After spending what seems like an eternity indoors waiting for the cold, wintry weather to go away, your members are ready to burst out of their front doors and connect with people again. Building community can be one of the most difficult things for HOAs to do. But celebrating spring with fun events is a great way to start!
There are lots of fun, easy events that can attract all types of homeowners and get them interacting with one another. These 7 tips will help you on your way to building a sense of community in your neighborhood.
Garage Sale
Your HOA can plan a community-wide garage sale in the spring. It’s a great incentive for members to start their spring cleaning, get out and enjoy the weather, and meet new neighbors or others in the community. Everyone benefits from the HOA organizing and promoting the event! In addition to a garage sale, your HOA can organize a book swap, toy swap, or board game swap to draw the crowds in.
Cookouts
Hosting a cookout in your common area is a great, inexpensive way to get everyone out and mingling. If the board has a budget to provide a main entree like BBQ or burgers, you can ask homeowners to provide sides and desserts. Or organize a potluck around a theme like a tailgate party or Cinco de Mayo. Add a little music and some lawn games and you have a party!
Have some icebreaker questions ready to get the conversation flowing or some fun minute to win it games.
Spring Planting
Many hands make light work! A spring planting event is another fun way to get your members outside and helping to beautify your common space. Your HOA can provide plants, soil, bulbs, and mulch and homeowners can bring their gloves and shovels. Kids can get in on the fun, too.
Provide some lemonade and a snack and you have an easy, productive event the whole neighborhood can enjoy.
Outdoor Movie Night
Turning your common space into an outdoor theater is easier than you think. Once the weather finally warms up, celebrate with a movie night under the stars. You can look into renting an outdoor movie screen and projector or invest in a reasonable priced one to keep for future events.
Poll neighbors ahead of time for their movie suggestions (make sure they are family-friendly). Remember to check if there is a licensing fee to screen the particular movie. Ask homeowners to bring their blankets and chairs and enjoy a night under the stars. If it’s in the budget, rent a popcorn machine and spring for some candy to make it the best movie-going experience.
Easter egg hunts
If your community is home to younger families or older homeowners with grandkids, an Easter egg hunt is a great event for your HOA. Plastic eggs and candy are inexpensive and will delight your smaller neighbors. Make sure to have plenty of eggs so each child goes home with a basket full. It’s a good idea to have different sections for different age groups to avoid tears.
Reserve some eggs to give to kids who didn’t get many during the hunt.
Campfire/S'mores
If you have fire pits in your common area, put them to good use with a s’more party. Safety should come first— create a perimeter that participants can’t cross and have a designated person to watch the fire at all times. S’mores are very budget-friendly and easy to make. Just gather the essential ingredients and supplies: chocolate, marshmallows, graham crackers, and wooden skewers.
Add some music or campfire stories and you’ve got another easy spring event.
Book Clubs
April showers bring May flowers! We can’t forget that with the warmer weather comes the rainy season. Along with outdoor events, have an event prepared for indoors as well. A book club is a fun event that anyone can participate in and a great way to meet new neighbors. Your club can be as simple as reading the same book and coming together to chat about it – try some of these questions to spark conversation. You can also invite people to share about the books they’re reading and whether they recommend them.
There’s no shortage of events you can plan for your club. Try planning group activities like community service meetups or potluck meals. Get creative!
Spring is an excellent time to get out of the house and start meeting new homeowners or reconnect after the long, cold winter. Gatherings don’t need to be expensive to meet your goals of growing community. Start with one of these events and put your own spin on it.
