How Summer Events Can Power Up Your Community Marketing Strategy

When summer arrives across Saskatchewan and Alberta, communities come alive. 

Streets buzz with energy. Parks overflow with music and laughter. Markets, festivals, and outdoor events bring neighbours together in moments that feel alive.

For local businesses, these moments open the door to something deeper than exposure. They offer a chance to build real connections, to be part of the experiences that shape how people feel about the places—and the brands—they encounter.

That’s what Harvard Experiences is all about.

We help businesses step into these shared moments and create relationships that last long after the summer ends.

Community Connection Through Experience

When businesses are present where people naturally gather, it builds trust, familiarity, and positive brand association in a way traditional advertising can’t replicate.

When your business supports local events, you’re doing more than placing a logo or handing out flyers. You’re stepping into the story of the community. You’re sharing real conversations, building authentic relationships, and creating moments that truly matter.

This type of involvement creates meaningful, in-the-moment interactions with both existing customers and new audiences, leaving a lasting impression.

What Community Based Marketing Looks Like in Action

At Harvard Media, we help bring these types of events to life. 

Through Harvard Experiences, we create standout community moments that offer real value for everyone involved: the audience, the partners, and the local businesses that choose to be part of it.

Take Classified Country in Regina, hosted by 620 CKRM.

For this special acoustic concert, we didn’t reveal that Brett Kissel would be the performer until the moment the doors opened. That element of surprise created a buzz that stuck. And the businesses involved became part of a story people in Saskatchewan couldn’t stop talking about.

Then there’s One Weekend Only, a boutique concert weekend in Banff with X92.9 and X100.7.

With performances from acts like Arkells and July Talk, it delivered the energy of a major music festival in an intimate, highly shareable setting. For sponsoring businesses, this provided the opportunity to be part of a curated experience that aligned with a specific audience’s passions. Partners gained brand exposure through social buzz and direct engagement with a highly motivated crowd.

Event Marketing Isn't Just About the Big Moments

But it’s not just big concerts. We’ve also seen how local pop-ups and activations—at markets, festivals, and neighbourhood events—can be just as powerful.

A great conversation, a simple product demo, or an interactive booth can turn a casual encounter into something people remember and can even spark valuable community feedback that deepens your connection and helps shape future experiences.

Why Harvard Experiences Makes a Difference

At Harvard Media, we believe community marketing works best when it’s strategic, not incidental.

It’s about showing up in the right places, for the right reasons, with a plan to turn community presence into real business outcomes.

That’s why we start by aligning your involvement with clear goals, whether that’s building brand awareness, generating leads, or creating deeper loyalty with the customers you already serve. Every touchpoint is planned: how your message is introduced, how your brand is experienced at the event, and how that momentum carries forward after it’s over.

And because Harvard Media brings together radio, digital, and social reach, your brand doesn’t just show up at an event. It remains part of the conversation. We amplify your impact across platforms to make sure you’re seen, remembered, and talked about long after the last tent comes down.

Community marketing with Harvard Experiences isn’t about one-off impressions. It’s about building relationships, reputation, and results that last.

Emotional Connection That Builds Customer Loyalty

When your brand supports what matters to your audience, it creates a sense of belonging. 

That emotional connection builds trust; and trust turns customers into repeat buyers, advocates, and long-term supporters.

A Stronger, More Connected, Active Community

Your involvement helps bring people together. 

When your business shows up, it signals that you care—and customers take note. That kind of community-first mindset leads to relationships that create loyal customers.

Community Focused Storytelling That Sticks

Community involvement shows customers you’re invested in more than just sales.

When your brand is experienced in person—whether through a booth, an activity, or a shared moment with other community members—it feels real. And that’s what customers remember.

Visibility That Lives Beyond the Moment

A single event can spark weeks of buzz. 

We help you turn real-time engagement into ongoing exposure through cross-channel amplification, media coverage, and social buzz that keeps working for your brand.

Marketing That Feels Natural to Community Members

Community-based marketing doesn’t interrupt people’s lives.

It becomes part of the experiences they already value. By showing up in authentic ways, your brand feels natural, relatable, and welcome—making your marketing more effective and your customer/community relationships stronger.

How Your Business Can Get Involved

Here are a few of the ways Harvard Experiences helps businesses create real, lasting value through community engagement:

Sponsorships

Aligning your business with a community event people already love gives you immediate credibility. You benefit from built-in trust and exposure to an audience that’s already engaged.

With Harvard, sponsorship includes promotion across radio, social, and on-site opportunities. That means you’re not just associated with the event, but you’re visible in all the right places.

On-Site Activations

Creating a physical presence at an event gives you the opportunity to connect with customers face-to-face.

Whether it’s an interactive booth, a product sampling station, or a creative activity, these moments are often what people remember most. It’s a chance to humanize your brand and create a positive emotional impression—one that lasts longer than a quick ad scroll.

Radio Auctions & Giveaways

These fast-paced, high-interest promotions help businesses put their product or service in front of a large local audience. They generate excitement, drive engagement, and give you measurable impact.

As part of a strong community based marketing strategy, they also build credibility.

Radio, especially in local markets, offers a level of trust and familiarity that online-only platforms often can’t match.

Local Partnerships

If there’s a specific cause, cultural event, or community initiative your business wants to support, we can help co-create a presence that feels right. These partnerships are often where authenticity shines through.

When your audience sees you supporting the same things they care about, it creates a sense of alignment and shared values that builds long-term loyalty.

Upcoming Community Events You Won’t Want to Miss

It's not just about being present, though. It's about choosing the right moments to connect.

Luckily, the next season of events is full of moments made for community connection. Here are a few of the experiences local businesses are already getting excited about:

Country Thunder Craven

Big crowds, bigger energy, and one of the season’s most anticipated music festivals. 

It’s the perfect opportunity to align your brand with unforgettable summer experiences and reach thousands of engaged attendees.

Supper in the Field & Country Cookout

Both of these events are a chance to say thank you to Saskatchewan’s local farming community over a shared meal and a meaningful get-together. 

For businesses, it’s a rare opportunity to show up with sincerity and be seen as a neighbour, not just a sponsor.

Parades and Fair Days

Local traditions that bring towns together in the most vibrant ways. 

Whether you’re walking in the parade or hosting a booth at the fairgrounds, these moments are built for visibility, conversation, and connection.

X One Weekend Only Events

Intimate, high-impact concerts hosted by X92.9 and X100.7 are amazing events that bring big-name artists to small, curated settings. 

For businesses, it’s a chance to connect with highly engaged audiences in a premium, story-worthy environment.

With so many great opportunities ahead, it’s important to find the one that fits your business best. 

The Harvard Experiences team will help you choose the right event based on your region, your goals, and your audience. Whether you're looking for wide exposure or more personal engagement, we'll make sure your presence feels natural, purposeful, and aligned with what your customers care about most.

The Momentum You Build Matters

When you connect with people in a meaningful way, they don’t just remember your brand, they remember the feeling they had when they interacted with it.

That memory becomes part of how they view your business. And over time, that perception translates into stronger relationships, increased customer satisfaction, deeper loyalty, and sustained growth.

Community marketing works not because it’s flashy or loud, but because it feels personal. When your business becomes part of the stories people tell about their summer, their neighbourhood, or their favourite weekend moment, you’ve done more than advertise, you’ve earned your place in their memories.

Harvard Experiences is here to help you get there. 

Let’s create something that matters this summer, not just for the bottom line of your business, but for the community you serve.

Reach out today. Your next great connection is already waiting.