How to Throw a Block Party
Get fun ideas, useful tips and step-by-step advice for organizing a successful event in your neighborhood
How well do you know your neighbors? If the answer is “not well enough,” consider organizing a block party to help people in your neighborhood get better acquainted. Now is a great time to begin. This guide will tell you how to throw a block party, give you checklists of things to do and provide ideas for activities to make the event fun for all.
South Pasadena, California, block party. Photo by Unofficial South Pasadena
Why Have a Block Party?
The benefits of a neighborhood party range from just having a good time to making connections that can later help residents cope with an illness, accident or disaster. Neighbors can meet potential babysitters, arrange to share equipment or skills and find others interested in forming a book club or garden group. Children can get to know other kids on their street. Getting acquainted in a relaxed environment can increase understanding between neighbors and help avoid future disputes over pets, property or noise. A block party also can be the first step to organizing a neighborhood watch or other community group.
Why Have a Block Party?
The benefits of a neighborhood party range from just having a good time to making connections that can later help residents cope with an illness, accident or disaster. Neighbors can meet potential babysitters, arrange to share equipment or skills and find others interested in forming a book club or garden group. Children can get to know other kids on their street. Getting acquainted in a relaxed environment can increase understanding between neighbors and help avoid future disputes over pets, property or noise. A block party also can be the first step to organizing a neighborhood watch or other community group.
Memphis, Tennessee, block party. Photo by dani0010
The Best Time for a Block Party
Some block parties are organized around holidays such as the Fourth of July and Halloween. But holidays aren’t always the best days for block parties, as people often are away from home. Regular weekends or weekday nights in early and late summer and early fall are popular times for block parties. And neighborhood organizers say mid-afternoon to evening works best. In general, a great time to have a block party is anytime the weather is good, people are in town and there are no competing events in your city.
The Best Time for a Block Party
Some block parties are organized around holidays such as the Fourth of July and Halloween. But holidays aren’t always the best days for block parties, as people often are away from home. Regular weekends or weekday nights in early and late summer and early fall are popular times for block parties. And neighborhood organizers say mid-afternoon to evening works best. In general, a great time to have a block party is anytime the weather is good, people are in town and there are no competing events in your city.
Photo by Denise Krebs
When It’s Your First Time
If you and your neighbors are planning your first party, consider starting small with a few families and a potluck or barbecue in someone’s yard. “A block party can be as simple as people bringing out their barbecues at a certain time and barbecuing together,” says Dära Salk, community outreach director for Chicago’s 47th Ward. As people get to know one another, you can expand the size and scope of future gatherings.
10 Steps to a Stress-Free Barbecue
When It’s Your First Time
If you and your neighbors are planning your first party, consider starting small with a few families and a potluck or barbecue in someone’s yard. “A block party can be as simple as people bringing out their barbecues at a certain time and barbecuing together,” says Dära Salk, community outreach director for Chicago’s 47th Ward. As people get to know one another, you can expand the size and scope of future gatherings.
10 Steps to a Stress-Free Barbecue
Photo by Tim Beckett
Pull Together Your Team
“Many hands make light work” is a favorite saying of community organizers offering advice on how to plan a block party. Their recommendation: Start by talking to neighbors you know. If there is interest in a neighborhood party, form a committee of people who will help you plan and organize the event. Good candidates for this are people who are already connected to other neighbors, have strong organizational skills and are willing to put in the time. There will be tasks to match everyone’s talents and availability.
Pull Together Your Team
“Many hands make light work” is a favorite saying of community organizers offering advice on how to plan a block party. Their recommendation: Start by talking to neighbors you know. If there is interest in a neighborhood party, form a committee of people who will help you plan and organize the event. Good candidates for this are people who are already connected to other neighbors, have strong organizational skills and are willing to put in the time. There will be tasks to match everyone’s talents and availability.
Maryland Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford, in red shirt, visits a Baltimore block party. Photo from Maryland GovPics
To-Do List for Block Party Volunteers
To-Do List for Block Party Volunteers
- Contact the local municipality to apply for permits, rent street barricades, determine any requirements, sign up for a bounce house or a fire truck visit and be the point person for your group.
