Block Parties

A block party is a great way to get to know your neighbors. Many groups hold their block parties on National Night Out, which is usually the first Tuesday in August, but a block party would be a perfect event on any nice summer evening.

Here are some suggestions for a successful block party:

One or two families should act as hosts and offer a front yard for the party. They could provide barbeque grills, and perhaps beverages, paper plates, forks, napkins, etc.
Select a date and time for the party.
About two weeks before the event, print up a flyer with all the relevant information—ask people to bring a dish to share and chairs.
Go door-to-door and drop off a flyer to invite each household on the block.
Have name tags available at the event, and have people write their name and house number on them.
You might want to have a sign-in sheet. You can collect names, addresses, phone numbers, and later make a copy for each person on the block.
Visit the Police Department site to find out about closing the street, obtaining barricades and arranging to have an officer drop by the event.