UnSplash
Most of us are not yet ready to give up on summer and are still in an outdoorsy mood, soaking in most of the sunny days. Meanwhile, routines have kicked in with school pick-ups and drop-offs, college classes, extra-curricular activities and increased hustles at work.
Are you looking for ways to add zing to the last few toasty days? How about whipping up some fun closer home with our neighbours? Say, organize a street party? If your interest is already piqued about organizing an event on your street, reconnecting with the good old neighbours, or even knowing the new families on the block, we have you covered!
Residents who are experts in arranging street parties for years in their neighbourhood shared tips with us that you could use for planning one.
- Inviting the neighbours and asking for their opinion is a must. You could start by making signs and putting them on the mailboxes or even handing out flyers to all the neighbours so they know the date and time of the party and the road closure. You can also ask if anyone would be interested in helping and meeting in advance to take on specific responsibilities for the day.
- Getting the permit from the town to close the street to traffic for the duration of the party is crucial and takes the most time. Make sure to assign someone to pick up the road closure signs and pay for the permit.
- You can even ask Oakville Fire Department and Halton Regional Police Service officers to visit. If it’s still warm, the firefighters will attach a fire hose to the hydrant to let the kids get wet and wild.
- Contact a local Ice cream truck and hire it for a specific time slot after dinner to satisfy your sweet tooth.
- Add activities to the party to make it more exciting. There can be bicycle parades, bike obstacle courses, water balloons or road hockey for the children. You can rent a bouncy castle and get a youth or older kid to offer face painting.
- When it comes to food, you have ample choices. For a more extended day, you can start with a late coffee and snacks and then hire a BBQ company to come and cook dinner. In this case, collecting money from each house to cover dinner costs and drinks is a good idea. If neighbours are willing, the participating houses can potluck and bring food and beverages.
- To add more fun to the party, you can hire a DJ and transform the concluding part into a dance hour.
- If you want to add a philanthropic cause to the party, you can always do a silent auction and donate the money raised to a local charity.
- Watching movies under the stars can be another exciting way to hold a street party. Book a rental company that organizes such screenings. You must bring your chairs, popcorn, hotdogs and drinks to enjoy the ambience to the fullest.
- While designing the party, consider any special needs or restrictions your neighbours might have. It will make your event more personal and authentic to the spirit of community bonding.
