Who knows where block parties originated or why the first one was held, but surely it was an outgrowth of good neighbors gathering in the back yard on a summer afternoon just to celebrate their bonds of home ownership and community pride.
Why Have A Block Party
And these are among the reasons that organizing a great neighborhood block party is good for your community. Safety experts indicate that people who know their neighbors and are aware of their habits more readily report suspicious crimes in the neighborhood.
Community development specialists report that people who interact with their neighbors in a positive setting are more likely to keep their homes and properties clean and well-maintained, thus improving the overall value of a neighborhood. Mental health experts believe that good relations with neighbors is a building block to healthy relationships in other aspects of life and contributes to a sense of self-worth and overall happiness.
Tips For A Great Block Party
Start planning early. Three to six months is not unreasonable to set a date that will guarantee your neighbors will be available to participate. And be sure to let them know the date, either through a neighborhood newsletter, street signs, or better yet, just walking up to their door and saying hello. And keep the same date/weekend year-after-year so people can plan their social calendars around the block party.
Come up with a theme to make things more interesting. Anything works. Here are some ideas.
- Old-fashioned baseball - draw a baseball diamond in the street with chalk, encourage everyone to wear a hat or shirt from their favorite team, play "Field of Dreams" on a sheet hung from the side of a house.
- Serve hotdogs and sing "Take Me Out To the Ballgame."
- Pirates of the "Your Neighborhood Name" - decorate tables with inexpensive gold dublooms, hang a pirate flag from basketball goals, flag poles or utility poles, encourage everyone to dress as a pirate which is a really inexpensive costume
- Christmas in XX month you choose for the block party. Play holiday music, encourage neighbors to string Christmas lights, potluck food dishes should reflect the holiday theme, tables decorated with holiday decor. Door prizes wrapped in holiday paper.
Ideas for Block Party Fun
Invite community leaders, especially the police and fire department. Ask the fire department to bring a truck for children to explore. Invite the postal carrier for your neighborhood. Invite the mayor or city council member that represents your neighborhood, but be careful not to let it become a political campaign - just a social outing to get to know people on a friendly basis.
Check in with the city to see if any permits are needed for such an event. You may wish to ask for barricades in a cul-de-sac or on a side street to minimize traffic and guarantee everyone's safety.
Make arrangements for a Johnny-on-the-Spot or Port-a-Potty, otherwise neighbors from a block or two away will expect to use the restrooms in the houses closest to the activities.
Seek out door prizes from nearby businesses supported by your neighborhood, such as a local coffee shop, a carwash, a lawn care center.
Get everyone involved by bringing pot luck dishes, helping set up tables and chairs, Ask neighborhoods to bring their large trash cans and stay for clean-up afterwards.
The sky is really the limit and possibilities are as diverse as the people who live in your community. Have a little fun, think outside the box and get to know those who share your neighborhood and home.
Diana Lambdin Meyer - As at home on her family's grain farm in southern Illinois as she is riding a camel on the Sinai Peninsula, Diana Lambdin Meyer most ...
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