A year ago, we were around 14 months into the pandemic with many questions up in the air about the type of resident events properties’ were able to host. However, things are looking a bit easier for site teams this time around, with a lot more options to engage residents. Below is a list of the top 10 resident event ideas to try out this May 2022 that will for sure boost resident participation and engage your community.
1. Tea Talks and Macaroons
Tea Talks are becoming increasingly popular, and at Flamingo, we think they make for a fantastic resident event. Sipping a delicious hot tea, interacting with neighbors, and enjoying macaroons is a beautiful way for your residents to spend their evening! Make sure to have a variety of tea flavors and a nice collection of macaroons. Bonus tip: Provide question cards to encourage residents to share and interact with each other!
2. Taco Bar & Drinks
This is a winner every time. A taco bar social will allow residents to enjoy amazing tacos of all varieties as well as Mexican-inspired snacks and drinks! This themed resident event makes a ton of sense in May because of 5 de Mayo, but don’t be afraid of setting it up any time of the year. Residents love themed events, and this one gets people excited because there’s a sense of familiarity with it while still being something new and out of the ordinary. To host it, you’ll need a good caterer to provide a variety of taco fillings (you don’t want to leave the vegetarians or vegans behind), and a few drink options. Go for alcoholic drinks (margaritas!) to turn into a 5 de Mayo Party or for non-alcoholic beverages (kid-friendly sangrias) to make it family-friendly.
3. 5 de Mayo Tequila Masterclass
Again, don’t shy away from hosting this event throughout May! This 5 De Mayo-themed mixology class will have your residents talking for ages! Bring in a professional mixologist to give a fun and interactive masterclass on Tequila and a sample of drinks residents can prepare with it. We love the idea of educational resident events because people love to learn stuff. A dynamic mixology class is always a good idea, but it’s even more fun if you turn it into an experience by adding the theme and masterclass name. Make sure your mixologist knows their Tequila. From information on how it’s made or where it comes from to the history of the Margarita as a drink. Residents will appreciate the details!
4. Karaoke Dress Up Party
If you truly want to create an engaged community, a Karaoke Dress Up Night is the perfect resident event idea for this May! What’s great about Karaokes is that even if people don’t like to sing, they still have a great time attending. No one wants to miss a Karaoke party, specially if it’s one with a fun twist like a costume contest or just encouraging residents to dress up as their favorite singers. This event is pretty flexible. You can go for a bigger party where you provide drinks, a bartender, and even snacks, or you could do a more low-budget BYOB event.
5. Outdoor Star Wars Movie Night
May the 4th is the official Star Wars day and as such, May has become the unofficial Star Wars month. An outdoor movie night is always a great choice for a resident event, and using a trending topic to pick the movie you’ll be streaming is guaranteed success. It’s also a good idea to encourage residents to dress up as Star Wars characters! We would suggest going all in and providing snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. Make it a family-friendly event that will attract both families and singles.
6. Poke Bowl Cooking Class
This interactive cooking class brings high-end restaurant techniques to your residents! Residents love cooking class events because they get to learn new recipes that they can take with them. In this case, they get to learn how to make fresh Poke Bowls featuring sushi-grade fish and other premium ingredients. Poke bowls are not only healthy but also tasty, balanced meals that are super trendy.
7. Grafitti Workshop
This idea is perfect if you’re looking for a fun, creative resident event. An interactive workshop that will allow your residents to learn the ins and outs of spray painting and stencil application. Plus, the attendees can take their canvas home at the end of the workshop! We love this event because it has all the qualities you want from a resident event: it’s outdoor, educational, interactive, sparks creativity, and it’s fun for both adults and children!
8. Wine & Paint
An old-time favorite, Wine & Paint resident events have been around for a while for a reason. They don’t go out of trend because you can host them seasonally, using different themes for each class. It’s also easy to adapt depending on the budget. You can provide exclusive brands of wine, or you could take the easy way and make it BYOB, residents won’t mind, and they’ll still show up. We recommend adding this event to your calendar every month (or every couple of months). Then, you could host an Art Gallery and showcase everyone’s creations at the end of the year! Want to learn how to host your own Wine & Paint? Check out how here.
9. Movie Trivia
Your residents are already attending Trivia Nights in their favorite bars and restaurants, so why not jump on that and host one in the comfort of their homes? Trivia nights are fun, social games where residents interact with each other and share a few laughs. It’s an excellent opportunity to meet new people and even show your competitive side. We love adding specific themes to Trivia nights because it gets residents more excited than a general, broad topic. Plus, you could add costumes, snacks or even themed drinks. Book for $450 here
10. Take & Bake Brownies
This one is more about resident experience than face to face interaction or engagement. Simply put together cute little “care packages” with ingredients and a recipe for residents to follow in their own homes and kitchens to bake brownies. It’s a different type of resident event, and it shows your residents you want them to be comfortable and enjoy their time however they prefer. It’s also a fantastic way of engaging with residents who usually can’t (or won’t) attend the regular events.