- Collect signatures from neighbors for a street closure
- Design invitations, a flyer and signs to publicize the event to neighbors
- Distribute invitations door to door, put up signs, coordinate a potluck sign-up sheet, collect donations and be a neighborhood contact person
- Reach out to businesses and community groups for donations and other participation
- Organize the day’s activities and pull together the people, equipment and supplies needed for games, sports, art activities and entertainment
- Buy or make arrangements for food, drinks, ice, garbage bags, name tags and dishware, cups and utensils
- Rent, borrow or arrange for tables, chairs, coolers, tents, decorations, trash containers, no-parking signs, a sound system, a bullhorn and music
- Arrive early to the party to set up
- Make public announcements and introductions
- Gather first aid supplies and set up a first aid station
- Staff the grill, the food and beverage tables and other areas
- Stay to clean up when the party’s over
Joseph Covington’s invitation for his neighborhood’s block party in Holland, Michigan
What to Include on the Invitation
You can distribute invitations with a newsletter, postcard or flyer. You also can communicate with residents on your neighborhood’s Nextdoor or Facebook page, in email groups or with a digital service such as Evite or SignUpGenius. A hand-delivered or phone invite can be a nice personal touch. Include:
What to Include on the Invitation
You can distribute invitations with a newsletter, postcard or flyer. You also can communicate with residents on your neighborhood’s Nextdoor or Facebook page, in email groups or with a digital service such as Evite or SignUpGenius. A hand-delivered or phone invite can be a nice personal touch. Include:
- Date, start and end times, and location of the event. Add a rain date if needed.
- Who is invited (residents only, or friends and relatives)
- Food, refreshments and activities that will be provided, and donations requested
- Things people should bring (food, drink, chair, reusable dishes)
- Contact person for RSVP, questions and donations. You may ask people to provide their contact info, the names and ages of people who plan to attend and the food, supplies and equipment they can contribute.
Brooklyn, New York, block party. Photo by Ran Zwigenberg
When to Seek a Permit
You won’t need a permit to gather with a few neighbors in your front yard, but your municipality will probably require one if you want to have your gathering on the street or other public property, particularly if you want to close the street to traffic.
Check your city, county or town’s website or call its offices to learn the requirements, get an application for a block party permit and find out how long to allow for approval. A three-week approval process is not uncommon, as cities circulate your application among fire, police and other departments. Some cities, such as Portland, Oregon, may issue a permit with a week’s notice; larger cities such as New York may require 60 to 90 days for approval.
When to Seek a Permit
You won’t need a permit to gather with a few neighbors in your front yard, but your municipality will probably require one if you want to have your gathering on the street or other public property, particularly if you want to close the street to traffic.
Check your city, county or town’s website or call its offices to learn the requirements, get an application for a block party permit and find out how long to allow for approval. A three-week approval process is not uncommon, as cities circulate your application among fire, police and other departments. Some cities, such as Portland, Oregon, may issue a permit with a week’s notice; larger cities such as New York may require 60 to 90 days for approval.
Boulder, Colorado, block party
More on the Permit Process
Many municipalities charge a fee to issue a permit or provide traffic barricades for the day. Some require signatures from a majority of or all of the residents on the block before they will approve an application to close the street. You may need to submit an event plan or map.
You also may need to get additional permissions if your party will include amplified sound, food sales, alcoholic beverages, chemical toilets, generators, rides, bounce houses or a petting zoo. Some locales do not allow alcohol to be served or consumed on streets, sidewalks, traffic strips and other public property. You may need to provide a certificate of insurance for the event.
Though it may seem as though there are a lot of hoops to jump through, many cities see the benefits of block parties and will help residents through the permitting process. Some will lend equipment, deliver a bounce house, provide safety classes or even send a fire truck, police car or local officials to your gathering.
More on the Permit Process
Many municipalities charge a fee to issue a permit or provide traffic barricades for the day. Some require signatures from a majority of or all of the residents on the block before they will approve an application to close the street. You may need to submit an event plan or map.
You also may need to get additional permissions if your party will include amplified sound, food sales, alcoholic beverages, chemical toilets, generators, rides, bounce houses or a petting zoo. Some locales do not allow alcohol to be served or consumed on streets, sidewalks, traffic strips and other public property. You may need to provide a certificate of insurance for the event.
Though it may seem as though there are a lot of hoops to jump through, many cities see the benefits of block parties and will help residents through the permitting process. Some will lend equipment, deliver a bounce house, provide safety classes or even send a fire truck, police car or local officials to your gathering.
Photo by JAGwired
Block Party Planning Timeline
Two to three months out. Form a committee and hold a planning meeting. Pick a date, times and theme, if you like, for the party, and assign responsibilities. Contact your municipality to find out about permits and other requirements. Gather signatures to close the street if needed. Make a plan for food, drink and activities. If you want to hire entertainment, catering, rides or equipment, check on availability. Make an alternate plan for bad weather.
