Event inspiration doesn’t always strike when you’re staring at a screen or pushing through deadlines. In fact, some of the best ideas arrive when you least expect them — during a walk, at a street festival, or while sketching without a plan. That’s why summer is the perfect moment to pause, refresh, and open yourself up to new perspectives.

Whether you’re preparing for a packed autumn calendar or simply letting ideas simmer in the background, this slower time of year is ideal for reconnecting with creativity. The energy of summer — lighter schedules, outdoor settings, and spontaneous conversations — is a powerful ingredient for new thinking.

Below are five simple but powerful ways to find event inspiration this summer — and return in September with renewed energy and fresh ideas.

1. Visit a Space You Wouldn’t Normally Consider for Events

When was the last time you walked into a venue that wasn’t on your usual list? Summer invites you to explore your surroundings more freely. Maybe there’s a quirky museum café, a peaceful rooftop, an old train station, or a hidden garden in your city you’ve never paid attention to. These underused or unconventional spaces can completely reshape how you think about hosting events.

Take time to notice textures, flow, sound, and light. Think about how different types of gatherings — product launches, client dinners, small team offsites — might feel in these less traditional spaces. Sometimes, event inspiration is as simple as seeing a room and thinking, “What if?”

2. Talk to Someone Outside the Event World

You don’t need to attend another industry panel to spark new ideas. Instead, try talking to someone from a different creative field — a chef, a theatre director, an interior designer, or a museum curator. These professionals all think in terms of experience, flow, and audience impact, but they bring wildly different approaches to the table.

Ask them: “What do you think makes an experience unforgettable?”
Often, their answers will surprise you — and open up entirely new ways of thinking about your own work.

Real event inspiration often comes from outside your bubble.

3. Unplug to Notice What Actually Makes a Great Experience

You’re probably attending at least one festival, local market, or outdoor event this summer. Try going as a guest — not a planner. Leave your clipboard and critical brain at home. Instead, observe.

What made the experience feel good?
What frustrated you without you realising?
How did people arrive? How did they move? What made them linger?

You’ll begin to notice the little things: directional signs that work, music volume that matches the mood, small design touches that tell a bigger story. All of these are subtle sources of event inspiration when you let yourself be part of the crowd.

4. Soak Up Inspiration from Streets, Signage, and Public Spaces

Cities in summer are full of movement and spontaneous moments. Take a walk through a festival site, an old neighbourhood, or a city square. Look at how people move and interact. What makes people stop? What draws them in? How do they navigate spaces with or without clear signage?

Street markets, murals, public seating areas, lighting, window displays — all of these elements influence the flow and emotion of shared spaces. As an event professional, this kind of observation sharpens your eye for layout, transitions, and atmosphere. It’s event inspiration in real time.

5. Sketch or Map Out an Event That Doesn’t Exist (Yet)

Summer is the ideal time to play with ideas — no brief, no budget, no pressure. Maybe you’ve had a concept in your mind for months but haven’t given it space to grow. Use this time to sketch it out, make a mood board, write a draft event flow, or brainstorm a unique theme.

What would you create if there were no client constraints?
What kind of experience would you love to attend?

This practice not only reconnects you with your creativity, but often becomes the seed for future pitches and real projects.

Bonus Tip: Document What Inspires You

As you collect ideas this summer — whether it’s a photo of a colourful festival stage or a note about the perfect crowd flow — make a habit of capturing them. Create a summer inspiration folder on your phone, or jot things down in a notebook. That way, when you’re deep in planning mode later this year, you’ll have a treasure chest of references ready to go.

Inspiration Starts with Space

Creativity can’t be forced — but it can be invited. Whether you’re staying local or travelling this summer, make space for curiosity, reflection, and new perspectives. Sometimes, giving your mind a bit of freedom is the most productive thing you can do.

Let September be the month where all those small moments of summer turn into something big.

Want more ideas and inspiration in your inbox?
Sign up for the TEPN newsletter and stay connected with event professionals across the Netherlands and beyond.

.