The pandemic has taught us that the sense of connection is critical to our mental wellbeing.
When given a chance, people will always find a way to come together.
We’ve put together a list of 35 virtual meeting options and other intriguing, pandemic-friendly options for gatherings that have become popular over the past two years.
Our list includes:
- Webinars
- Virtual conferences
- Virtual karaoke
- Online wine tasting
- Online workshops
Plus, 30 more engaging and fun digital events.
Check out our list of online event ideas to inspire your next online gathering.
Table of Contents
Idea #2: Virtual Company Gathering
Idea #5: Online Board Games Night
Idea #7: Virtual Photo Booth Session
Idea #9: Virtual Networking Event
Idea #10: Virtual Cooking Class
Idea #12: Virtual Mixology Class
Idea #18: Online Scavenger Hunt
Idea #19: Virtual Museum Visit
Idea #20: Virtual Mental Health Session
Idea #22: Virtual Workout Session
Idea #23: Online Meditation Session
Idea #25: Online Tarot Card Reading
Idea #29: Virtual Truth or Dare
Idea #30: Virtual Dinner Night
Idea #33: Online Birthday Parties and Anniversaries
Idea #35: Virtual Improv Evening
What is a Virtual Event?
A virtual event – sometimes called an online event, virtual conference, or streaming experience – is where participants gather online rather than in person.
Virtual events are frequently run in the following formats:
- Webinars
- Live streaming
- Virtual trade exhibitions
- Online courses
- Business events
Hybrid events have also gained popularity in recent years, combining live events with online-accessible virtual material.
For instance, Adobe’s Digital Experience conference has been a fixture for ten years.
However, 2020 was the first online edition and it was a huge success, with more than 90,000 registrations and 450,000 views globally.
For their 2020 conference, Adobe chose pre-recorded programming over live-streamed video.
This enabled the 100 courses to be delivered seamlessly.
Attendees and exhibitors to commercial, academic, or conference-style events have specific expectations.
You need to create a sense of engagement and inclusion for your event attendees to ensure a successful event.
Running an online event isn’t just about increasing income; your business can grow a following, increase brand awareness, and even educate your brand advocates.
Let’s get started with our first virtual event idea.
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Idea #1: Online Trivia Night
Incorporating an online trivia game night into a company retreat awakens the competitive spirit in everyone.
Encourage your whole team to participate by hiring an experienced game show host.
The host will also help turn this into a high-quality trivia game and you can even bring in an actual internet buzzer.
Our advice would be to set out rules before the event and share them with everyone who’s getting involved.
The stakes can rise as the competition heats up – you can encourage friendly rivalries between teams and departments or mix teams across areas to encourage internal networking.
Author’s Tip: If offering a grand prize isn’t an option, you can still offer awesome, smaller-scale rewards for the winning team with gift sets, gift cards, or fantastic swag bags.
Idea #2: Virtual Company Gathering
Get your people together and set aside some time for a virtual company gathering, as if they were going to meet for post-office dinner or drinks.
Small groups of eight to ten people work well once you’ve mastered the art of not shouting over each other.
Any more people than that and it can become challenging to maintain effective communication.
Decide on the platform you’ll use ahead of time and test that platform on your devices to ensure that everything goes as planned.
Then, schedule a get-together with treats such as cheese and wine as the centerpiece.
Author’s Tip: If you’re hosting a virtual social event, it’s also a good idea to set up your area, select a lovely background, create a comfy spot on the sofa, open some windows, or even light a candle.
Idea #3: Virtual Conference
Our third virtual event idea is a virtual conference.
A lot more people have brought into the idea of virtual conferences during the pandemic and distance communication really took off.
To get your virtual conference right, select the best platform for your meeting.
You have a whole host of options when it comes to platforms, including:
- Zoom
- Skype
- Google Meet
On top of these platforms, social media sites like Facebook provide live streams from your business page or in a private group.
If you want to have an impact on your visitors, why not look into some creative ways to say thank you?
To prepare surprise presents for your attendees in time, you need to organize the event beforehand and gather their information.
Then, you can pre-plan gift packages with event t-shirts, fabulous branded products, journals, or even a shared experience like video games or music for the participants.
Idea #4: Webinar
You might want to give virtual educational conferences and webinars a shot.
