There is no better way to reconnect with old friends after a long Canadian winter hibernation, or meet new neighbours than at a community block party. My wife just hosted one last weekend. Here are some tips for a successful event:
Step 1: send out the invites early. You can drop them off by hand and ask for responses. Be sure to ask what each guest wishes to bring.
Step 2: follow up by e-mail, e-vite, or phone. It is ok to ask your guests if they have tables to set food up on.
Step 3: consider safety. Have an area that is safe for the kids to play. Your town services personnel may have barricades that they can lend out to restrict/block traffic during the event. Make sure you get permission to do this.
Step 4: set up early
Step 5: have a backup plan for bad weather. This year it began to rain during dinner. We were able to move everything into our garage until the storm passed. BTW; close quarters made for some fun mingling.
Step 6: have something fun for the kids to do. Consider hiring a bouncy house, or if the budget is smaller, drag out neighbors play sets into the street.
Step 7: let your guests gravitate to what they do best. There is always someone who likes to BBQ.
Step 8: have fun!
