If you’ve already read my other blog post, 5 Steps to Throwing a Neighborhood Block Party, then you know all the basics to get you started on your first event. But what you might not be thinking of are the things that could go wrong during your party. Ahhhh! Make sure to read these tips before you get started planning.
UNEXPECTED WEATHER
This is an obvious one, but it’s nothing to sneeze at. We picked a time of the year that we thought for sure would be cooler weather, but alas we live in San Diego and even October can feel like July. But luckily we planned ahead and recruited some generous neighbor friends to provide shade tents for the block party!
We ended up with a small town of tents, and by putting them together in a block instead of a line we were able to take advantage of the moving sun. We also scoped the area out a few weeks before and looked for any trees that might provide shade and determined which corners of the cul-de-sac would be best to set up shop.
TIP: Make sure to grab a group of people to tear down the tents before everyone disappears for the night. Especially if it’s getting dark, it’s a nightmare to take down tents when it’s pitch black out and you’ve had a few drinks.
POWER & WATER
If you’ve got a few vendors coming to your block party then you need to plan ahead a bit re: the sources of power you have access to and what is required to power their stations. Our bouncy house required an outlet to power the blower this time, but some companies will bring a generator.
Where we ran into the real issue was when we plugged in vendor #2 to the same house’s power source. We blew the fuse almost immediately and the tiny screams from the bouncy house created a mommy-manic moment! Lesson learned. We plugged into the house next door and resumed the bouncing fun.
TIP: Make sure to ask your vendors if they will be providing their own extension cords and how long they are. 100 foot minimum will probably be needed. Maybe pack a few of your own just in case!
LITTLE CRITTERS
People are bound to bring their dogs to the block party, but what you might not be expecting are the local critters showing up. If you’re in an area that you’re not familiar with, you may want to do a quick sweep of the area an hour before the event. We had a (luckily uneventful) brush with a baby rattlesnake, and only in hindsight did we realize we should’ve thought about it.
Being close to a canyon can bring snakes and other small animals close to your block party. Insects are another unwanted visitor that can be startled by a loud party.
TIP: Bring some supplies just in case and keep an eye out in areas where he kids may be playing in the grass or close to a fence line. Keep them in the open area of the concrete if possible with games and chalk.
DIFFICULT NEIGHBORS
Even if you’ve taken all the steps to get buy-in from the neighbors affected by your cul-de-sac block party, and everyone seems cool with it, there may still be hidden issues.
Make sure to touch base with these “special” cases a day before and remind them of the time frame for the event and let them know to contact you with any concerns. You don’t want them calling the cops if they feel slighted! Maybe even a dozen cookies to help sweeten the deal. 😉
TIP: Have a cleanup breakfast the next morning and get people out to sweep and hose down the road. Donuts and Bloody Mary’s are great motivation too! This will show your neighbors that you respect their space and they will be open to future events.