An online event that teaches attendees a skill or offers knowledge, AKA a webinar, is an excellent interactive tool to help benefit your audience and spread awareness of your brand.
When it comes to webinars, there are several options, such as:
- Leadership seminars
- Guided meditations
- Business events
- Health events
Keep in mind that attendees are drawn to virtual workshops when the content is relevant to their interests.
With so many users spending their days glued to their computers, you need a way to pique guests’ interest and encourage them to come to your event.
Think of having a guest speaker from a relevant industry make a presentation, team up with an influencer your visitors would enjoy, or host a famous person for a performance or a Q&A.
Remember, it’s now easier than ever to book big-name performers for online events!
Moving on.
Idea #5: Online Board Games Night
How about an online board games night?
You can use online versions of traditional board and card games, taking into account the number of guests or team members that join the session.
A number of websites offer a variety of card games, such as checkers and Monopoly.
Let’s get to the next event idea we have for you.
Idea #6: Virtual Karaoke
Yet another online event idea is virtual karaoke.
When you’re sending out the invitation, there are two viral URLs to include.
The first is the event link from your video conferencing provider you use, like Zoom.
Next, you’ll need a Watch2Gether link, which will be used to create your queue of karaoke music.
Author’s Tip: Consider sending attendees karaoke gifts prior to the event, such as branded hats they can all wear or other memorabilia.
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Idea #7: Virtual Photo Booth Sessions
You can also kick it with your staff and have fun with a photo booth.
A virtual photo booth is a picture marketing and event solution that lets you and your team produce personalized photo content while allowing marketers to interact and reach out to people they want to target.
Virtual picture booths don’t need an app and can be customized depending on the event you’re holding.
What’s more, they can usually integrate with lots of the most common virtual event platforms, making them super easy.
Software like Pixperience can even be used to generate a group picture remotely.
Last but not least, a virtual photo booth can combine all your individual images taken at various locations into one single image with a customized backdrop.
Overall, this sort of activity can be incredibly fun and great for team building.
Idea #8: Virtual Happy Hour
If you’re missing having a happy hour surrounded by friends and colleagues in reality, you can do it virtually, instead!
With a cocktail kit like this one…
…you can organize the best virtual happy hour for your remote employees.
It’s a good idea to think about what time and date will work best for your virtual happy hour.
These corporate events are informal and great for celebrating a company member’s birthday, recognizing a goal or milestone, holding an annual holiday celebration, or honoring a fun holiday like National Burger Day or Hallowe’en.
Make your invitation stand out with eye-catching visuals, vibrant colors, and a clear call-to-action, even if it’s as easy as sending emails.
Idea #9: Virtual Networking Event
There are several benefits to building meaningful relationships with others.
It establishes links between individuals and organizations, creates productive partnerships, and lets new ideas bloom.
Speed networking is among the most interesting and quickest forms of networking events today, and for good reason.
It’s easy and straightforward, meaning that even the shyest people can connect with each other.
It works something like this: you have multiple rounds of five to ten minutes each where all the participants are partnered with one another to present themselves and discuss ideas.
Attendees then get matched with a new individual at the end of each round.
It’s a terrific icebreaker, allowing you to meet new people and build your professional network.
We can all learn to enjoy a virtual cooking class in our next activity.
Idea #10: Virtual Cooking Class
Cooking can be pretty fun – even virtually – and it works as a team-building activity to get everyone active and moving around.
When selecting recipes, make sure that people of different ability levels can handle them.
Avoid ingredients that can’t be found at a typical grocery store and develop creative substitutions for those that can’t be found.
People with food allergies or who can’t get to the shop welcome alternative ingredients.
Also, consider creating a class kit or package that includes hard-to-find items or everything you need for the class and offer it for collection or delivery.
Finally, consider the time it’ll take to prepare and cook your food while event planning your virtual cooking class.
Once you’ve figured out how long it’ll take, you can give clear instructions to your attendees so they can block off the right amount of time.
Keep reading to find yet another virtual event idea.
Idea #11: Online Escape Room
A virtual meeting platform can be used to deliver the experience of an online or virtual escape room.
You and your team work together to solve puzzles and uncover clues to escape the room and enjoy the event experience.
Each virtual escape room has a unique storyline that’s at once both intriguing and exciting.
