HOW TO: Community Block Party
A block party is a great way to bond with your community! Whether you’re a business, or new to the neighborhood, or just hoping to revamp your relationship with the families around you, a block party is a great way to achieve all of those things! In terms of business, a block party allows your company to establish a care for the community, while also advertising your product, and getting to know your consumer base better. That being said, you may be wondering, how does one go about throwing a block party? Well, buckle up, because with a few party planning tips, you’ll be well on your way to a fantastic and successful block party.
OPEN THE DOOR TO COLLABORATION
When deciding to throw a block party, you’re only going to be benefitted by opening up the door for collaboration. Now, this is collaboration with businesses around you, to make a successful and appealing night for everyone! Pitch it to local restaurants, stores, bars, etc. as an opportunity to strengthen their bond with the community, and give back to their customer base! The premise of the block party is that it’s an opportunity for the community to enjoy food, drinks, and entertainment, for free! You could opt to charge a small cover if you need to, but pitch it to potential collaborators as an opportunity to give back to the community, bring people together and advertise their shops/products all in one night!
DELEGATE THE WORK
Once you’ve found collaborators, whether it’s internal volunteering to be apart of something, or external collaboration with other companies, it’s time to delegate the work. Now, depending on the type of party you want to throw, there’s three big categories to consider, each full of nuances that will need to be solidified in order to have a successful event. These three big categories are: FOOD, DRINKS, ENTERTAINMENT. Within each category, there’s things to consider. With food, you’ll either want to cater the event, or if you can collaborate with a restaurant, direct people there to get their grub on. With drinks, you’ll need to consider if you can legally provide alcohol, if you need to get a permit to do so, or if you’re going to outsource to a local bar. If there’s drinks provided, alcoholic or not, you’ll need to provide a restroom for people to use throughout the event! Entertainment has probably the most possibility, because it could be in the form of games, music, dancing, etc. There’s a lot that goes into a block party, so delegating these responsibilities will ensure that you can get it all done, and do it well!
APPLY FOR A PERMIT
In order to have a block party, distribute alcohol, set up a concert, etc. you’ll need to get a permit and make sure it’s legal! The last thing you want is to be shut down because of lack of due diligence. So, this step is very straightforward. Make sure what you’re doing is legal and authorized by your local government!
PROMOTE, PROMOTE, PROMOTE
Once you’ve got the details worked out, it’s time to get people to the event! Or at least, get people talking about it! Marketing will be a massive piece in the puzzle of a successful party, so assigning somebody this responsibility directly will be the key to doing so. Advertising on social media, flyers in local places, and even better cross promoting with other local businesses will increase your draw for the party, and achieve the intended purpose.
CLEAN UP
Once you’ve successfully executed the prep, promotion, and function of your block party, the most important thing to do is clean up after yourself! A party is a great way to get your community together, and promote your business all in one, but the best way to show respect to your community is by leaving the block better than you found it. So, be sure to clean up after yourself, and best of luck!