Now that the cooler air is blowing in and the holiday season is around the corner, it’s the perfect time to start hosting fall events in your manufactured home community. Having regular events can boost community engagement and even attract new tenants. The first step in hosting a fall community event is deciding what type of event you will host. Check out these fall event ideas for your manufactured home community and planning tips.
Why Community Engagement is Important
It’s important for your residents to feel connected to the community. This improves long-term resident retention, community safety, and communication with your tenants. Residents who are engaged and connected with the community will be more proactive about reporting safety issues, more likely to watch out for neighbors and their property, and more active in making sure the community is well-maintained.
Fall Event Ideas
Fall Festival
Now is the perfect time to throw a fall festival, especially if there are a lot of families in your community. You could set up booths with games and crafts, like cornhole, pumpkin ring toss, pumpkin painting, “fishing” for apples, and pumpkin tic-tac-toe. These are just some ideas for starters. There are tons of great family-friendly fall game ideas on Pinterest.
A great idea to get residents to join in on the fun is to have door prizes and raffles. You could even turn it into a game by having residents guess how many candy corns are in a jar, and the closest wins a prize. Hosting a costume contest at your fall festival is another great way to get residents excited about the event.
Trunk-or-Treat
Halloween is right around the corner, and something that has grown in popularity in recent years is Trunk-or-Treat events. Those passing out candy decorate their trunk or tailgate. This is a safer way for kids to trick-or-treat. This is another great opportunity to have a community costume contest. Setting up a company trunk/booth is a great way to connect with your tenants.
Food Drive
Hosting a food drive will build a sense of purpose in the community. Decorate a box to put in the office or community building and let residents drop off their cans and non-perishable items. This is great to do leading up to Thanksgiving. Make sure residents know that the items must be non-perishable and the date the food drive ends.
To make the food drive even more exciting and interactive, turn it into a friendly contest. Have residents or staff decorate spooky displays and let everyone “vote” with canned goods. Their donations can go toward their favorite design. Another great way to get residents more involved is by turning the food drive into a community poll. Let residents use their donations to vote for the next event or improvement they’d most like to see.
Movie Night
Everyone loves the Halloween and fall classics, and this time of year is the perfect time for an outdoor movie event. First, you need to decide where to set up the movie screen and projector and where you’ll have your residents sit. It’s important to make sure the area is flat and clear of debris, especially if the residents will be walking through the grass. The community park or the patio at the office or community building are great areas. You can purchase a projector and screen if you plan to have an annual movie night, or check in your area for rentals.
BBQ/Cookout
Hosting a BBQ or cookout isn’t just a great way to connect with your residents but also gives back and shows your appreciation for your community. Start by planning the menu or picking the restaurant to cater. Stay away from common allergens like peanuts. Tip: Don’t forget the drinks!
Craft Day
Crafting is a fall staple for all ages. This is an event you can really customize to fit the ages and interests of your community. If you have a lot of families in your community, you can plan some kid-friendly crafts, like pumpkin painting, pinecone decorations, and handprint fall leaves. If you have more seniors or single adults in your community, you can plan to host a sewing group, fall wreath making, or DIY fall centerpieces.
Planning Tips
- Send out reminders in newsletters and emails, and post flyers around the community to let your residents know of the upcoming event.
- Decide what times and dates would work best for your tenants.
- Prioritize safety and remove debris from walkways.
- Ensure you have the proper insurance coverage. If you have any questions about your coverage and community events, contact our team here.
For more insurance tips for your manufactured home community, visit our resources page here, and learn more in our blog here.