throw a neighborhood block party!

Summer’s here and a block party is a great excuse to get to know those neighbors who you only see traveling to and from work or taking out the trash. There are a few bureaucratic hoops to jump through with the city, but if you follow our advice, throwing your own block party should be a cinch.

Think of a block party as a potluck or barbecue-style event intended to attract only local residents who live on your street rather than a community event, like a street fair or farmers' market, which would attract people from beyond your immediate vicinity.

First, you need to determine the scope of your block party:

• Do you want to block off the street to traffic?
• Do you plan to have live or otherwise amplified music?
• Will your party have large structures such as a stage, merry-go-round, bounce house or the like?

Depending on what you want to do, take the following into consideration so there are no surprises along the way.

Pick a Date

Begin by polling your neighbors to find a good date and time that works for everybody. National Night Out is a natural choice because it always falls on the first Tuesday in August and the city waives certain application fees for parties planned on this eve.

Apply for the Necessary Permits

This is where the scope of your party matters and you have two basic options.

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Find out what else you need to do to plan your neighborhood block party on Neighborhood Notes.