Multifamily resident event ideas for every season

Providing a great multifamily experience that makes residents want to renew, review, and refer others starts with creating vibrant communities and unforgettable moments.

Come together with your residents to celebrate every season in style with the perfect event that reminds your renters why they chose your community as their home.

What is the purpose of resident events for apartments?

Resident events at apartments are fun for leasing staff and for the people who live in your community, but they also have tangible business benefits. In short, well-executed resident events can drive positive reviews, renewals, and references!

Resident events give you a chance to connect face-to-face with those in your community, create memories that they can post about on social media, and give them the perfect reason to provide a positive review for your community online. When resident events work, they serve as a great way to build consumer engagement, improve marketing for your community, and remind residents why they love where they live.

Choosing resident event ideas that actually work

One question that many in the leasing office struggle with: How can I get residents to attend events?

With so many tasks already vying for your time, it’s hard to commit to throwing an event that might not achieve its purpose. Before you plan out your calendar of events for the year, ask yourself these preliminary questions to maximize turnout and make the most of your resident event.

How should you market your resident event?

Holding a free event at your apartment building doesn’t mean residents will automatically show up. To maximize turnout, be sure to print off flyers and post them in clearly marked areas of the community, such as bulletin boards or mailboxes. You can even put a framed copy of the flyer on the desk in the leasing office or post it on a social media page only your residents can see.

You’ll also want to notify your residents at least once digitally through their digital communication channel of choice. An automated communications tool can handle this and keep your residents up to date on all other community news and announcements as well.

What time of year can you throw events at apartments?

If the most important factor in real estate is location, then the second most important factor is timing. Between changing seasons, national holidays, and local events, the best resident event ideas are the ones that offer a seasonal festivity that people are already longing for. Whether it’s savoring summer BBQs, embracing the inviting atmosphere of fall, celebrating the holidays in style, or springing into action with outdoor activities, there’s always something timely you can do for your residents.

What are some seasonal resident event ideas?

Just as we provide tools to help you take better care of residents, business, and yourself, we understand that as the seasons change, so do the opportunities for engaging your residents through memorable events at apartments. We’ve got your entire multifamily resident event calendar covered.

Here are some easy resident event ideas for every season that can help you build community, connection, and create unforgettable experiences in multifamily living.

Spring resident event ideas

• Food Truck Roundup. No holiday needed! Find a Saturday afternoon, set up a few tables, and arrange for a variety of food trucks to serve your residents lunch, snacks, or dinner.
• Wellness on the Green/Rooftop/Location of Choice. Pick a time, select an aesthetically pleasing location, and put on a day of yoga, meditation, or other wellness-focused activities.
• Mother’s Day Flower Bar. Give kids in your community an opportunity to assemble a beautiful bouquet of flowers just in time for Mother’s Day.
• Yappy Hour. Invite your residents and their furry friends to an evening of drinks and snacks on the community green or parking lot.
• Easter Egg Hunt for Every Age. Hide a few treats around the property and offer prizes for participation.
• Tastes of the Neighborhood. Pull together a mini food festival with dishes from local staples.
• Plant Party: A Succulent Social. This idea is especially effective for communities that welcome balcony decorations. Leave residents with some lovely greenery to put in or around their homes.
• Grab-n-Go WFH Boxed Lunches. This grab and go resident event idea is a great choice to serve people in your community whether they’re headed off to school, going to work, or starting to work from home for the day.
• Community Clean Up for Earth Day. Bring the whole neighborhood out for a day of planting and service in honor of Earth Day.
• DYD – Design Your Doormat. Break out the outdoor-friendly acrylic paint and brighten up your community with a design party.

Summer resident event ideas

• Poolside Movie Night. Bring the whole community together when the sun goes down and project a family-favorite film on an inflatable projector or on the side of the leasing office.
• Donuts for Dad. Who doesn’t love donuts? Pass out some tasty pastries in honor of Father’s Day.
• Rainbow Mixer. Connecting Hearts, Celebrating PRIDE: Celebrate Pride Month with an event that shows your LGBTQ+ residents and staff members how important they are to your community.
• Aquatic Fitness Class. A perfect summer event for any property with a community pool.
• Cookout at the Courtyard. Fire up the grills and stock up on hot dogs for this easy summer resident event.
• Book Exchange. Give your residents the chance to cross a book off their summer reading lists with a book exchange.
• Ice Cream Social. Bring everyone together around an ice cream truck when the heat is on or set up a popsicle dispenser by the pool.
• Sunset Yoga. A yoga class held at sunset is a great way to help one another let go of the stressors of the day just as it ends.
• Live on the Lawn Concert. Put on a special performance (or several for a series) that everyone can enjoy on a beautiful Saturday.
• Summer Camp Adventures. Set up a day for the kids in your community to join in on some summer activities over the weekend, whether it’s hiking, scavenger hunts, or a game of catch!

Fall resident event ideas

• Self-Care Soiree. Take a day to focus on mental health and relaxation for National Property Manager’s Day on September 23.
• Doggy Dip Pool Party. Invite your residents and their dogs to a pool party right before shutting it down for the season.
• Pinktober. Dress up in pink throughout the month of October and start a fundraiser to raise awareness and join the fight against breast cancer.
• Back to School Drives. Support your local community by inviting residents to donate new and gently used books, writing utensils, and office supplies to neighborhood schools.
• Canned Food Drive. Take donations to send to food banks, shelters, and other organizations in your local area.
• Costume Contests. Offer prizes for the best costume among pets and people.
• Trunk or Treat. Invite your community out to an alternate form of trick-or-treating where parents park in one spot of the community and offer candy from their cars – no walking around dark streets required!
• Superheroes Unite/Princess for a Day. Spend the days before Halloween dressing up as your favorite superhero or princess and pass out candy in the leasing office.

Winter resident event ideas

• Holiday Mini Photo Sessions. Give your residents the opportunity to take their holiday card photos, pictures with Santa, or update their resumes with festive headshots!
• Gift Wrapping Station. Put on some holiday tunes and help your residents finish their gift wrapping in a cozy, festive environment.
• Toy Drive. Put out a box and invite your residents to donate to your local non-profit. Organizations who run toy drives nationwide include:
  • Toys for Tots
  • One Simple Wish
  • Angel Tree Christmas
• Holiday Door Decorating Contest. Hand out prizes for the best decorated front doors in your property for Christmas.
• Grand Illumination Celebration. Whether you’re throwing lights on a tree or just setting up a few decorations around the leasing office, make an evening out of it!
• Letters to Santa. Organize an event that lets children write and decorate their letters to Santa for the year.
• Cozy Movie Nights: Screening Seasonal Classics. Set up a projector on the green, in the leasing office parking lot, or indoors for a community wide movie-night! Start the movie when it gets dark early and even set up a smores station.

No matter what month, weather, or holiday, MRI Living has your back with resident event ideas for every season that can help you keep your residents engaged. Want a brief version of this list that you can print out and keep at your desk? Check out the list as an infographic here!

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