10 Steps to Throwing a Fantastic Block Party

Transcription

1 Mbile Blck Party 10 Steps t Thrwing a Fantastic Blck Party 1. GIVE OUT INVITATIONS The mst imprtant element t a successful blck party is peple, which means yu re ging t want t give ut invitatins t yur blck party. In ur mbile blck party kit, we ve created a supply f custmizable invitatins that yu can use. Just write in the specific infrmatin fr yur blck party and then hand them ut t y ur neighbrs. Plan a night r tw t g dr-t-dr t make invites t the blck party. Try t d this 2-3 weeks befre the blck party s that yur neighbrs can get it n their calendars befre smething else takes that spt. If yu dn t knw yur neighbrs well, this will be the critical step t whether r nt peple will cme. A face with a name is far mre cmpelling f a reasn t cme than a nice lking invitatin. Only leave an invite tucked int their frnt dr if yu re unable t catch them while they are hme. It is best t d yur inviting fr the blck party 2-3 weeks befre the night s that yur neighbrs can get it n their calendars befre smething else takes that spt. 2. ORGANIZE THE FOOD & DRINKS Everyne is ging t want t chip in fr the fd and drinks at the blck party s yu ll need a plan fr what everyne is ging t eat and drink. There are a cuple f ppular ways yu can d this: #1- Get sme neighbrhd men t grill. On yur invite instruct everyne t bring yur meat (BYOM) r yu can chse t prvide the burgers/ht dgs/brats (dn t frget buns and sides). Fr the rest f the fd items, yu can have peple bring a side/salad and dessert t share. Then pull ut yur grill and recruit anther guy r tw t d s as well. #2- Ptluck all the fd. Everyne brings a main curse and side/salad and dessert t share. It may end up being really randm but dds are it will be gd. Mst peple bring ut their tried and true recipes when bringing fd t a ptluck event. Fr beverages, it mst cnvenient t have everyne bring their wn drinks and yu (r a neighbr) prvide lemnade and water. We ve included a cuple f 5 galln drink clers in the blck party kit that yu can use. A gd set up fr serving the fd is t set up tables in a u-shape in a garage. If yu have ptluck items, leave a stack f blank index cards alng with Sharpies alng the buffet table. Ask yur neighbrs t identify their dish and als write their name n the card. That way guests will knw wh t ask if they have allergy questins and als where t get the recipes fr their favrites. 3. BLOCK IT OFF Yu can make a request t yur plice department fr barricades t be drpped ff that yu can use t reduce r eliminate traffic n yur street during the blck party. This will make yur party safer fr

2 the kids and yu can then set up tables and activities in the street. Tie sme ballns n thse barricades t help signal that the rad is clsed and that a party is happening! 4. REDUCE ANXIETY WITH NAME TAGS Ideally, yu all wuld knw each ther s name but that s nt the reality, is it? Take the anxiety ut f remembering names by having everyne wear name tags. Yu can turn this int sme fun t and have ut sme markers s the kids can decrate theirs (and maybe a few adults t!). 5. KEEP EVERYONE ENTERTAINED Standing and sitting arund and chatting will be plenty f entertainment fr mst, but a few games can break the ice fr sme scial interactin, create sme memrable mments, and entertain the kids. Parents will LOVE yu if their kids are entertained s they can have an adult cnversatin. We ve gt quite a few game ptins fr yu t set up in the mbile blck party and mst f them lw r n-prep s yu can simply set them ut and peple can play with them at their leisure. The cmplete list f ptins is fund at the end f this packet. Yu dn t need t set ut all f the activity ptins at yur blck party. Pick a handful f them and leave the rest fr anther time like next year s blck party! One f the activity ptins we have is a fire pit. Peple will stay and chat much lnger int the evening if there is a fire t gather arund. Yu can use the include fire pit if yu dn t already have ne r just have yur neighbr drag his ver and light it arund dusk. Setting up tw dubles the fun if yu have a bunch f peple at yur party. Yu can even rast sme s mres if yu want! BEYOND THE TRAILER Here are sme additinal fun activity ideas yu can rganize that aren t stcked in the trailer: Water Balln Tss- A classic fun activity that desn t take a lt f prep* is a water balln tss. If it s ht ut, the kids will definitely flck t this fun event. Once yu re dne, yu can let them have a water balln fight with the leftver ballns! Outdr Mvie- Anther really fun activity is an utdr mvie with ppcrn. Yu ll need smene in yur neighbrhd with a prjectr fr this idea. Yu simply hang a white bed sheet fr yur screen and have everyne sit arund n blankets r chairs in the grass r driveway. Glw Sticks- kids can just run arund with these when it gets dark r they can rganize sme games with them like capture the glw sticks r treasure hunt. *Filling up water ballns fr a grup used t take hurs. It was the wrst! But nt anymre! Bunch O Ballns (at Walmart r n Amazn) enables yu t fill up 100 water ballns in 60 secnds. Use all the saved time t g take a nap in yur hammck. 6. LET EVERYONE HELP

