10 lovely community event ideas for summer

Ever wondered what it would be like if your community was a little more… community-like? We’ve got just the thing.

Hosting a community event is a great way to finally get to know the neighbours you’ve been waving at politely for years – and can act as the perfect, good-fun ice breaker. Plus it gives everyone something to look forward to, and can be a fantastic way to practice your event-planning skills if you’re looking for a new hobby or even a career change. 

What better time to give it a whirl than when the days are long and the weather is fine? Read on to find out about these awesome summer community event ideas: 

• Big community BBQ
• Summer street party
• Local talent music festival 
• Travel themed food fair
• Community nature walk
• Treasure hunt picnic
• Summer games day
• Outdoor comedy club
• Community gardening day
• Community marathon

How do you throw a community event?

We have a full guide covering all the steps you’ll need to take to organise a community event. But the main logistical things you’ll need to consider are:

• Location – you’ll probably need to get permission from the council if you’re using a public space
• Licences – you might not need them, but it’s worth checking
• Event registration – you need to make sure people can register to attend your event or buy tickets to it
• Risk assessment & health and safety – it might be worth getting liability insurance
• Marketing – social media and community groups are your best friends here!

Community event ideas for summer

Summer street party

Time to get the sunnies on and the dancing shoes donned for a vibrant summer street party – think: glorious reggae beats, icy cold summer cocktails, and a sea of colourful decorations as far as the eye can see.

Just make sure to communicate your plans with the street’s resident’s, and give them plenty of notice so they’re not taken by surprise. (Of course, most of them will undoubtedly be keen to attend your amazing summer street party 😎.)

Big community BBQ

What could be more summer than the irresistible smell of something sizzling away on the barbeque? 

Delicious food, great music, and a few cold ones – we reckon hosting a barbeque event for your community is a no-brainer.

You could make it a ‘bring your own BBQ’ thing, but to keep things less complicated you could just hire a barbeque street food caterer.

Local talent music festival 

When you start to do some digging, we’re sure you’ll be amazed at how much local musical talent is in your area – just waiting for the chance to perform.

Putting on a small music event is super easy and so much fun, plus it helps to promote the up-and-coming artists in your area. 

You’ll need a decent sound system to amplify the music, and you might need a licence if you plan on having live music after 11pm. 

Travel themed bake sale

Instead of the usual bake sale, why not run a travel themed event where everyone brings  traditional baked goods from countries around the world? 

Adding this summery twist makes things that bit more interesting, and you can even come up with a cool around-the-world playlist to add to the travel vibes.

On a practical note, make sure to have clear signage telling people they must make food sellers aware of any allergies. 

Community nature walk

If there’s a local beauty trail in your area, why not get everyone together for a community walk? 

Spending time out in nature is a great way to bond with others, and can be organised with minimal effort!

Make sure to set a clear meet time and location, and give a bit of leeway for late arrivals.

And it might be a good idea to provide something that your group can be identified with, like colourful name badges, so it’s clear who’s on the community walk and who’s just a passer-by.

Treasure hunt picnic

A great one for the kids, treasure hunts offer hours of endless entertainment and are the perfect activity for balmy summer days. Choose a picturesque spot for your event, and put on a picnic-style lunch to make a day of it.

Make sure you consider safety measures for kids – like ensuring there are enough adults to supervise the treasure hunt.

Summer games day

A summer games day can be incredibly low-key or you can up the ante and make things competitive with prizes up for grabs. From egg-and-spoon races to tennis matches, rounders and five-a-side football, there are plenty of high-energy antics you can organise to get the community having fun.

Be sure to put on some food and drink for those community members who are more about sitting on the sidelines with a glass of something sparkly rather than throwing themselves into the scrum.

Outdoor comedy club

Make the most of the warm summer evenings with an outdoor comedy club-style event. We’re thinking: intimate stage set against an ethereal forest backdrop, lots of twinkly fairy lights, and a trendy street food vendor selling tasty snacks and drinks.

Community gardening day

Why not organise a meet-up at the local allotment to kick off a local gardening project? There’s bound to be plenty of green-fingered garden enthusiasts in your community, and you’ll be able to keep in touch with your new-found connections as you watch your community garden grow.

Community marathon

Promote health and fitness in your local community with a summertime marathon, or a simple 5k run. You could even turn your event into a cause for good by linking it up with a local charity.

You’ll need to decide the course of your run or marathon, organise runner’s t-shirts with numbers and names, and get permission from the council and local police.

We hope these summer community event ideas have got you feeling inspired. Here’s to getting the locals together for priceless fun in the sun!