Original URL: http://fun.familyeducation.com/fourth-of-july/parties/35860.html

Independence Day Block Party

Even if fireworks are illegal in your area, chances are good that at sundown, your neighbors still congregate outside, hoping to see some fire in the sky. This year, make it official with a neighborhood block party.

Because block parties are a little different than other types of parties, you'll need to approach this event as a group party, rather than one you plan yourself. Although your job as the coordinator is to keep track of the logistics—keeping a checklist of what needs to be done, inviting the neighbors, and establishing ground rules—you'll want to delegate the rest of the work in a way that ensures everyone feels included, but not overloaded.

Begin planning this party by speaking to everyone on your street and making sure they want to participate. If some of your neighbors aren't interested, don't pressure them to join—they might change their minds later on, but even if they don't, it's their decision.

Next, pick a night for a planning meeting—at least a month before the party date—and print up flyers detailing when and where (your house) the meeting will take place, as well as a short list of topics you'll cover. This meeting should only be about an hour, and you'll want to serve cookies and coffee. At the meeting, you'll want to discuss the following:

• Party date and time
• Logistics—Will you block off the street? Will you rent tables and set up the food in the middle of the street, or will each family set up a table in front of their home?
• Food—Will each family fix a meal to share, or will you potluck it, with each household providing a different dish?
• Guests—Are outside guests welcome, or would your neighbors prefer to limit the guest list to neighborhood residents only?
• Fireworks—If they are legal in your city, will each family provide their own assortment, and then enjoy them with the rest of the neighborhood? Or will you take donations from each household and buy a bulk assortment?
• Cleanup—Will everyone be responsible for cleaning up their own mess, or do you want to assign different people to each task?
• Permits—One person (probably you) will need to contact the appropriate city agency and determine the procedure for blocking off your street. Because the related fees usually aren't high, you can probably pay for the permit yourself; however, if the cost is prohibitive, you'll need to take up a collection from the neighbors.

After you've covered all the details and assigned tasks, trust your neighbors to carry through their assignments. Call each person a week ahead of the party to check in. As soon as the idea for a block party begins to surface, investigate your community's particular regulations for such events. Permits can take time to process, so start early.

Keep good records of your planning! At your kickoff meeting, circulate a clipboard and ask everyone to list their household's contact person and phone number. Next to each name, record any assigned tasks. When you call to check in the week before the party, you'll have an easy time remembering who is responsible for what.

You'll Need
• Ingredients for each of the recipes and any serving tools
• Décor
• Fireworks, matches or lighter, disposal container, and piñata
• CDs and boom box
• Tables and chairs; lawn chairs and blankets

Date, Theme, Budget, and Venue
July 4th—If Independence Day falls on a weekend, you're all set. However, if it falls on a weekday, you'll need to talk to your neighbors and determine a date that works for everyone, generally the Saturday closest to the fourth of July. Begin your block party in the midafternoon, at about 3:00 p.m., which will give you plenty of time to eat, chat, and clean up before dark.

Hey, baby, it's the fourth of July! theme—On the official day of our country's birth, celebrate in style with all things American. Stores across the country will be well stocked with Independence Day merchandise, so you should have no trouble finding décor and other thematic elements.

Low to midrange budget—Each household should plan to spend a set amount of money, which you'll decide at your planning meeting. Because block parties are typically very casual, you shouldn't plan to spend more than about $50 to $75 per household. Plan to add an additional 25% onto your own budget for permits, invitations, and so forth.

The street venue—Block parties take place outside, on the street where you live. Generally, block parties run from corner to corner, involving houses on both sides of the streets. However, your neighbors might wish to extend the party for several blocks. Only you know what kind of neighborhood you have, so use your knowledge of the neighbors to guide your decision.

Traditionally, the party takes place in the middle of the street, with both ends blocked off to traffic. People can wheel their grills out to the driveway, where they'll prepare the food, and then serve the meal on tables set up in the middle of the street.

You can also take a "street fair" approach, with each family setting up a food station and table in front of their houses. Guests can wander up and down the street, stopping at different houses and sampling the fare and conversation.

