10 Corporate Summer Event Ideas To Boost Team Morale

June 30, 2025

Studies have shown that productivity and employee engagement tend to drop in the summer. It’s not hard to imagine why. The sun is shining, kids are out of school, and your team members may have weddings and outdoor get-togethers to go to on evenings and weekends. 

So how do you keep your employees engaged and motivated during the warmer months? Summer team-building events are the perfect way to infuse some fun into the workplace, bring your team together, and encourage people to stay focused and involved at work. It’s also a great opportunity to invite your employees to bring their families along.

Here are our top 10 summer-friendly corporate event ideas to help boost your team’s engagement.

Benefits of Summer Company Events for Team-Building

Company events can offer benefits at any time of year. But summertime offers unique opportunities to branch out from traditional corporate environments. With warmer weather and a fun summer vibe, your options are virtually limitless.

Here are some unique benefits of organizing a summer company event:

  • Boosts morale and productivity
  • Encourages team building and collaboration
  • Reduces burnout
  • Increases retention
  • Improves mental wellbeing
  • Strengthens company culture

1. Company Potluck or Barbecue 

Nothing brings people together like good food and good company. Organizing a barbeque or potluck at a local park or small event venue is the perfect way to show your employees you care, invite them to introduce their families, and encourage them to make deeper connections.

Depending on your budget and the size of your office, you can hire a catering company or suggest that everyone brings their favorite dish to share.

2. Beach or Lake Excursion

A day at the lake or beach is a relaxing way to get the office together in a less formal setting and encourage your team to rest, rejuvenate, and spend time with one another – and their families too. If your budget allows, you could even hire a boat for the day or rent a few kayaks and floating rafts.

3. Outdoor Movie Night

Planning an outdoor movie night is a fun and summer-friendly way to get your company together in a comfortable environment. You’ll need to make sure you have the right AV equipment and support to make this idea work. 

There are plenty of projectors and sound systems that can accommodate outdoor events. Depending on the size of your office, you could even rent an outdoor concert venue or drive-in movie theater for the evening.

4. Field Day or “Office Olympics”

Getting active and engaging in friendly competition is one of the best ways to get your team to bond with one another. You can schedule a simple outdoor field day with a few casual events or create a more structured competition and offer prizes for the winners. Just make sure you incorporate some less-demanding activities for those with mobility concerns.

Here are a few fun activities to include in your outdoor activity day:

  • Obstacle courses
  • Capture the flag
  • Three-legged races
  • Charades
  • Wheelbarrow races
  • Cornhole
  • Tug of war
  • Water balloon toss

5. Executive Retreat

Inviting your executives, top clients, or key members of your team on a retreat is the ideal way to show your appreciation and build lasting bonds through shared experiences. 

Planning a retreat may be as simple as booking a cruise or all-inclusive stay at a resort, but if you want to really make an impression, you can go the extra mile and plan some tailored activities like mini-golf or company trivia.

6. Company Summer Camp

Summer camp isn’t just for kids. In fact, there are many summer camps geared toward adults and coworkers. They usually last for a weekend or a full week and involve nostalgic summer-camp activities like themed parties, field and water sports, outdoor movie nights or concerts, and roasting marshmallows by the fire.

7. Board Game or Trivia Night

A game night is a super simple and easy-to-plan corporate summer event that you can host at your office, at a nearby restaurant or bar, or at a dedicated event venue. You can play classic or themed games and get everyone laughing and learning about one another in a comfortable, cozy setting.

Here are some fun games to play at a company game night:

  • Two truths and a lie
  • Jenga
  • Charades
  • Guess the song
  • Office-themed trivia
  • Minute-to-win it challenges
  • Pictionary
  • Never have I ever

8. Volunteer Day

Organizing a volunteer day for your company offers many benefits. Team-members get to work together for a good cause, which can boost morale and increase community engagement.

Choose a social cause that reflects the values of your company. Some examples of charitable activities include:

  • Having a park or beach cleanup
  • Planting at a community garden
  • Helping out at an animal shelter
  • Helping out at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen
  • Organizing a toy drive at a children’s center or hospital
  • Assembling care kits

9. Escape Room

Escape rooms are always a big hit. Solving a fun mystery as a group is a great way to build collaborative relationships, improve communication and time management, and stretch your problem-solving muscles in a low-stakes environment.

An escape room works best with smaller groups so everyone has the opportunity to contribute. If you have a larger number of people, consider splitting your team up into smaller groups and renting a multi-room venue. You might even encourage some friendly competition by awarding a prize to the group that escapes the fastest.

10. Art Workshops

A company-focused art class or project is a great way for your team to express their creativity and learn new skills. From an evening wine and paint party, to a collaborative mural project, to a pottery or candle-making class, there are a wide range of fun and unique art workshops to choose from.

Make Your Summer Corporate Event Unforgettable With Integrated AV  

A company event in the summer is a great way to boost employee wellbeing, encourage collaboration, and create lasting memories with your team. Whether you’re planning a company-wide outdoor movie night, a summer camp retreat, or a skill-building workshop, any tech you use needs to be reliable and versatile.

At Catalyst, we specialize in designing, managing, and supporting large-scale AV systems for corporate events. Our team of expert technicians have the skills and knowledge you need to ensure every technical element of your event elevates the experience.

Contact us to schedule a free consultation and discuss your goals!

June 30, 2025

Studies have shown that productivity and employee engagement tend to drop in the summer. It’s not hard to imagine why. The sun is shining, kids are out of school, and your team members may have weddings and outdoor get-togethers to go to on evenings and weekends. 

