Do you want to get to know your neighbors better whilst having a fun time?
Becoming friends with your neighbors and creating a thriving community brings many positives. Not only will you all become more sociable, but you’ll start to look out for one another and create a safe neighborhood.
So what’s the best way to get to know your neighbors and the community? The answer is a block party.
Hosting a block party not only gives you a chance to meet everyone in your neighborhood, but you’ll all have something exciting to look forward to. You may even start an annual event.
But, in order to make it a success, you will need to spend some time planning it. Don’t just set a date and hope everybody turns up. If you do this, it’s likely to fail and be a waste of everybody’s time.
In this article, we’ll give you five tips on how to make your block party a success so you’re the talk of the town.
Read on for more information.
1. Put a Team Together
You may be able to host a great family bbq, but a block party is another level. So, don’t put all the pressure on yourself and put a team together so you can delegate tasks.
You should first look to your own family for help as well as any neighbors you already know. Just be careful not to put too much pressure on them.
Ideally, you want as many people to help out as possible, so why not create a party sign up sheet. This way, you’ll have dedicated people and be able to assign roles based on their expertise.
Finally, a good tip is to put together a smaller sub-team who has a little more responsibility. This team will handle bigger issues like health, safety, and traffic permits. This team will usually be made up of people with more time on their hands, and you can lead this team.
2. Planning
Any great event always has thorough planning behind it. Once you have your team together, you’ll need to decide on a date, time, and place.
Block parties are best held at weekends when people are usually off work. They’re also common to be held in spring or summer so people can enjoy being outdoors in the sunshine. However, you could still host one in autumn at a community venue.
Remember, a neighborhood block party doesn’t have to be held on the block, you could all go to a local park or even church.
When setting the date, remember to avoid public holidays as people often make their own plans. You should also be aware of any religious holidays which may clash.
Once you have decided on a date, time, and place, tell people as early as you can with a block party invitation. You should also remember that you’re unlikely to please everyone.
3. Food and Drink
Every great block party always has a great selection of food and drink. But, to ensure this happens at your event, you’ll need to be organized. If not, you may end up with tables full of cookies which is not much of a meal.
The easiest way to organize food and drink for the event is to use the potluck app. This means you can invite your neighbors on it and then they can pick which dishes they want to bring.
When deciding, make sure you take into consideration any dietary requirements and allergens. You want to ensure everyone has something to eat, and you don’t want to be calling an ambulance to the event.
If kids will be attending, ensure there are child-friendly snacks on offer. Children can be fussy eaters who become upset when they’re hungry. To prevent a kindergarten meltdown, ensure there’s plenty of food to go around.
4. Entertainment
Let’s be honest, great parties have great entertainment. There’s nothing more boring than going to a party where everyone is standing around trying to make small talk.
Having games, like corn hole, to play is a great way for people to start mingling and having fun.
Once you know who is coming to the block party, you’ll need to gauge what type of entertainment will be suitable. If plenty of kids are attending, then you can’t go wrong with a bouncy castle.
If you have elderly residents coming, then something like a raffle and even bingo can be a hit.
You should also ensure there’s some block party music and even consider a live band. Or, why not try karaoke?
Ultimately you want something for everyone so nobody is bored and stood in the corner.
5. Cost
If you do decide to hire an indoor venue or bouncy castle etc, the costs will mount up. So, you need to take some steps to make sure you don’t have to foot the bill.
Before you book anything, get some quotes together and take them to your team. Together, start to decide what you want to spend money on and what you don’t.
Once you know some rough figures, start talking to your neighbors about how to pay the bills. You may decide to all pitch in a certain amount of money. Just remember, not everyone earns the same and some people may struggle.
To avoid this type of scenario, you could ask for private donations or, fundraise. You could host a garage or bake sale and use the profits to foot the bill.
Tips on How to Organize a Block Party
We hope you have enjoyed reading our article on how to organize a block party.
As you can see, there is a little bit of planning that needs to go into organizing a block party. However, by following these steps and creating a strong team, it will be a stress-free event.
Finally, check out the rest of our blog for tips on entertainment and lifestyle.