One month out. Confirm approvals from your municipality and arrange for barricade delivery and pickup. Request special trash and recycling pickup if needed. Finalize plans for food and refreshments, entertainment, equipment and activities. Set up a schedule for party activities. Distribute invitations to neighbors and post signs or flyers about the event. Contact local businesses or community groups to participate.
One to two weeks out. Contact people to reminder them about the event and make sure volunteers can come through with what they signed up to do or bring. Confirm street barricades, catering and equipment rentals.
Day of the event. Gather equipment and supplies. Clean up, set up and decorate the street. Set up a table for name tags, donations and an attendance sheet for people to share contact info. Put out ice in tubs and set up food and beverage stations. Be sure to put some tables and chairs in the shade. Then have fun! As the party winds down, enlist people to help clean up.
Block Party Planning Timeline
Two to three months out. Form a committee and hold a planning meeting. Pick a date, times and theme, if you like, for the party, and assign responsibilities. Contact your municipality to find out about permits and other requirements. Gather signatures to close the street if needed. Make a plan for food, drink and activities. If you want to hire entertainment, catering, rides or equipment, check on availability. Make an alternate plan for bad weather.
One month out. Confirm approvals from your municipality and arrange for barricade delivery and pickup. Request special trash and recycling pickup if needed. Finalize plans for food and refreshments, entertainment, equipment and activities. Set up a schedule for party activities. Distribute invitations to neighbors and post signs or flyers about the event. Contact local businesses or community groups to participate.
One to two weeks out. Contact people to reminder them about the event and make sure volunteers can come through with what they signed up to do or bring. Confirm street barricades, catering and equipment rentals.
Day of the event. Gather equipment and supplies. Clean up, set up and decorate the street. Set up a table for name tags, donations and an attendance sheet for people to share contact info. Put out ice in tubs and set up food and beverage stations. Be sure to put some tables and chairs in the shade. Then have fun! As the party winds down, enlist people to help clean up.
Portland, Oregon, block party. Photo by JAGwired
Fun and Games to Get the Party Going
Fun and Games to Get the Party Going
- Water balloon toss, musical chairs, cake walk, obstacle course, relay race, scavenger hunt, limbo
- Face painting station, temporary tattoos, crafts or coloring table, bubble station, sidewalk chalk
- Volleyball, basketball, badminton
- Hula hoops, jump rope, four-square
- Lawn games such as horseshoes, croquet, bocce, Twister, tic-tac-toe, bean bags
- Water slide, wading pool, water guns, sprinklers
- Bingo, Pictionary, dominoes, card games, charades
- Pie-eating contest, watermelon-eating contest, ice cream social, cupcake decorating
- Photo booth with a backdrop, costumes, wigs, sunglasses and other props
- Book, toy, hand-me-down clothing or school uniform swap
- Children’s bike parade, art competition, talent contest
- Food trucks, snow cone or kettle corn machine
- Balloon artist, clown, magician
- Live or recorded music or karaoke
- Story time, kids read-a-thon
- Display of neighborhood pictures or memorabilia, neighborhood trivia contest
- Safety demonstrations or vehicle visit from firefighters or police
- Yoga, tai chi, dance
Grand Rapids, Michigan, block party. Photo by Denise Cheng
Tips for a Successful Block Party
Tips for a Successful Block Party
- Share the work of organizing the party, and enjoy getting to know neighbors during the planning.
- Keep costs down and spread out the labor with a potluck.
- Be inclusive: Invite everyone on the block or street.
- Make neighbors who are new to the country feel welcome by explaining the block party concept and telling them what to expect in language they understand.
- If your street could use tidying up, encourage people to join in with a street cleanup before the party.
- Plan activities that encourage neighbors to meet and interact, and include fun things for children to do. Offer a mix of individual and group activities at different skill levels. Provide comfortable seating for older residents and people with disabilities.
- Highlight local talent — musicians, magicians, artists, cooks and talented public speakers who live in the neighborhood.
- Suggest that people use their own bathrooms and that they lock their doors when they leave their property.
- Set an ending time for the party so there are enough people to help with cleanup and to prevent overconsumption of alcohol.
- Ask for feedback after the party to incorporate ideas for your next gathering.
Your turn: Tell us about your block party and share ideas in the Comments!
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What Is a Block Party?
Block parties are neighborhood events held on the street to help residents socialize, build relationships and develop a sense of community. They can be simple potlucks with friendly conversation and a few activities for the kids. Or they can be highly organized gatherings featuring barbecues, food trucks, music, lawn and table games, face painting, children’s parades, art and talent contests, rides, petting zoos, clothing swaps, community organizing tables and visits from local firefighters and police officers.