So how do you keep your employees engaged and motivated during the warmer months? Summer team-building events are the perfect way to infuse some fun into the workplace, bring your team together, and encourage people to stay focused and involved at work. It’s also a great opportunity to invite your employees to bring their families along.

Here are our top 10 summer-friendly corporate event ideas to help boost your team’s engagement.

Benefits of Summer Company Events for Team-Building

Company events can offer benefits at any time of year. But summertime offers unique opportunities to branch out from traditional corporate environments. With warmer weather and a fun summer vibe, your options are virtually limitless.

Here are some unique benefits of organizing a summer company event:

  • Boosts morale and productivity
  • Encourages team building and collaboration
  • Reduces burnout
  • Increases retention
  • Improves mental wellbeing
  • Strengthens company culture

1. Company Potluck or Barbecue 

Nothing brings people together like good food and good company. Organizing a barbeque or potluck at a local park or small event venue is the perfect way to show your employees you care, invite them to introduce their families, and encourage them to make deeper connections.

Depending on your budget and the size of your office, you can hire a catering company or suggest that everyone brings their favorite dish to share.

2. Beach or Lake Excursion

A day at the lake or beach is a relaxing way to get the office together in a less formal setting and encourage your team to rest, rejuvenate, and spend time with one another – and their families too. If your budget allows, you could even hire a boat for the day or rent a few kayaks and floating rafts.

3. Outdoor Movie Night

Planning an outdoor movie night is a fun and summer-friendly way to get your company together in a comfortable environment. You’ll need to make sure you have the right AV equipment and support to make this idea work. 

There are plenty of projectors and sound systems that can accommodate outdoor events. Depending on the size of your office, you could even rent an outdoor concert venue or drive-in movie theater for the evening.

4. Field Day or “Office Olympics”

Getting active and engaging in friendly competition is one of the best ways to get your team to bond with one another. You can schedule a simple outdoor field day with a few casual events or create a more structured competition and offer prizes for the winners. Just make sure you incorporate some less-demanding activities for those with mobility concerns.

Here are a few fun activities to include in your outdoor activity day:

  • Obstacle courses
  • Capture the flag
  • Three-legged races
  • Charades
  • Wheelbarrow races
  • Cornhole
  • Tug of war
  • Water balloon toss

5. Executive Retreat

Inviting your executives, top clients, or key members of your team on a retreat is the ideal way to show your appreciation and build lasting bonds through shared experiences. 

Planning a retreat may be as simple as booking a cruise or all-inclusive stay at a resort, but if you want to really make an impression, you can go the extra mile and plan some tailored activities like mini-golf or company trivia.

6. Company Summer Camp

Summer camp isn’t just for kids. In fact, there are many summer camps geared toward adults and coworkers. They usually last for a weekend or a full week and involve nostalgic summer-camp activities like themed parties, field and water sports, outdoor movie nights or concerts, and roasting marshmallows by the fire.

7. Board Game or Trivia Night

A game night is a super simple and easy-to-plan corporate summer event that you can host at your office, at a nearby restaurant or bar, or at a dedicated event venue. You can play classic or themed games and get everyone laughing and learning about one another in a comfortable, cozy setting.

Here are some fun games to play at a company game night:

  • Two truths and a lie
  • Jenga
  • Charades
  • Guess the song
  • Office-themed trivia
  • Minute-to-win it challenges
  • Pictionary
  • Never have I ever

8. Volunteer Day

Organizing a volunteer day for your company offers many benefits. Team-members get to work together for a good cause, which can boost morale and increase community engagement.

Choose a social cause that reflects the values of your company. Some examples of charitable activities include:

  • Having a park or beach cleanup
  • Planting at a community garden
  • Helping out at an animal shelter
  • Helping out at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen
  • Organizing a toy drive at a children’s center or hospital
  • Assembling care kits

9. Escape Room

Escape rooms are always a big hit. Solving a fun mystery as a group is a great way to build collaborative relationships, improve communication and time management, and stretch your problem-solving muscles in a low-stakes environment.

An escape room works best with smaller groups so everyone has the opportunity to contribute. If you have a larger number of people, consider splitting your team up into smaller groups and renting a multi-room venue. You might even encourage some friendly competition by awarding a prize to the group that escapes the fastest.

10. Art Workshops

A company-focused art class or project is a great way for your team to express their creativity and learn new skills. From an evening wine and paint party, to a collaborative mural project, to a pottery or candle-making class, there are a wide range of fun and unique art workshops to choose from.

Make Your Summer Corporate Event Unforgettable With Integrated AV  

A company event in the summer is a great way to boost employee wellbeing, encourage collaboration, and create lasting memories with your team. Whether you’re planning a company-wide outdoor movie night, a summer camp retreat, or a skill-building workshop, any tech you use needs to be reliable and versatile.

At Catalyst, we specialize in designing, managing, and supporting large-scale AV systems for corporate events. Our team of expert technicians have the skills and knowledge you need to ensure every technical element of your event elevates the experience.

Contact us to schedule a free consultation and discuss your goals!

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should an event press release be?

Who is an event press release for?

How soon before the event should you publish a press release?

How soon after an event should you publish a post-event press release?

Ensure Your Event Exceeds Expectations With Cutting-Edge AV Production

Are you planning a shareholder meeting, conference, product launch, trade show, or other type of major event? You need to make sure the production value matches the quality of your event’s content. Working with a reliable, proven leader in audio visual event production like Catalyst ensures your event runs smoothly, exceeds the expectations of your audience, and has the impact you want.

Get in touch today to schedule a free consultation, learn more about our services, and tell us about your event.