3 Yu re the ne taking the initiative t make this blck party happen but dn t d it all. When yu re inviting peple, invite them t cntribute smething t the blck party. It culd be tables, chairs, drink clers, yard games, picture bth, fd, etc. When yur neighbrs help put n the blck party it mves frm being YOUR thing t OUR thing and that s what yu want! 7. DON T STRESS IT Dn t wrry abut all the little stuff this first time. Gather peple. Help them meet ne anther and build relatinships. Each year yu can get mre rganized r add smething creative yu saw n Pinterest that lked s adrable yu squealed when yu saw it. Right nw keep it simple s yu dn t wear yurself ut! 8. LEVERAGE IT TO BLESS YOUR WIDER COMMUNITY Smething that can really bring a neighbrhd tgether is ding smething fr the cmmunity t. Yu culd cllect winter cats fr Cmmn Cup s cat drive fr kids withut a cat. A cl idea wuld be t invite everyne t bring ld jeans that wuld be used t turn int shes. ( A week r tw after the blck party hst a she cutting party with yur neighbrs. It s a gd excuse t gather yur neighbrs tgether again after the blck party. If yu d like this idea, plan in advance because yu ll need t rder a Sle Hpe party kit. Ideas are endless!

4 CrssPint Mbile Blck Party Package PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS Blck Party Invitatins (custmizable) Blck Party Yard Signs (custmizable) GAMES/ACTIVITIES Bunce Huse Giant Checkers Giant Jenga Can Jam Sidewalk Chalk Tug O War Rpe Hippity Hp Balls (4) Cnes Ladder Glf Metal fire pit MEAL RESOURCES 2 five galln drink clers Large fd cler Inflatable cndiment bat 3 eight ft tables ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 100 ft utdr extensin crd fr the bunce huse 50 ft crd & pwer strip fr crck pts Yard sign with bunce huse rules ADDITIONAL ITEMS TO GET: Tables & chairs in driveway r yard fr peple t sit and eat (Mst peple dn t have that many tables, s ask neighbrs t bring tables and chairs with them. Camping chairs wrk well t) Plates, utensils, napkins, and cups Sharpie fr writing names n cups Plastic tableclths A welcme table with name tags, sharpies, and a sign-in list t cllect addresses fr future invites Trash can fr fd/trash Summer table decr (ptinal). Use what yu have at hme! Firewd (if having a bnfire)

5 Bunce Huse Set Up & Clean Up Instructins SET UP & INFLATION 1. Chse the lcatin fr the bunce huse. Inflated dimensins are 15 D x 12 W x 7 H. 2. Always set up the bunce huse n the prvided tarp. Have the extra length f tarp extend past the pening which will help keep the bunce huse cleaner as kids cme in and ut. 3. Setting the bunce huse up n grass is preferable. Make sure the area is clear f any sharp bjects like rcks r sticks. 4. Unrll the bunce huse, making sure the lcatin f the blwer is where yu want it. Take nte f hw the bunce huse unrlls and unflds s that yu can fld and rll it back up after the blck party. 5. Cnnect the blwer t the bunce huse and plug in the blwer. 6. Inflatin takes under tw minutes. 7. Anchr the bunce huse with the stakes. Yu re ready t g! RULES 1. Kids nly in the bunce huse! 2. The max weight capacity is 100 lbs per kid fr a ttal weight f 600 lbs. Please abide by this rule s that the bunce huse survives fr the next persn wh wuld like t use it. 3. N mre than 6 kids in the bunce huse at ne time. 4. N shes in the bunce huse. CLEAN UP & DEFLATION 1. Sweep r vacuum ut any grass. Wipe dwn any bviusly dirty r muddy spts. 2. If the bunce huse is wet, let it dry befre deflating it. 3. Turn ff the blwer and allw the bunce huse t deflate cmpletely. Dn t jump nt it t make the air g ut faster, please. 4. Fld and rll it up, using the straps t secure it fr transprt. 5. Fld up the tarp. That s it! And it just tk a few minutes.