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How to Plan a Neighborhood Block Party

Neighborhood Block Parties are a great way to meet your neighbors, enhance community spirit and build neighborhood unity. Although organizing a Block Party doesn't need to be difficult, it will definitely be more successful with a little careful planning, a lot of neighborhood support and the sharing of responsibilities.

Your Block Party will be much more successful if you involve others in planning the event. Host a small organizational meeting and invite a variety of your neighbors—including some you don't know yet—to form a Block Party planning committee.

Pick a Location, Date, Time

The planning committee’s first task should be to pick a location, date and time for the event. Typically, block parties are held on a street or cul-de-sac, but you might also choose a driveway if it is flat and will accommodate enough equipment and seating area for a crowd. Schedule the event approximately 4 to 6 weeks in advance. Limiting your event to a 2-4 hour time span insures that you will have a more concentrated group of attendees. Plan your event for midday in the spring and fall or for early evening during hot summer months.

Get Approval

If you plan to close off a portion of your street or cul-de-sac, you will need to apply for a permit from your local police department. Check with them 6-8 weeks in advance to learn about local guidelines and restrictions.

Plan Funding

The committee's next task should be deciding what (if anything) will need to be purchased and how the event will be funded. Will you need to purchase decorations, food & beverages, cooking fuel or game prizes? Will you take up a collection for funds from neighbors, organize contributions in the form of donations, or will it be a combination? If you decide to collect money, assign a member of your committee to act as treasurer. Regardless of how you fund the party, make certain the treasurer keeps a written record of what money is collected and how it is spent. Any leftover funds might be saved for the next Block Party.

Get People There

Assign committee members to design and distribute invitations or flyers for each household 3 to 4 weeks in advance of the event. Handing out invitations door-to-door adds a personal touch that will help you get more people interested in participating. Keep the invitation simple and remember to include contact names and phone numbers for RSVP's and for signing up to bring food or coordinate activities. Let people know if they need to bring their own cooler of beverages or chairs.

You may want to distribute a short notice one week before the Block Party as a reminder.

Feed Your Guests

The planning committee should decide how to organize food. A few options include...

• bring picnic baskets to share with other families
• organize a "potluck" and have people bring foods from different categories (appetizers, salads, side dishes, entrees, desserts, beverages, plates, utensils, napkins, etc.)
• plan a "community menu" and assign households to bring specific items or beverages
• hold a chili, soup, barbeque or dessert cook-off and ask kids or adults to award prizes for favorites

Make sure that you keep track of how many people will be coming to the event and stay organized by keeping a list of "who’s bringing what" to the party.

Keep People There by Planning Activities

Plan activities that will get a wide range of neighbors involved—kids, adults, men and women alike.

Encourage older kids to help organize games for younger children. Choose games that involve teams or groups of people such as sack races, orange pass, tug of war, relays or water balloon tosses.. But, don’t over plan. Use games to get people involved in the early stages of the party and during down times to encourage people to stay. Give neighbors the opportunity to relax and talk as well. Organize ongoing activities to keep younger children busy, such as chalk drawing on sidewalks or driveways, finger painting, kite flying, etc.

Respect Your Neighbors

Making the event a pleasant experience for participants, as well as those who chose not to attend, will not only make your event a success, but may encourage more neighbors to participate the next time. Be courteous to all by not blocking driveways and by turning down music and lights after 9:00 p.m. Make certain that your committee assigns a clean-up crew to pick up all remnants of the fun day. You might even make a game out of cleaning up by giving rewards to children who collect the most trash.

Evaluate Success

When the party is over, decorations dismantled and barbecues returned to backyards, sit down with the planning committee and evaluate the event. Make a list of what "to do" and what "not to do" for your next gathering.

Regardless of what you plan for your Block Party, getting a wide variety of people involved in the planning, staying organized and keeping an open mind will help make the event successful. Remember, it doesn't take a large number of people to have a successful event. If your neighbors meet a few new families and get to know each other a little better, you’re already beginning to enhance your community. Make the event a positive experience for the entire neighborhood and you’ll be sure to attract even more the next time around!