The following is an example: Play the Midnight Express by Escape the Crate for free and have fun solving the greatest railway mystery of the century in a no-hassle online escape room.
A branded journal and a custom pen, together with the clues that have been provided, are all your team will need to begin their search.
Idea #12: Virtual Mixology Class
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most common online social event concepts has been a mixology class or cocktail-making workshop.
Preparation is the key to a successful event, so make sure your guests know what they need to have ready.
Add-ons like cocktail kits can be delivered directly to the employee’s home.
Learn how to concoct a flavorful drink and showcase a tutorial, then allow your participants to mingle as they enjoy their concoction.
Let’s get to item number 13 on our list.
Idea #13: Online Wine Tasting
You can hold virtual events with meals and drinks.
For example, you can teach your guests about wine as they drink along at home by hosting an online wine-tasting lesson.
You can provide a selection of wines that your guests can source by themselves or send out a sample box with everything included that they need.
If your company plans to send everyone gifts, this’ll be the perfect online event for wine bags and giveaways.
Even if your tasters aren’t physically present, have them follow through and drink the wine as the sommelier teaches about it.
Idea #14: Virtual Gala
You can organize a virtual gala to raise money for your charitable causes and also allow your guests the opportunity to bid on auctioned goods or purchases.
Your visitors, whether they’re in the audience or watching from the comfort of their own homes, will need some help to feel part of the event.
At home, live-stream visitors can send in quick video interviews, take part in short contests, and be part of amusing icebreaker questions at a virtual gala.
Then, stream the conversations live and display them on a large screen at your event.
Idea #15: Online Game Show
Among the top digital team-building activities and virtual conference events is the online game show, which was popularized by in-person editions and is now bringing fun to teams all over the globe.
You may use any video conferencing platform to get your group together online, regardless of where they are physically located.
Teams are more crucial than ever and having fun with one another is just as essential.
Game shows can be well-suited for a wide range of demographics and cultures and include all the elements that make your team better.
Players compete in teams and try to win by taking part in challenges from well-known television game shows.
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Idea #16: Online Pictionary
There’s a slew of classic games that can be played virtually with little or no pre-planning on your part.
An example is the online version of the ever-popular Pictionary.
For this draw-and-guess game, divide your virtual group into two teams.
Users can use Pictionary cards or an internet generator to find the word they want their team to identify in the specified time.
When sketching on paper or in an app, event attendees can point their cameras at their work, take a picture, or create their image online and share their screen.
Here’s a great gift idea that’d go with an online Pictionary event:
A branded notebook attendees can use to draw their sketches together with a branded pen.
Easy!
Moving on.
Idea #17: Online Art Class
Our next virtual event idea is an online art class.
Taking virtual arts and crafts courses can help increase morale, reduce stress, enhance creativity and innovative problem-solving, inspire innovation, and strengthen team building.
Additionally, it’s one of the most laid-back and enjoyable team-building activities to build relationships with your remote team members without feeling awkward or forced.
Idea #18: Online Scavenger Hunt
If you’ve ever wanted to play a version of the traditional scavenger hunt game online, then you’ve come to the right place.
Individuals or teams battle against each other in scheduled online competitions.
You’ll have to discover things, figure out puzzles, or solve riddles in most cases.
Virtual scavenger hunt events can be tailored to fit the needs of your group and area.
Whether it’s a virtual convention or a corporate outing, an online treasure hunt will do the trick to get people collaborating with their teams.
They’re meant to help you improve your stress management and problem-solving abilities.
In addition, they encourage your employees to get up and walk around in their workplace, making it one of the most fun virtual event ideas to experience.
Let’s check our next idea below.
Idea #19: Virtual Museum Visit
Visiting a museum is a fun activity even when done online with your colleagues.
Your workers can learn about Egyptian artifacts, marble sculptures, paintings by Monet and Picasso, and other fine art masterpieces from experienced art historians and museum guides using various accessible tour software.
In addition, your workers may learn more about their favorite pieces of art through virtual museum tours that provide a deeper understanding of the artists, the real-time environment in which they were created, and their historic importance.
At your fingertips, you can take virtual tours of some of the most exciting and well-known museums and galleries in the world, thanks to Google Arts & Culture.