Guest List and Invitations
Everyone in the neighborhood is invited, of course; at your planning meeting, you should discuss whether additional friends and family are welcome. There really is no limit to how many people can attend a block party—20 or 200—you'll want to arrive at a decision with your neighbors, and then check with the city to ensure your planned guest list doesn't exceed local restrictions.

If your neighbors are amenable, you might consider inviting additional guests: regular delivery or service people (mail carriers, water delivery people), owners and employees of local businesses, or people from nearby streets.

After you've set all the logistics, create a one-page flyer that details all your party details. Print up the flyer on red paper, and stick a copy in each mailbox on the block. Print up enough copies to give to any additional guests; if you've decided to invite friends and family, leave a dozen flyers in each mailbox.

Menu
Depending upon your approach, you'll either be providing one dish for a potluck or a full menu that will feed several dozen. That said, following are crowd-pleasing options for each course:

• Appetizers—Dee's Bean Dip and tortilla chips, onion dip and potato chips
• Side dishes—Mostly Fresh Fruit Salad, Terry Wilksen's Summer Salad
• Main course—Green Grocer's Pasta Primavera, grilled sausages on sandwich rolls with mustard and grilled onions
• Dessert—Mom's Strawberry Trifle, Cream Cheese Brownies
• Beverages—Sangria, Cranberry Cocktail Punch Cooler

Preparing group-sized portions can wreak havoc on your budget. If you're watching your budget, choose the Green Grocer's Pasta Primavera as your entree. You'll provide tasty fare without emptying your bank account.

If you've elected to have a potluck, select your dish from the preceding menu; if you've opted for the full-meal approach, select one item from each course.

Décor and Favors
Have fun with a red, white, and blue décor! Shop for inexpensive red, white, and blue balloons, streamers, and paper cutouts. Make sure you hang an American flag in front of your house, and purchase smaller flags to stick in plants or on the lawn.

Instead of providing individual favors for each guest, which might not be realistic if you're having a large party, set up a doggie refreshment stand in front of your house. Provide large bowls of fresh water and purchase or bake nutritious dog cookies. Package two or three cookies in plastic bags (tied with red, white, and blue ribbon!) for folks whose dogs are not in attendance.

If you have the budget and the inclination, create a more elaborate favor. Few people have read the Declaration of Independence, so provide your guests with their own, aged-looking copy. Look online for the text to the Declaration, and copy it, adjusting the font size so that it fits on one page. Print out several dozen copies, soak them in weak coffee, and allow the pages to dry thoroughly; you can also purchase antiqued paper at most office supply stores. Roll up each copy and tie with a red-white-and-blue ribbon, and offer them in a basket in front of your house.

Music and Entertainment
Fourth-of-July music should be boisterous and crowd-pleasing. Set up a boom box in front of your house and play a variety of music that will entertain the various types of people on your street. In other words, choose kid-friendly music that doesn't contain offensive lyrics. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Louisiana Gumbo, Putumayo
• Stevie Wonder—The Definitive Collection, Stevie Wonder
• Other Voices, Other Rooms, Nanci Griffith

Remember that you're sharing your space with other people, and adjust the volume accordingly. If people are rocking out on your lawn, pump up the volume; otherwise, keep it adjusted to a level that won't intrude on the party.

If your city allows fireworks, plan a stellar display to end the party. Start at dusk, pooling your neighborhood resources for enough fireworks to last about 45 minutes. Suggest that neighbors set up lawn chairs and fetch blankets if it gets chilly. Take turns lighting the fireworks, allowing each adult to set off a few, if they so desire.

If fireworks aren't allowed in your area, pick up a piñata or plan another kid-friendly finale.

If you aren't allowed to set off fireworks, check with city hall to see if they are planning any public displays. For example, from my mother's front yard, we can view the spectacular our city council puts on each year. If you aren't as fortunate as my mom, consider ending your evening with a carpool to the nearest display. This might be too much effort for such a large party, but the idea is worth mentioning in your planning meeting. Even if only a small group wants to go, it would still be a fun ending to the evening.