Help me plan a H&F event/party

[shauni27]

I know I am not on here a lot, but I need some help if you guys are willing to give it.

I am a member of my little  town's wellness and fitness center. It is pretty small, there is no open gym time, but you can buy a month membership and attend any classes or just sign up for specific classes you want access to. It is mostly women who have all become pretty friendly with each other. There are classes that range from spinning and kickboxing to bootcamp classes and C25K group classes. They do various races together, etc.  The owner is trying to do fun stuff with the community--family haunted house for the kids, various halloween events and activities, etc. She is pretty well known in the community for being involved and reaching out to find fun ways to try to get the community healthier.

Her one year anniversary of being open is coming up in January. I have volunteered to help throw an anniversary party/event for her. The thoughts were to do something the entire week to celebrate culminating in something special for the actual 1 year (falling on a weekend day). Here are some ideas I had, but I am looking for more. Keep in mind it is a very small community and the budget it pretty small as well.

-Get the local weekly paper with good circulation in the town/community to do a write up about the center
-make sure to send out emails and get on all of the listservs
-create facebook event
-current members who refer a new member during that week get $10 off their monthly pass, as do the new referrals
-all new members who buy a month pass get put in a drawing for a free month membership
-on the actual 1 year day, I like the idea of special classes, maybe a family friendly 1 mile fun run, cake and punch and champagne, etc. 

I cannot think if what to do for special classes or events for either the actual anniversary day or the days leading up to it. I would love any input and guidance! 

[sadlebred]

For the special classes maybe a theme? Does the gym have a mantra/saying? Does the owner really like any specific type of music that could be used for the classes?

[labbie]

Hi there,
Great ideas so far. how about a gym "open house" on the actual day with the family fun run and cake/punch at the end?
My local gym does a day once or twice a year with an open house and 'sample' classes so you can get an idea of what the classes are like. Like a 15-20 min spin, bodypump, piyo, etc. Are there other local vendors you could get involved to offer either healthy food samples, other h&f information/raffles, etc? Chair massages? Sort of like a local health fair at the gym itself to gain publicity?  Offer a raffle for a month (or week) pass to the gym in exchange for a donation of food for the local food pantry, or winter coat drive?

[starburst604]

So I teach at a small studio much like you describe, she does a celebration every year (just celebrated 6 years in business). What she does for the actual day of the event is hold an open house with a lineup ofdemos of a bunch of her classes and it's free to the public to try any class they like as well as the members. She'll have about 6 different classes for 30 mins each. It works because members often bring a friend and then they sign up for a membership. Then there's also cake, treats, balloons, different health vendors and at the bigger location she'll have something for kids like a bouncy or face painting. It makes it family friendly and people hang out and chat.

[shauni27]

thanks, guys! these are great so far!