All right, so you have been thinking about having a neighborhood get
together. A successful block party is not hard to have, it just takes a little
motivation, a lot of cooperation, and the willingness to enjoy time with your
neighbors.
There is no better way to get acquainted with the people that live on your
street.
Choose a common area on your street to gather, preferably with plenty of
shade to block the hot afternoon sun. Bring out your patio furniture. The
best block party is enjoyed as one big party, with the company of your
neighbors, not as twenty small parties in twenty different driveways.
You can actually increase the safety of your neighborhood just by getting
to know each other. You can exchange telephone numbers and agree to
keep an eye on each other's property. When neighbors arrive, have them
fill out nametags. Name tags help to "break the ice" and save folks from
some potentially embarrassing situations.
Fall and spring are both wonderful times to have a block party. At the first
block party meeting, you will need to come up with several different dates
and then the committee needs to check with neighbors on what would be
the best date for them, majority rules. Decide also, on an alternate date,
just in case the weather doesn't cooperate.
Depending on where you live, you may need to let your town or city
officials know about the block party, especially if you live on a busy street.
It may be possible to get your road barricaded off during your party so as
not to be worried about traffic. Investigate noise ordinances and see
whether any permits are required to keep the party going into the late
night hours.
Talk to the local fire department. They may bring out their engine and let
the kids tour it. The police department where you live may agree to bring
out, Officer Friendly, for the kids to meet. Invite an area business to join in
the fun by donating attendance prizes, like discount coupons, free passes
or a block party door prize. Businesses to consider should include movie
theatres, pizza parlors, and hair stylists.
Your committee should now start splitting into smaller committees. You'll
need committees for food, cleanup, games, and music or other
entertainment. Each committee will then have it's own jobs to do:
Food Committee:
Should everyone bring their own food or bring dishes to share? Do you
charge people up front to pay for some of the food, such as meat to grill
and then let them bring a side dish also? How will you share the cost of
spoons, forks and paper products? Should you just skip the hassle and
cater in?
Decide how food will be presented. Do you need to find tables, and grills?
Coolers and ice for beverages need to be arranged. If your block parties
will run into the night, make sure you have outdoor candles or lanterns
ready.
Cleanup:
Organize garbage cans in convenient locations through out the
neighborhood, make sure they are not overflowing and change bags
whenever necessary. You may want to check with your local dump to see if
you can bring in the trash and dump it right away. Cleanup is important
because if you have the party the day after garbage pickup, you could end
up having a problem safely storing all of the trash from the party until the
next pick up. You don*t want your party to be remembered by a foul
lingering smell or because animals got into unprotected garbage bags and
scattered litter everywhere.
Entertainment Committees:
What is a summer gathering without games and music? A Professional
disc jockey does a lot more than just putting on cds. A good DJ knows
what music to play & mixes it up. A disc jockey will adjust the volume to
appropriate levels, take requests, and motivate the crowd to get up and
dance. The right DJ can also conduct games or activities for kids and
adults.
ASAP Entertainment can design the perfect entertainment package for
your block party.
Dance Music
Karaoke
Fun Games For Kids And Adults:
Tug O' War
Sack Races
Water Balloon / Egg Toss
Hula Hoop Contest
Limbo
Mr. Potato Head Relay
together. A successful block party is not hard to have, it just takes a little
motivation, a lot of cooperation, and the willingness to enjoy time with your
neighbors.
There is no better way to get acquainted with the people that live on your
street.
Choose a common area on your street to gather, preferably with plenty of
shade to block the hot afternoon sun. Bring out your patio furniture. The
best block party is enjoyed as one big party, with the company of your
neighbors, not as twenty small parties in twenty different driveways.
You can actually increase the safety of your neighborhood just by getting
to know each other. You can exchange telephone numbers and agree to
keep an eye on each other's property. When neighbors arrive, have them
fill out nametags. Name tags help to "break the ice" and save folks from
some potentially embarrassing situations.
Fall and spring are both wonderful times to have a block party. At the first
block party meeting, you will need to come up with several different dates
and then the committee needs to check with neighbors on what would be
the best date for them, majority rules. Decide also, on an alternate date,
just in case the weather doesn't cooperate.
Depending on where you live, you may need to let your town or city
officials know about the block party, especially if you live on a busy street.
It may be possible to get your road barricaded off during your party so as
not to be worried about traffic. Investigate noise ordinances and see
whether any permits are required to keep the party going into the late
night hours.
Talk to the local fire department. They may bring out their engine and let
the kids tour it. The police department where you live may agree to bring
out, Officer Friendly, for the kids to meet. Invite an area business to join in
the fun by donating attendance prizes, like discount coupons, free passes
or a block party door prize. Businesses to consider should include movie
theatres, pizza parlors, and hair stylists.
Your committee should now start splitting into smaller committees. You'll
need committees for food, cleanup, games, and music or other
entertainment. Each committee will then have it's own jobs to do:
Food Committee:
Should everyone bring their own food or bring dishes to share? Do you
charge people up front to pay for some of the food, such as meat to grill
and then let them bring a side dish also? How will you share the cost of
spoons, forks and paper products? Should you just skip the hassle and
cater in?
Decide how food will be presented. Do you need to find tables, and grills?
Coolers and ice for beverages need to be arranged. If your block parties
will run into the night, make sure you have outdoor candles or lanterns
ready.
Cleanup:
Organize garbage cans in convenient locations through out the
neighborhood, make sure they are not overflowing and change bags
whenever necessary. You may want to check with your local dump to see if
you can bring in the trash and dump it right away. Cleanup is important
because if you have the party the day after garbage pickup, you could end
up having a problem safely storing all of the trash from the party until the
next pick up. You don*t want your party to be remembered by a foul
lingering smell or because animals got into unprotected garbage bags and
scattered litter everywhere.
Entertainment Committees:
What is a summer gathering without games and music? A Professional
disc jockey does a lot more than just putting on cds. A good DJ knows
what music to play & mixes it up. A disc jockey will adjust the volume to
appropriate levels, take requests, and motivate the crowd to get up and
dance. The right DJ can also conduct games or activities for kids and
adults.
ASAP Entertainment can design the perfect entertainment package for
your block party.
Dance Music
Karaoke
Fun Games For Kids And Adults:
Tug O' War
Sack Races
Water Balloon / Egg Toss
Hula Hoop Contest
Limbo
Mr. Potato Head Relay
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