Engaging with your local community in social events is a great way to make deeper connections with people in your neighbourhood. Being social at local events can boost morale of the whole community, creating a family atmosphere.
According to Eden Project Communities “Community engagement is a great way to tap into local knowledge and solve problems. Not everyone will participate to the same degree, but everyone should have the opportunity to take part in some way, even if it’s just having the chance to tell you what they think.“
-
Host sporting events
Sports days are perfect for bringing people together. They allow your neighbourhood to engage in friendly competition whilst keeping healthy and active. You can invite your local community to a sports venue or the local park to play in a sports game. There are many different types of sporting events, here are a few ideas:
- Sports day
- Football matches
- Volleyball games
- Tennis matches
-
Host quiz nights
Quiz nights are a fun way to involve your local community. You can split people into teams and test their knowledge! There are plenty of quiz nights in Brighton so these nights are easy to organise – just book a table at your favourite venue. If your guest list is getting long, you can also think about hosting a local quiz night for your neighbourhood.
The first step to organising your quiz night is to explore your local event spaces. At St Augustine’s arts and Event Centre, we have an event space perfect for bringing your community together. If you need more inspiration, we’ve found the best exhibition centres in Brighton and Hove for you to explore.
Once you’ve found the perfect venue, it’s time to write your quiz. General knowledge quiz questions could be:
- In which part of your body would you find the cruciate ligament?
- What is the name of the main antagonist in the Shakespeare play Othello?
- What element is denoted by the chemical symbol Sn in the periodic table?
- What is the name of the 1976 film about the Watergate scandal, starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman?
- How many of Henry VIII’s wives were called Catherine?
- What was the most popular girls name in the UK in 2019?
- Which comedian was the second permanent host of Never Mind the Buzzcocks after Mark Lamarr?
- Which popular video game franchise has released games with the subtitles World At War and Black Ops?
- In what US State is the city Nashville?
- Which rock band was founded by Trent Reznor in 1988?
If you’re looking to write an interesting quiz for your next local community event check out our top tips.
-
Organise gardening days
Try gathering members of your local community for a day of volunteering at your local community garden. According to GreenLeaf Communities, “urban agriculture can be beneficial to the environment, and to the health and wellbeing of community members. The introduction of community gardens may be able to reduce the impact of food deserts in low-income areas and allow residents greater access to nutritious food that is necessary to live a healthy life.”
Local gardening days:
- Help improve air and soil quality
- Increase biodiversity of plants and animals
- Reduce “food miles” that are required to transport nutritious food
- Can reduce neighbourhood waste through composting
- Positively impact the urban microclimate
In Brighton, there are many community gardens that you can get involved in. To find your local garden in Brighton, read more here.
-
Hold film screenings
Film screenings are always an exciting event. You can ask your community for their favourite films and play them and hold these evenings once a week to bring everybody together. You can choose between new releases or old classics that everybody can enjoy.
To hold a film screening all you need is a blank wall, a projector and comfy places to sit! You can look into holding your film screenings at your local events venue, or rotate between houses in your area.
-
Create food festivals
Hosting food festivals can be an engaging experience for your local community. You can invite your neighbours to bake cookies, cakes and other treats for your food events. You can also theme your festivals around different holidays such as Christmas, and create a festive and fun social event for everyone to attend.
Other food festival ideas include:
- Mexican food and drinks festival
- Seafood and wine festival
- A mini Oktoberfest
- Food tasting festival
- Barbeque and beer fest
- Healthy dining festival
-
Host street parties
Street parties have been a great way to get to know your neighbours and build a community in the UK since 1919! According to Billeto, “A street party is the ultimate way for the community to get together in their local area. Bring out good music, local food, and cheeky drinks for a massive get together. Make it a themed party if it coincides with a holiday. Or create a cultural theme to celebrate local diversity.”
If you want to organise a street party, streetparty.org has created a guide to help you get started.