Want to Build Community on Your Street? Just Hit "Print"!
Neighbors congregate in the street outside the author’s house.
How did my family end up with over 40 people mixing and mingling on the street in front of our home last night?
Easy: I just hit “print.”
I printed out a rough-and-ready invitation to a block party in front of our home and the rest of the plan came together once things were set in motion. Hitting that print button and stuffing our invitations into mailboxes may not seem like a big deal, but it was really the biggest hurdle for me: It was the point of no return.
Once we did that, we were committed to seeing the party through and we’re so glad that we did. We had no idea how many people would show up, but we knew that there would at least be a few of our closest neighbors there.
Our neighbors, some of whom have lived in our neighborhood for over 40 years, said that it was the first block party that they could remember. Some neighbors recalled that they would meet up for a bonfire and fireworks at Halloween, but this was the first party where everyone was invited and so many people attended. One couple moved their 38th anniversary dinner to the night before so they could attend. Another family celebrated their father’s 59th birthday with cake for all of us, and another grandmother invited her grandkids over just so they could be there for it. One of our older neighbors, who doesn’t get out as often these days because of her husband’s health needs, said she looked at the invite and said to him, “I’m going to this whether you come with me or not!” And so he came with his walker and held court with stories and quips to keep us all entertained. An enduring image for me of the night was another older couple walking up the street carrying a pair of lawn chairs between them. The common refrain, when everyone was heading home, was, “Let’s do this again—and soon!” That was music to my ears and all the encouragement I need to plan for a Fall-themed block party.
The author’s invitation. Click here to download!
Are you wondering how you can do something similar?
There are so many guides out there (I’ve read several of them over the years), but I realized that it was not a lack of information that was holding me back. I was waiting for perfection, and that was the problem. I was waiting for a group to come together to apply for a community grant. I was waiting for our conversations with neighbors who agreed that “we should do something” to mature into a full-fledged party. I was waiting for what I’d seen in photos and stories of neighborhood parties that were happening for the 30th year in a row with bouncy castles, petting zoos, and stilt walkers.
I would still be waiting if I hadn’t hit “print.“
Yes, we had to scramble once our initial estimate of 15 people grew to over 40 as the RSVPs rolled in last minute. And, ok, we were aware that our “unofficial” street closure wasn’t exactly by the book. And sure, we ran out of forks and bowls and people were eating birthday cake off of napkins with their hands. But by the time 9 p.m. came and folks were still sticking around, I knew that we were onto something great.
What would you like to see in your neighborhood? Make an invitation, hit “print,” and figure everything else out as you go! You’ll be glad you did.
This Sunday, a Strong Towns member invites our Neighborhood Storyteller to see how his neighborhood alliance is building community…with a block party!