Author’s Tip: As an add-on, share art-related branded t-shirts with all attendees. It can be Picasso tees with your company logo or virtually anything else you can think of.
Idea #20: Virtual Mental Health Session
Authenticity is critical when incorporating health and wellness into your business.
Integrating wellness activities in your virtual event will be more enjoyable and less like a duty on a to-do list if you trust the importance of doing so.
You should include a brief explanation of the health-related activities in your event timetable and schedule so that participants know what they can expect when they get there.
It’s possible that some activities could be mandatory for the group members, while others will be optional.
To ensure your virtual event attendees know the benefits of pauses, physical and mental activities, connection, and more, be sure to offer education as well as the activities themselves.
Keep reading to find out what our next virtual event idea is.
Idea #21: Online Workshop
A workshop is an educational session that provides participants with hands-on practice with the material.
Workshop topics and themes tend to be narrowly focused on a single industry or market segment.
Keep in mind that if your workshop is being used for marketing purposes, it needs to be linked to your other platforms.
Add live questions on your streaming site, awards, and incentives for sharing material or hashtags, poll your viewers, and generally make it more interactive to drive engagement.
Idea #22: Virtual Workout Session
Now, let’s talk about virtual workout sessions.
We shouldn’t be surprised that firms of all sizes now provide their employees with virtual wellness, meditation, stress reduction, nutrition, exercise, and yoga sessions as regular employee incentives.
Benefits like online seminars and fitness programs are no longer just nice-to-haves; they’re now expected as part of a competitive salary and benefits package.
Qualified personal trainers can lead virtual team-building activities that serve as wellness workshops for your remote staff using platforms like Zoom or your favorite conference platform.
Your team can try any wellness service, whether it’s an aerobic or a yoga class, a nutrition counseling session, a weekly exercise challenge, or anything else.
Idea #23: Online Meditation Session
As we’ve already covered, many companies are now acknowledging the health and wellness advantages of meditation and mindfulness as these eactivities rise in popularity.
Be specific about your goals and aspirations before adding mindfulness classes to your online session.
For example, you may want to include:
- Enhancing the virtual space experience in new and innovative ways
- Helping attendees stay focused and assisting them in breakout sessions or screen weariness
- Sharing the advantages of mindfulness with others in an entertaining way
- Giving participants refocusing skills that will last far beyond your program’s end date
You can take your online meditation sessions to the next level by sending attendees a branded candle they can use to relax and a branded yoga mat, like the one shown below:
Let’s get to the next one.
Idea #24: Online Training
An effective company learning strategy requires a winning blend of online training exercises, online evaluations, and attention-grabbing material.
Employees need to learn new skills, enhance their work performance, and gain hands-on experience in the workplace.
There are instances when a more visual approach is required and your staff will benefit from events like online demos where they can learn how to perform their work most efficiently.
It’s simple to develop interactive web demos because of the abundance of display recording and editing tools accessible online.
Demonstrate how to utilize your sales interface, solve customer problems, and even showcase your new products for brand awareness and sponsorship.
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Idea #25: Online Tarot Card Reading
You can create a great fun virtual event just by getting a tarot reader!
Keep your staff on their feet by asking the tarot reader to tell them that they’ll soon be guessing who will be employee of the month or who’ll be getting a promotion very soon.
You can find many tarot readers online waiting for a booking.
As with most events, virtual bookings are less costly than a face-to-face reading, so make sure to take advantage and give your staff an unforgettable experience.
Let’s get to the next idea.
Idea #26: Online Poker Night
Zoom calls are no longer a source of frustration; you can play its first game, Live Game Night Poker, instead.
Zoom now offers a free version of Live Game Night Poker that you can download from the Zoom Application Store and open a Zoom meeting as usual.
The game will launch from the Zoom Applications box at the bottom of the conference screen once you’ve entered the meeting.
The event’s organizer can customize the game’s settings.
Event attendees will be transported immediately to the poker room and can begin playing as soon as the moderator has set up everything.
Sounds like a fun way to spend time in a virtual environment, right?
Idea #27: Virtual Concert
In-person and online; music draws people together.
Create a virtual concert that allows fans to get up-close and personal with their favorite musicians, regardless of the number of attendees.
A really unforgettable event can be created by putting on behind-the-scenes or exclusive choices.
