delicious, new recipes. Make this possible by choosing a volunteer to lead the cooking class and have them share their recipe with everyone else via email or any other community management app. Once everyone gathers the ingredients, live stream the cooking session so everyone can join in on the fun (even the little ones!).
Pet Showcase
Have residents dress up their pets and show them off in a virtual fashion show for all to see. Not only will people ooh and ahh over the cuteness, but it also allows them to get to know the community’s cuddliest creatures. It will also hopefully encourage conversation among pet owners well after the online meetup. Consider having a panel of judges award prizes for characteristics like “floppiest ears,” “tiniest pet,” or “best walk” on to award pets and owners who stand out the most.
Movie Night
There are a variety of applications that allow movies on popular apps like Netflix to be watched in virtual groups. Find when that works best for the size of your audience and the streaming app of your choosing and hold your own virtual movie night. Residents can vote on a variety of options and cook up their favorite movie theater options from home. Doing this on a weekly or monthly basis can be a fun, family-friendly activity that people can always look forward to.
Meet and Greet
Sometimes it’s actually easier for people to introduce themselves on video instead of in person, so now is the perfect time for a virtual meet and greet between neighbors. Allow residents to submit a short, under-two-minute video introducing themselves with general information and fun facts. Collect everyone’s stories and play them on a night where you can all come together and get to know each other a bit more. These short videos should nudge people out of their shells, provide a learning opportunity, and require little effort from you to make them work.
Let the virtual events begin!
The pandemic has forced us to find new ways to connect and engage with one another, and virtual events are a great way to do just that. From cooking classes to bingo games, the possibilities for virtual events are endless. By doing these 5 virtual event ideas, you can stay connected with neighbors, build new relationships with your community, and make the most of your time at home. So, what are you waiting for? Start planning your next virtual event today!