A block party is a great way to have some fun and get to know your neighbours—without ever leaving home.
These parties come together with hard work on the part of many volunteers, who plan for months in advance to set a date, get the correct city permits, and makesure their neighbourhood is aware of the event. They set things up at the start, tear them down when the event is over—and do everything in between.
“It’s a good way for neighbours to meet neighbours,” said Old Ottawa East Community Association president John Dance.
A Merritt Avenue Street party has taken place for about seven years, attracting at least 40 people, said volunteer Alexandra Peach.
“All the kids try to make it out to the event,” she added. “It is always a huge success and it is a great way to see all of our neighbours.”
Last year, about 80 neighbours on Simcoe Street got together for a bash. They enjoyed it so much, they are planning another party in June.
“It felt like the whole street came,” said resident Jamie Girard. “At the peak, we had at least 70 to 80 people. It beat our expectations for the first year. We had a mix of seniors, young families, teens. There were a few crashers from around the neighbourhood. All were welcomed.”
The oldest party in the area is likely the Brighton Beach Clam Bake in Old Ottawa South.
For 32 years, neighbours on Brighton Avenue have come together in Brighton Beach Park to build a fire, eat clams, and have a great time. The secret, according to partygoers, is in the advance preparation, now finely honed after many years.
Read on for some tips on how to organize your own neighbourhood festivities.
Street party essentials HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS TO MAKE SURE YOUR STREET PARTY IS A GREAT ONE:
Collect Information Visit the following sites to find out how to plan your event and how much lead time you need:
http://toolkit.crimepreventionottawa.ca/pg_PlanABlockParty.php
http://toolkit.crimepreventionottawa.ca_pg_ChecklistHowToPlanABlockParty.php
Plan ahead Planning ahead is crucial. Several months in advance, hold a meeting of key volunteers to choose possible dates. Canvass the neighbourhood to see which dates are acceptable to the majority of people. Distribute flyers advertising the event; follow up with reminders to hold that date.
Get a permit/insurance Once the date is set, apply for a permit several months in advance. Selling or providing alcohol requires a permit, as does having an open fire.
Your event may require liability insurance. Check with the city. Your local community association may be able to provide written proof that its insurance will cover the event.
Contact Event Central, City of Ottawa at eventcentral@ottawa.ca or 613-580-2424, x13276
Block off the street Make sure you have barricades to physically close off the street. Make sure you know how long your street can be blocked. Street closures should be known to all neighbours and clearly outlined in your event application.
Even if your party is on a driveway or traffic circle, ensure barriers protect guests from traffic and keep vehicles out of the area.
The city loans barricades, safety vests and traffic cones on a first-come, first-serve basis. They must be picked up and returned by event organizers.
Volunteers and cost Recruit lots of volunteers who know what to do before, during and after the event. If you charge for admission or refreshments, collect money in advance so you can purchase appropriate amounts food and drink. Hire a band, DJ or other entertainment.
What to eat and who to invite If the event is a neighbourhood party, be sure to invite everyone in the designated area. Don’t pick and choose.
Ensure that service of all food and drink follows public health guidelines. If you will be serving alcohol, a temporary liquor license is required. If the event is a BBQ, ensure there are enough grills. If the party is potluck, have a sign-up sheet stipulating who will bring what food.
What if things get out of hand? Ask offending parties to stop or leave in the case of an altercation. If they do neither, contact police. Make sure your party does not exceed acceptable noise volumes and that no private property is damaged or used without permission.
Clean-up Form a clean-up crew well in advance. The site must be returned to its former state within a stipulated time. Barriers and other items borrowed from the city must be returned promptly.
Secrets to organizing a fabulous neighbourhood party HERE ARE SOME SECRETS FROM SUCCESSFUL PARTY ORGANIZERS AND VOLUNTEERS:
Merritt Avenue Street Party volunteer Alexandra Peach We get a permit to block off our street. We pick up two barriers to block off Merritt Avenue at both ends. Kids collect bottles in the weeks leading up to the party. One year we were able to buy a huge waterslide which we now set up on the street each year.
We set up a movie outside on a neighbour’s lawn and usually have some live music (people from the street or someone hired). People bring out their tables and BBQs and set them up at one end of the street. Everyone brings a salad or side-dish. Each family brings their own grilling food. We don’t serve or sell alcohol.
Simcoe Street Party volunteer Jaime Girard We got a permit to close Simcoe Street from Evelyn to Springhurst. We had a potluck. All neighbours contributed something. Some bought burgers. We collected donations from neighbours, and ended up with a small surplus that will be used this year to get us rolling.
We kept it pretty simple, set up tables, rolled a couple of BBQs from the back yards to driveways and took turns flipping burgers. Alcohol was not served as part of the street party. If neighbours indulged, it was consumed on private property, not in the street. We had games for kids and a band for the grown-ups.
Brighton Beach Clam Bake volunteer Lori Pope We distribute hold-the-date flyers a couple of times in the summer and canvassers go door-to-door the week after Labour Day to collect money and to sign people up for tasks, e.g., bringing tables, barbecues, etc. The clam bake requires a fire permit, and gets a letter from the Old Ottawa South Community Association, which states that OSCA’s insurance will cover the event.
