With this year coming to a close shortly, maybe you are considering how to liven up your events. After all, memorable events create an engaged community and more loyalty traction for the chamber. And with most people claiming they prefer experiences to things these days, there’s a growing pressure to stand out and deliver value to members as well as the broader community.
With input from chamber leaders across the country, we’ve gathered proven and creative event themes that have driven attendance, fostered connections, and strengthened local ties. Whether you’re planning your next mixer or a large-scale festival, these suggestions—and the stories behind them—will help you spark excitement and participation at your next chamber event.
Historic Holiday Exchanges: Tradition with a Twist
Rick Weldon, President & CEO at Frederick County Chamber of Commerce shared his chamber’s experience with their annual Holiday Business Card Exchange, held in December at the historic (and beautifully decorated) Frederick City Hall. This event is so popular that it sells out within days of registration opening, and in a recent year, a 50-person waitlist formed just days prior. The secret? Combining a festive atmosphere with networking, leveraging the grandeur of a historic venue decked out for the holidays, and building anticipation year after year. In this example, sharing video and images of the event is the first step toward marketing next year’s event too.
Adding Playfulness: Networking Bingo and Themed Bowling
Debbie Busby Kiker suggests “Networking Bingo” to break the ice and encourage attendees to mingle. This simple game can be customized to highlight key sponsors, local businesses, or fun facts about the chamber, transforming traditional networking into an interactive experience where participants compete to complete their bingo cards.
Stacy Burgess Sommer from Crawfordsville, Indianna takes themed events a step further with her chamber’s annual bowling night. Attendees go all out with costumes, turning a standard bowling event into a lively party where camaraderie and creativity shine. Costumed competitions, trophies for best-dressed team, and photo booths can add even more fun to the mix. The theme changes every year. Past themes include: western, Disney, Disco, and Neon.
Speed Networking: Fast, Fun, and Effective
Speed networking, recommended by both Debbie Busby Kiker and Miriam Bozman, adapts the speed dating format to professional connections. Miriam Bozman, Executive Director at Mission Regional Chamber of Commerce, shared that they, host the event at a local pub or brewery to create a relaxed atmosphere. Attendees are split into two groups: one group stays seated while the other rotates, ensuring everyone meets everyone. To keep conversations flowing, provide a ‘menu’ of icebreaker questions or prompts.
This approach maximizes connections in minimal time and can be enhanced with themed rounds or prizes for most connections made. As some chambers have found, execution details matter such as clear instructions, time management, and a lively host.
Market After Dark: Transforming Traditional Events
Anne Laugen described how her chamber takes their summer farmers market—the second largest in Iowa—and reimagines it for one night as “Market After Dark.” This event showcases vendors alongside local food, beer, spirits, and wine, and features entertainment on three different stages. This past summer, over 40,000 attendees joined, demonstrating the power of blending tradition with innovation. Sometimes shifting the timing, adding live music (or different music), or incorporating local culinary culture can attract new audiences and energize the community.
Community Celebrations: Showcasing Local Pride
Michelle Newberry Epling’s “Celebrate Madison!” (celebratemadison.com) is another example of a large-scale event that rallies the community. These celebrations can include everything from local food and beverage tastings to live entertainment and interactive activities for all ages. Partnering with local businesses and community groups ensures broad involvement and support.
Beyond the Poll: Additional Engaging Event Ideas
- Progressive Dinners: Organize a networking event that moves between several local restaurants or venues. Each stop offers a new culinary experience and new connections.
- Industry (or Trend) Roundtables: Host facilitated discussions on current business topics, allowing members to share expertise and learn from peers in a structured, yet informal setting.
- Pop-up Experiences: Surprise members with pop-up networking events in unexpected places—art galleries, rooftop gardens, or public parks.
- Chamber Field Day: Friendly team competitions in mini-games or sports can foster camaraderie and healthy competition among members and their teams.
- Volunteer Fairs: Connect chamber members with local nonprofits in a fun, expo-style format that encourages giving back.
- Leadership Retreats: Take members off-site for a day of learning, team-building, and relaxation—perhaps at a local resort or nature center. Bring in an energizing speaker. It’sideal for people who want to do something for professional development but don’t have the time for an out-of-state, multi-day conference.
But how do you know which of these things will work for your chamber?
Keys to Success: Tips for Engaging Chamber Events
- Know Your Audience: Survey members to uncover their interests and preferred formats. It’s also worth knowing whether some event times aren’t possible. Find out what their preferred time is—morning, noon, or night. Use their feedback to shape your event calendar.
- Promote Early and Often: Build anticipation with teaser campaigns, early-bird registration, and behind-the-scenes previews. Make it about the fun first, networking second.
- Mix Up Formats: Alternate between large-scale celebrations and smaller, intimate gatherings to keep your event calendar dynamic.
- Leverage Local Partnerships: Collaborate with businesses, artists, and nonprofits to add value, share costs, and expand reach.
- Celebrate Milestones: Recognize member achievements, chamber anniversaries, and community accomplishments during events.
- Measure and Adapt: After each event, gather feedback, review attendance, and adjust plans accordingly. Sometimes that means letting go of an underperforming event or giving it a new home with another organization.
Nobody’s beating up on Chamber events but sometimes they need a little refresh. By embracing engaging themes, creative formats, and member-driven ideas, you can reignite enthusiasm and added to people’s calendars.
