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What better way to gather new and old friends from around the neighborhood than throwing a block party? Whether you're closing down the street or opening up your own backyard, we've got you covered with guidelines for organizing a successful neighborhood bash.
Tips
Start planning the party a few months in advance so guests get plenty of notice to plan to attend and you have enough time for all the preparation. Here’s how to make it all happen.
Form a planning committee.
- Set up a time for an initial planning meeting and invite neighbors to join.
- Decide on a date and time for the block party at that first meeting.
- Set a budget; we recommend asking for suggested donation before the event and at the event's welcome table. If money is a concern but you still want to go all out, consider holding your party on National Night Out, the first Tuesday in August. Many areas waive permit fees for street closures and amplified music on that date.
- Discuss other details, including location, budget, food, activities, food, etc. and ask for volunteers to head up those tasks. Make sure to assign someone to distribute a block party petition to the rest of the neighborhood, as you'll likely have to apply for a permit to block off the street.
Find out your local ordinances for block parties.
- Contact your city's office or public works department. If you decide you want to close off your street, you’ll need a permit and barricades. You may also need special events insurance. Be sure to also ask about amplified music and alcohol policies.
- If you want to have a fire engine visit your block party (in which case you’ll also need to apply to close off the street), call your local fire department well in advance. If you’re planning to invite someone from the fire or police department or a local politician to speak at the event, ask early.
Send a reminder one to two weeks in advance of the party.
- You may also want to post signs around the neighborhood the week of the event, particularly if you’re planning to close off the street so your neighbors remember to move their cars.
Invitations
Send an Evite invitation at least a month in advance to ensure more folks can make it! Use this BBQ-themed invitation below as a base template or this "Join Us" invitation. Along with the usual date, time and location information, you may also want to include:
- Activities you have planned (for example, a talent show, kids’ parade, etc.) and how to get involved
- What guests need to bring (potluck items, chairs, etc. if applicable)
- Ask if guests would be willing to help out or provide items (trash cans, folding tables, etc.) and their contact info
- The suggested donation will be to cover the expenses of the party and how it will be collected
Set-up and decorations
Layout is key to get people mingling! Set defined areas for particular activities, like sports games and contests, where guests have space to move around and meet. Consider having a welcome table so you can hand out name tags, collect donations to offset the cost of the shindig and provide a sign-in sheet for contact info. After the party, email everyone a neighborhood directory to help keep connections going.
Block parties are usually outdoors, so decorate accordingly. Tie helium balloons on everyone’s mailbox or in the main party area for a simple but festive look. If you want to go more extravagant, you can set up balloon arches.
Activities
There's nothing like a few fun activities for guests to bond, and we've got some thought starters.
Fun for everyone
- Host a talent show, using someone’s porch as a stage.
- Rent a karaoke machine.
- Set up a treasure hunt.
- Play volleyball, kickball or street hockey (if your street will be closed).
- Host a limbo or dance contest.
- Have a pet parade.
Fun for kids
- Have a sidewalk chalk drawing contest.
- Hang a piñata.
- Ask a few teens or adults to take turns painting faces.
- Get a three-legged race or tug of war going.
- Have a water balloon toss.
- Rent a jump house.
- Play hide-and-seek.
- If your street will be closed and you invite a couple firefighters to give a demonstration, let kids check out the truck.
Neighborhood trivia & history
- Find out who has lived in your neighborhood the longest and ask him or her to speak for a few minutes about it.
- Ask everyone to include where they’re originally from in their RSVP comment, then display a map with names pinned to respective hometowns at the party.
- Research your neighborhood’s history at the library and create a display board including old photos and interesting facts.
- Plant trees, flowers or a garden, or clean up your block as part of the party.
- Invite your local police, fire or another city department to provide handouts and make a brief presentation on topics like home safety.
Food
Barbecues are usually the go-to for block parties, but make sure you're aware of dietary restrictions. Having a potluck is always an option and if you want to add a twist, make it a contest for the best side dish, best pie, etc. Catering or booking a food truck are also great options and is an opportunity to support local businesses!
Drinks
Is there any beverage that says block party better than lemonade? It might even be fun to ask some neighborhood kids to make a few batches and set up a homemade lemonade stand.
Keep in mind that although alcoholic beverages are okay on private property, they’re prohibited in public areas like on the street or in parks so don't forget to find out your city's policy. And be sure to have lots of water available.
Lemonade (6 servings, multiply as necessary)
- 8 lemons
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 5 cups water
Juice the lemons. Combine the sugar and 1 1/2 cups water in a saucepan and simmer until the sugar dissolves and let cool. Add lemon juice and 5 cups water. Serve over ice.
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What makes Evite SignUp Sheets different from other signup tools?
Developed hand-in-hand with community organizers, PTA presidents, parents and teachers, Evite's signup sheets are designed to make organizing volunteers a breeze. Here are a few ways SignUp Sheets are different than other signup tools:
- 100% free: SignUp Sheets are free to use.
- Ad-free: No popup ads ever! Our signup sheets remain clutter-free, keeping your volunteers focused on signing up.
- No extra login required: Seamlessly use your Evite account to create and manage your signup sheets, keeping all your events in one convenient location.
