People discuss getting involved in their community.
Some achieve this through joining a club, charity organization, or religious group.
However, rather than go to an established club, you can organize a gathering and have people
come to you.
For example, host a game night.
If you feel awkward about inviting people to your home, or if you don’t have the space to accom-
modate a high number of people at your apartment, gather at a school, library, or other public venue.
“Game nights create opportunities
for neighbors to congregate, get to
know one another better, and to
feel good about their surroundings.”
Secure the Place
To start, you need to secure a place to host the event. Ask around town and check local listings to find a suitable venue. You may rent a space, or in some cases, find public spaces free of charge. Talk to librarians, school principals, and contact your town’s government officials to find a safe and accommodating space. If it costs money, you can consider asking local businesses to ‘sponsor’ the event or charge people admission to game nights.
Order the Food
The promise of entertainment may be enough to get people interested, but food and beverages will also entice people to come. Consider having the event catered. You may be able to get a local restaurant or food truck vendor involved. Otherwise, ask attendants to bring food and beverages, or ask a few people to help you prepare a number of snacks.
Choose the Games
The games you provide should be suitable for the crowd. Consider the ages, interests, and skill levels of those coming to game night. Rather than make it so people have to get familiarized with certain titles, inquire about games that people prefer to play. Visit sites of board game publishers, read reviews, and give attendants options.
Start an Email List
Some use Facebook or Evite to spread the word about an event. Consider starting an email list to send information to potential attendants, providing facts about the place, time, and a rundown of the night’s events. Moreover, ask people to email back with suggestions related to food, beverages, and games to play. Be receptive to the suggestions of the attendants. Let them know that they’re appreciated and you want them to help you improve the success of game nights.
Advertise the Event
Consider advertising the event to get more people involved and to expand the awareness of game night. You can advertise in the local paper, hand out flyers, and post signs around town. Taking things a step further, create a website that provides information about game night, including times, locations of future game nights, description of games played, pictures of previous gatherings, testimonials of those who regularly attend, etc.
Reinforce the Importance
Remind attendants and those thinking about coming to future game nights about the importance of community. Game nights are a source of entertainment, but furthermore, game nights create opportunities for neighbors to congregate, get to know one another better, and to feel good about their surroundings. Game nights are not just for entertainment alone but inspire closer communities.
About the Author
Scott Reeves is a big believer in gathering people together and playing games. It’s bonding, it’s fun; what’s not to love? He writes about games night for families as well as a way to bring communities together.
What are your favorite tips for hosting a great game night or community event?
Share your thoughts and comments with us.
Great idea!
Hosting a game night sounds like a lot of fun. These are all wonderful tips, I think that the key to getting people to come to anything is to make sure there’s food. I always have a better turnout to events when there’s refreshments.
Thank you for linking up with us this week at the #HomeMattersParty