A community project is different from a contest, although many new users can't really tell the difference. Take WhoThCares' Fox Battalion or my 405th open invitation as examples, if you will. With all the contests, we also need community specific events every now and then. Definitely not with the sheer volume of contests though. The contests already drown out regular posts anyway, which is why Ceta and I have both made posts asking to not have more and two contests a month.
I'm thinking we plan events around community milestones or real world NONPOLITICAL milestones (think like a new space landing or something).
We could also have events based around MCX milestones, like a new brand, or an innovative new part. Maybe an event could be a celebration of a certain theme, like a celebration of the Gallery's comics, or the Gallery's photographers.
Ideally, a community event post would be something other than clutter. Maybe if the event is centered around photography, everyone could get out of their comfort zone and try to take a compelling photograph.
Again though, this wouldn't be a contest, and we shouldn't constantly have community events going on. That's what the contest is for. If we always have a build and a custom contest going on, there will always be something to participate in. The community event should be special, unique, and RARE.