- Automatic reminders and notifications: Stay on top of your event with automated reminders and notifications for you and your participants. Perfect for busy parents, teachers and anyone juggling multiple commitments.
- Customization options: Tailor your signup sheets to your specific event, whether it's a school fundraiser, potluck, volunteer opportunity or team activity. Add custom tasks, time slots and requirements for smooth coordination.
- User-friendly experience: Our intuitive interface makes creating and sharing signup sheets simple for everyone, regardless of tech experience.
- Real-time updates: Get instant notifications whenever someone signs up or makes a change, so you always know where things stand.
Choose Evite SignUp Sheets for the easiest, most streamlined way to get volunteers and signups for your next event!
What is a SignUp Sheet?
Signup sheets are the perfect way to streamline scheduling, volunteer recruitment, class parties, snack duty, potluck organization, parent-teacher conferences and more! You can think of them as your digital assistant for coordinating events and tasks and ensuring that your event is a success.
Evite SignUp Sheets offers parents, teachers and event planners customizable online forms that organizers and volunteers can access and update effortlessly. Volunteers can choose their preferred time slots, sign up for tasks or indicate what they'll bring to the event. It only takes organizers a few minutes to create a signup sheet and send it out with a shareable link, so they can get the word out via text, email or social media—whichever way they prefer!
Long story short, SignUp Sheets save everyone involved tons of time, avoid scheduling headaches and ensure everything runs smoothly before and during the event.
How do I create a SignUp Sheet?
Creating a signup sheet has never been easier than with Evite! Here’s how to create a sheet that’s sure to make your event an absolute success:
- Go to Evite SignUp Sheets and choose the template that best fits your needs. Evite offers multiple signup sheet templates perfect for every occasion, including:
- Signup sheets for one day events (without different time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing a class party, potluck or end-of-season party.
- Signup sheets for single or multiple day events (with time slots), perfect for when you’re organizing concession stand volunteers, fundraisers, parent-teacher conferences, meal train, post-game snack duty or during appreciation week.
- After selecting your sheet template, create a title for your signup sheet and add the date, the location, the time (if applicable), who the organizer is, the organizer’s phone number or email and an optional note describing the event to your volunteers. You can also change your signup sheet background and title image if you wish!
- Next, create slots for your signup sheet. If you aren’t logged into your account, you will need to do so at this point, but luckily, you can use your existing Evite account (no need to create yet another login!). What you’ll include here will depend on what your event needs, but you can include a list of what’s needed (along with optional descriptions), how many volunteers are needed, and dates and times.
- After creating your slots, you can then add a wish list from any retailer or include supply suggestions from Evite’s retailer partners. These are to help your volunteers find and purchase supplies quickly and easily.
- Finally, review your sheet, copy your shareable link and send it out to everyone on your list! Every time a volunteer signs up for a slot on your signup sheet, Evite will email you. We will also send reminders to you and your volunteers before your event so no one will forget about it, and we’ll even let volunteers know if you remove their slot or cancel your event sheet so you don’t have to!
What information should be included on a SignUp Sheet?
When it comes to signup sheet information, there are some essentials to include regardless of what you’re organizing:
- A title for your signup sheet. Tip: Aim to keep your signup sheet title concise but clear. You want volunteers to read it and have a general understanding of what your event is about, and also make it easy for them to look for later if they need to reference your sheet again. You have the option to include a more descriptive note in a different field about your event, so save the more in-depth details for that!
- When and where the event is taking place.
- The organizer’s name and phone number.
- Slots for volunteers to choose from. Once you choose the SignUp Sheets template that fits the occasion, the slots you’ll need for your sheet will be right there and ready for you to add the relevant info, such as dates, times, items to bring and tasks to complete.
When adding your slot information, clearly define what people are signing up for, especially for a what-to-bring list or role assignments. If you want someone to bring healthy snacks for kids to enjoy after a game, specify that. You want your volunteers to feel confident in what they’re bringing and to make it easy for them to know what’s expected of them. It will save them time and stress (and you, too!). That being said, if you make your ask too specific (for example, asking for a hard-to-source item or something expensive), you may not end up with a volunteer for it. So be clear about what you expect, but also be reasonable!
Aside from providing the basic signup information, you can also add optional descriptions to both your entire signup sheet and individual slots. While not required, they can help guide your volunteers further and provide more information. You can add information about allergies, preferences and general info about the event. You can also add a wish list to make it easier for your volunteers to bring exactly what you need!
What are the benefits of using a SignUp Sheet template?
Signup sheet templates offer a ton of advantages for both organizers and volunteers and with Evite SignUp Sheets, you'll enjoy even more benefits than other digital and paper signup sheets! Some benefits our signup sheet templates offer include:
- A 100% free experience (no subscriptions required!).
- Shareable links for quick and easy sharing.
- No need to create another login—you can use your existing Evite account.
- The option to add a wish list to help your volunteers out.
- Automatic reminders—we’ll remind everyone on your behalf.
- An easy-to-use experience with eye-catching guided templates.
- Clean, modern designs with no pop-up ads.
With Evite SignUp Sheets, you can enjoy organizing and coordinating all your events with ease. Signup sheets streamline the signup process for everyone involved, ensuring that everything will go to plan on the day of your event while saving you precious time in the process.