You’re giving your staff some much-needed respite from reality by hosting a virtual live concert.
We promise that the spirit of your team will be enhanced when they return to work following this lunchtime, noon, night, or overnight virtual event.
It’s time to get to the next one.
Idea #28: Virtual Movie Night
Consider inviting your coworkers to a virtual movie night or day.
Select a day and time that works best for you and your coworkers to watch the movie.
Pop some popcorn or make nachos, and everyone can relax in their comfiest PJs while watching a movie.
You can use a video messaging platform to display the movie.
Plus, many streaming providers such as Netflix offer a watch party alternative with a chat feature, making it simple to coordinate start times and keep everyone involved.
Idea #29: Virtual Truth or Dare
Young people and adults enjoy the game of Truth or Dare.
When the turn comes round to a player, the rest of the group ask if they choose a truth question or a challenge.
Choosing “Truth” triggers a question, which must be answered honestly.
If you select “Dare”, you’ll be presented with a silly task that you must comply with.
It could be something like singing a children’s song while video chatting with the entire team.
As you’re in a more formal setting, keeping the truths and dares light is essential.
Idea #30: Virtual Dinner Night
You’ve reached our 30th event idea!
Why not go for an online dinner where everyone can easily catch up?
Here’s a set of sustainable merch you could send out to event attendees prior to the event:
Last but not least, you’ll need to choose a time that’s convenient for your attendees, just as you would for an in-person dinner event.
Idea #31: Virtual Fundraising
You can plan an entertaining virtual experience that can assist you in raising donations for your chosen charitable organization while having a great time.
Whether you decide to hold a fun event, an interactive engagement, or an instructional occasion, you can include a variety of virtual event concepts in a fundraising event.
If your organization is not a charity, you can donate a part of your revenues to a charitable cause of your preference or offer your guests the option to donate on behalf of the business.
Moving on to our next idea which includes lots of moving.
Idea #32: Virtual Dance Night
Virtual dance parties are one of the most efficient methods to create a sense of community among your coworkers.
You’ll all be ready to let loose through video calls after a long month of grinding.
Set up a fantastic soundtrack to get everybody in the mood for a party.
You may even try sending each person a case of their favorite drink as a way to recognize a good job and to provide them with some well-deserved downtime.
Moving on to the next one.
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Idea #33: Online Birthday Parties and Anniversaries
Celebrations of birthdays and anniversaries enhance workplace satisfaction and bring coworkers closer together, making it the ideal occasion to hold an office party.
You can consider purchasing a bag of goodies for the entire group to share.
If any of your employees work from home, consider sending them delicious cookies and candy right to their houses.
Asking other coworkers to join in and bring anything they think they would appreciate might make it more pleasurable and less expensive for everyone involved.
Let’s get to our second to last event idea.
Idea #34: Virtual Tea Time
Tea time in the office is excellent and it is online, too.
What’s a tea party without a few tasty nibbles to go along with it?
When pairing a lovely cup of tea with a crispy and yummy snack, the options are endless.
Veggie trays, cookies, rusks, and other small snacks make a delicious complement to your tea party spread.
To prepare for your virtual tea party, the host can discover a few simple recipes and distribute them to your friends.
Our next event is our last, so let’s check it out.
Idea #35: Virtual Improv Evening
One of the most challenging aspects of working from home is that individuals tend to speak over one another while working together because you can’t establish eye contact to connect.
This warm-up game teaches people to concentrate through gamification and identify a chance to speak via video conference.
The team must count down from 20, with members’ turns taken at irregular intervals throughout the process.
If any two people talk simultaneously, even if it is only to make a sound, the team must start again at the beginning.
It’ll most likely take a few rounds to reach the magic number of 20.
Encourage your employees to be patient when it is their time to add numbers.
Let’s wrap up!
Now Over to You
You’ve made it to the end of our list of 35 special and fun virtual event ideas.
As you can see, there are plenty of different ways to keep the human connection alive.
Just seek out what your employees like best and always vote for their preferred events.
Remember that including gift packs, in any event, will help your employees feel appreciated for their work, no matter what the occasion is.
We’re here to help you with anything you may need in terms of sourcing the best branded gifts to go with your special events.
Contact us to discuss your fabulous options!
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