How to Plan a Potluck Block Party

Block parties are fun mingling opportunities for you and your neighbors. Neighbors can meet each other for the first time and even network at these large-scale events that commonly take place on neighborhood streets.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Invitations or flyers
• Permits

Plan a Potluck Block Party

1. Begin with potluck block parties. They are easier for first-timers as you can share the workload with neighbors.
2. Let the event coincide with a major holiday like Labor Day. People are usually looking for an event to attend and holidays often revolve around food and good company.
3. Host the party on a weekend during the day. That way, kids can come and parents won't need babysitters.
4. Include your neighbors in the planning process. If it's your first time, there may be a neighbor with more party planning experience than you.
5. Start a sign-up sheet. Create different categories like dessert, snacks, side dishes and main course. This can prevent doubling up on the same dishes and gives neighbors the flexibility to decide what to bring to the potluck block party.
6. Plan the location of your block party. It can be held directly on the street and sidewalk or in your backyard.
7. Hire entertainment. Bands, tents for dancing and bounce houses for kids are popular ideas for such parties.
8. Consider asking neighbors to bring their grills. Lots of people like hamburgers and hot dogs, but the wait will be quite long if you depend on only one or two grills.

Tell the Neighbors About the Potluck Block Party

9. Hand out invitations. You can create these at home by using your computer or supplies from a craft store.
10. Post flyers around the neighborhood. Lampposts, mailbox inserts and light poles are visible locations for flyers.
11. Spread the news by word of mouth. Call your neighbors and ask everyone to tell someone else.
12. Hang flyers on community billboards. You often see community billboards at local grocery stores, the library or your community center.
13. Advertise it online. Many tight-knit neighborhoods have their own blogs or Web sites for residents to post information on. Take advantage of your large audience and give everyone the details for the event.

Tips & Warnings

• If you plan to host a potluck block party, know which street you want to close off.
• You need to know if you are going to restrict the invitations to one particular block or the entire neighborhood.
• Be sure to get approval from the city before hosting your party. You cannot shut down public streets without city approval.

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