Hill Country Conferences is known for New Braunfels events like the Home and Garden Show, Kids Fest and the Sports and Outdoorsman Show. After the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, staff members noticed decreased attendance at events.
Hill Country Conferences staff members decided to reevaluate their strategies and bring the events into residents’ backyards. Through its new partnerships with area homeowners associations, Hill Country Conferences is planning a series of pop-up events starting Feb. 3.
“We're working on bringing more immersive experiences and also taking those [events] out into the community and learning about these different niche micro-communities,” Founder Tammy Wood said.
Wood said these events will include:
- free food and refreshments
- diverse offerings with five to seven community partners at each event
- engaging entertainment experiences
- time to connect with family and neighbors
- educational experiences for homeowners
Hill Country Conferences staff are planning to bring in partners such as Kona Ice, Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck and RJE Site Services in the coming months.
Wood said she hopes these events are an opportunity for residents to connect with their neighbors.
“We really want the events to have a lively community spirit from beginning to end, and we want to create memorable moments because we find that those immersive experiences are what is working in today's environment,” Wood said.
The events will be designed with children and adults in mind and have something for everyone.
“In keeping it family focused, we're hoping that that will strengthen not only the family bonds, but the community bonds as well,” Wood said. “Getting those kids out and getting the parents talking is important to us.”
Additionally, working with HOAs in each neighborhood will help Hill Country Conferences to bring hyper-local events to benefit each specific community.
“It's really about community building and celebrating the uniqueness of each neighborhood,” Wood said.
Through the pop-up events, Hill Country Conferences staff hope to gain a better understanding of each neighborhood and its residents.
“What are residents finding that they need,” Wood said. “Is it roofing? Is it energy efficiency? Are they having landscaping issues? We can cater the partners we bring in based on the feedback we get from the individual HOAs.”
With this innovative approach to event planning, Hill Country Conferences hopes to continue serving the New Braunfels community for many years to come.
“We want the success of events to continue,” Wood said. “We're redefining the way we do things based on what we've seen happen.”
Want to see what Hill Country Conferences has planned for your neighborhood? Learn more about neighborhood pop-ups and other events at the organization’s website.
The above story was produced by Multi-platform Journalist Mary Katherine Shapiro with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.
