Find a Theme and Wow Your Team

All about theme meetings

Toastmasters founder Ralph C. Smedley said, “We learn best in moments of enjoyment.” So, what can you do in a Toastmasters meeting to make it extra fun — to go beyond the normal routine of friendship, practice and learning? A great way to accomplish this and add variety to your regular club meetings is to present a theme meeting or special event.

Some popular theme meetings and special events are:

  • Hold a reverse meeting. Run your entire meeting in reverse order. It keeps everyone awake and laughing.
  • Hold a debate meeting. Give your fellow members the chance to express their feelings on an important topic.
  • Enjoy a game meeting. Arrange for portions of the meeting to be run as a game. For example, Table Topics might be run as a Hangman game.
  • Throw a Murder-mystery party. Invite guests from other clubs and enjoy an old-fashioned whodunit.
  • Put on a play. Write a script or for Table Topics, let everyone improvise.
  • Host a parade. Use your skills to describe those floats and make it a fun day for everyone.


Themes are Fun

You can have a lot of fun trying new themes for your club meetings. Have everyone wear a silly hat and base their speeches on the way they look. Or, turn Table Topics into a game of Family Feud by assigning members to team-families. Turn everyone into “Famous Chef for a Day” and see what kinds of amazing recipes turn up in speeches.

Benefits of Special Activities

It’s always fun to set the stage for a meeting. In fact, Toastmasters often say, “it’s all about stage time.” This is true when you’re looking for a new, enjoyable activity for your group. These help you escape the rut of repetitive meetings and offer an opportunity to:

  • Invite Toastmasters from nearby clubs
  • Attract visitors to your meetings
  • Enhance members’ performance skills,
  • Develop members’ hidden talents
  • Build camaraderie in the club
  • Attract media attention for your club – and give your VPPR something to boast about!

A Party to Die For

A Toastmaster magazine article in the August, 2006 (link to magazine) issue shows great examples of two groups who hosted theme meetings with amazing success. Lansing’s Yawn Patrol Toastmasters presented a murder-mystery themed party and invited several other clubs to attend. They threw themselves into their production, with costumes, a script and dinner. Everyone had a great time, first watching the performers speak about the murder, then interrogating the “witnesses” and eventually solving the crime. “This approach to speaking ‘outside the box’ encouraged role playing, thinking fast and sketching credible characters,” according to Tracey Maroney, participant and writer. She went on to add, “Everyone deemed the program a success. The event gave the cast a chance to persuade and convince an audience of a viewpoint, organize coherent speech, think on the spot, and collaborate and scheme using team leadership abilities.”

The Play’s the Thing

Another group, the Speak Easy Toastmasters club, in County Cork, Ireland, also staged a murder-mystery themed event – a play. They rehearsed the play only once, leaving it to the various club members to slip into character and make the most of each role. They performed for a “jury” of peers and enjoyed hearing the verdict at the end of the show. No comic opportunity was wasted in this event. “Our play gave the club members leeway to practice vocal variation, gestures and other attributes of their Toastmasters training,” explained John Dillon, participant and writer.

Thanksgiving Day Fun

Another group from District 30 used their Toastmasters skills by volunteering as official parade announcers at the city’s annual Thanksgiving Day parade, in Chicago, Illinois. Kim Taylor reports that the Toastmasters sang, danced and encouraged everyone – from the very young to the most senior – to join in the fun and embrace the moment.” They really represented Toastmasters International with pride and polish! How did they do it? One member, Public Relations Officer Allen Green, networked with parade officials, sponsors, contractors and volunteers through months of planning and coordination. His work resulted in success – District 30 members volunteered as official parade announcers and Green earned his Advanced Leader certification.

Where to get ideas for these types of events?

  • Read the Toastmaster magazine. See what others have done or dream up your own special events.
  • Brainstorm with fellow club members for event ideas and how they can be accomplished.
  • Delegate roles and assignments! Who wants to write a script or who can contact local governmental agencies? Who wants to act in a play? Who wants to match resources with needs?
  • Set up an action plan. How to get started?.
  • Keep track of your growing experience and skills in a leadership manual. Have your club leaders or fellow members sign off as you complete each task toward the ultimate goal of producing the show or performing at the special event.

These are some ideas to help you get started. With a little creativity and all the skills you’re acquiring in Toastmasters, the possibilities are endless!

From "A Party to Die For" by Tracey Maroney, ATMB, and "The Play's the Thing" by John Dillon, CL, in the Toastmaster magazine, August 2006. Also, portions taken from "District 30 Hosts Thanksgiving Parade" by Kim Taylor, CC, in the Toastmaster magazine, April 2007 and “Playing Games” in the September 2001 issue of the Toastmaster magazine.


Do you have any good tips on making meetings extra fun? E-mail your story in 400 words or less to letters@toastmasters.org (subject: What Works for Us) and it might appear here.