Block Party Guide



Block Party Guide

The goal of this guide is to help you plan for a fun and productive block party. I hope you find this helpful and we welcome any additional information you would like to share from your experiences.

Planning Steps:

1. Assemble a team:

a. You need at least two or more neighbors to agree to help. This starts the “crowd” mentality and verses just an individual house party.

b. Assign Roles: Communications Person, Food and Beverage Person, Set up and Tear Down, Entertainment Person, Road Signs Person

c. Study the map of the development “attached” or in your Del Oro Booklet and decide on the size of the block. Suggestions include keeping it to no more than two blocks of homes that face each other. Invite backyard neighbors especially those closest to the central point where the block party will be held.

d. Identify the location on the street where the block party will be set up. If it is two blocks, then the best location is the intersection of the cross street separating the two blocks. If just one block, then pick the most central set of homes on the block on either side. Use this at the set up location.

2. Team meeting:

a. Assign people to the roles above, then review role with them (details below)

b. Decide on size of block party, 1 or two blocks, backyard neighbors etc.

c. Pick a date and time. Saturdays are best starting at early evening ideally two hours before Sunset.

d. Inform the Del Oro Groves website master of the event. This will get to the board to make sure there are no conflicts. Check Del Oro Groves website for “Block Party Sign Up” calendar too.

e. Start discussing roles

3. Roles Defined:

a. Communications Person: will fill out the block party request form, located on the Del Oro Website, and submit to the city. This will get you city approval to block the street off. Secondly, this person should put out a flyer to the homes in the block that will be invited to the event. Note on the invitation the time of the block party both start and finish. No later than 10pm to finish. What to bring. This should include chairs, games, coolers and food items to share. Children should be invited too and the communication should highlight a few of the games planned. When the mailer is ready, this should be hand delivered to each home with a smile and a handshake. On the flyer, should also be topics for discussion. Like Hurricane preparation, No one left behind type programs and block watch for security.

b. Food and Beverage: this person will be named on the invitation for homeowners to contact with RSVP and what food item they intend to bring. In addition, they will contact the Board of Directors via the Website to request funds for some of the food or to purchase utensils and garbage bags. Also, offered at the approval of the board will usually be a prize that can be given away. The main role of this person is to make sure there is a good balance of food and drinks for the party and to give guidance to homeowners as to how much to bring. This person will also coordinate the placement of the food, and utensils on the tables. Local homeowners closest to the party should bring their trash bin to be used for easy garbage disposal. This person also will coordinate any need for grills, and someone to cook on the grill. Usually a local homeowner will bring a grill out and one of the homeowners can cook. Finally, this person will help coordinate food clean up and left over management.

c. Set up and Tear Down Person: This person is in charge of identifying and setting up tables and chairs. There should be a food table ideally under a canopy. And chair set up in circle formation in set of 8. These can be lawn chairs, folding chairs or chairs from someone’s backyard table. This person is in charge of cleaning the chairs or table tops. Putting up table clothes and assembly and break down of the canopy. In addition, they are responsible to help move the grill into place and get it running. For night events, this person must arrange for ambient lighting via Christmas lights. If there is an evening movie on the lawn this person will take care of setting up a backboard to display the movie and the electrical connections for a projector unit. And finally, this person will coordinate take down and insuring any donated items get returned to the right homeowner.

d. Entertainment: This person is in charge of coming up with games and entertainment. Some creative ideas have been:

1. Movies: Either played on a big screen or projected onto a white background.

2. Ping Pong: Have a neighbor bring to the street a table and paddles

3. Four Square: Use masking tape and create a set of four squares in the street. They should be about 5 foot each and intersect in the middle. Then bring a ball.

4. Cards: set up a table and chairs, bring some chips and notepads

5. Music: Let some local kids play a song or two on their instrument or just bring a radio with CD’s.

e. Road Signs: This person makes or uses cones to block off the street. They need to do this about an hour before the party so that the set up can occur. Allow enough access for locals to get through, but the sign should clearly state “Block Party” in progress. This person should also take them down when the party is over.

In summary, this is just a guide and it will be updated with any input from you and others as each party occurs. Check for the latest guide.

Have fun !

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