If you're like me, then I'm sure you love lounging outside with good friends and a glass of wine on a warm, summer night. For myself, this generally means curling up on my front porch with my husband and a few friends from the neighborhood.I have been blessed to have incredibly close relationships with my neighbors, as they are some of my closest friends, and I have always been a strong believer incamaraderie between those who live near us.Whether or not you spend your weekends with your neighbors, a block party is the perfect opportunity to strengthen your current relationships and to welcome new members into your community.With a few simple preparations and coordination with your neighbors and friends, you can easily pull together a wonderful summer party that every block will surely envy!
Invitation
Why send an invitation in the mail when you can simply hand-deliver?For a creative invite that screams block party, create a door hanger with all the party information, and then place the invitation on your neighbors'front doors. Be sure to create a slogan or a community saying for the front of the doorknocker to give it a personalized touch (we used "Queen Anne Rules" for our Queen Anne neighborhood).
Not only will your friends come home to a surprise on their doorstep, but they will also be even more excited when they discover that the decoration is also an invitation to a fabulous party!
Backyard Picnic
Outdoor tables and chairs felt like a hassle to set up at our block party, but we wanted to keep the party outside.Our solution? Waterproof blankets to create a picnic, family-like atmosphere amongst the group. These fun blankets come in a variety of colors and will leave less of a mess once everyone is done indulging in a delicious meal.Another added bonus for all of us Seattleites - last night's rain will not put a damper on your picnic décor!
Name Game
Hopefully all of the families at your block party are familiar with each other, but remember the possibility of new families and friendships.To spice up your décor or to help your guests with the names of every attendant, create signs with each family's name for the picnic blankets.Attach each sign to a wooden stake and place it in the ground next to the family's assigned seat.The signs will not only add a whimsical feel to your outdoor set-up, but they will also function as outdoor place cards for the backyard oasis!
Barbeque on the Block
Paper plates and cups will leave your backyard in a mess, and plastic utensils are certainly not eco-friendly.As a solution to the problem, we created small picnic baskets for every guest complete with flatware, a container for food and a cookie.We simply grilled meat, vegetables, and seafood, and let each guest create their own kabob to bring back to their blanket with their basket.This scenario was much easier than trying to arrange a potluck or large barbeque.Best of all, we used biodegradable flatware and cleverly buried our forks and knives when we were finished!
Signature Cocktail
I am a firm believer in a signature cocktail for every party, and I felt inspired by fresh-squeezed lemonade to make the perfect, summer drink.For the adults at the party, we made Arnie Palmers, complete with lemonade, iced tea and Finamore Limoncello.For the alternative kid-friendly version, we went with the original Arnold Palmer and simply mixed iced tea and lemonade.To display the cocktails, we used beautiful apothecary jars and created matching labels identifying the two beverages.The little ones had a blast sharing drinks almost identical to their parents!
Entertainment
While the adults may have been content simply chatting the night away, we knew that we needed something fun to keep the little ones occupied.As a solution to their boredom, we rented a sno-cone machine, so the kids could stay cool with their favorite treat.Sno-cone machines are fairly inexpensive to rent for the day, and the money is well spent to keep all the children in a constant state of fun!If a rental is not in your budget, a cheaper version can easily be purchased for less money, but just as much fun!
Takeaway
Even though we incorporated multiple houses for the block party, I still believe that a takeaway is important for a memorable experience.To solidify the new relationships formed at the party, I sent each guest home with a water bottle complete with the same logo as the invitation.As a helpful reminder, I attached a neighborhood watch schedule with the name and phone number of every family who attended.
The guests can easily place the tag on their fridge or bulletin board as a safety precaution for the community, but the note will also remind them of the wonderful time they had!
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