Developing a sense of place through attendance and involvement in local events: the social sustainability perspective

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examines the effect of residents’ event attendance and involvement on sense of place from the perspective of social sustainability. Specifically, this study investigates the impact of residents’ frequency of visits to and active involvement in local events on their perceived sense of place by adopting a quantitative method. The survey results show that frequent visits to local events as event attendees have a significant effect on all three dimensions of sense of place, namely place attachment, place identity and place dependence. However, involvement in local events as volunteers, organisers or co-workers was found to contribute only to place identity. This study aids in enhancing our comprehension of events as a crucial aspect of neighbourhoods that contributes to broader social sustainability of communities. The findings provide quantitative empirical evidence to key stakeholders that validate the importance of events not only as economic tools but also as integral components of the social structure within local communities. The study highlights the significance of exploring the complex association between events, places, and host communities, to better understand how events can potentially strengthen the social sustainability of local communities.