Even YOU Can Throw a Block Party
Yes, I’m talking to you.
The weather is warming, people are starting to hang out outside, and that means here at The Double Shift, we are starting our month-long block party bonanza! 🎉 I’m also kicking off a members-only block party chat to brainstorm, share best practices, and encourage each other to throw block parties in the coming months. Join us here! (25% off until April 10th!)
One of the absolute best ways to build connections you can count on is to get to know people who live nearby, and a great way to do that is to throw a block party. I’m super excited because this month, we are going to get ideas and advice straight from the Grand Dame of block parties herself, Vanessa Elias. She’s the founder of Block Party USA, and she’ll be joining Double Shift members on Zoom on April 22nd at 1pm EST! Members should have received a calendar invite; free subscribers, upgrade your subscription to join us.
Researchers have found that annual traditions that bring people together and encourage them to talk to one another can have a huge impact on building trust, connection, and neighborhood cohesion. I’ve seen this play out in my own life. I started co-organizing an annual block party in 2024, which brought me much closer to neighbors on my street, and now we all know and trust each other. We have a text group, and I feel I have a robust list of people steps from my home that I wouldn’t hesitate to ask for a favor, like a pack of AA batteries when I’m knee-deep in children and can’t run to the store. This was not true five years ago. Investing in those relationships has also personally shown me the power of nearby neighbors during difficult times. We’ve come together even more strongly after an elderly resident on our street lost her home to a devastating house fire. Folks on our block helped coordinate what our neighbor needed and raised money from a wider group of neighbors through a GoFundMe.
However, I think there’s still something intimidating about taking on an event like a neighborhood block party, and there are plenty of ways you could talk yourself out of it. Today I’m going to debunk some of the myths that keep us from getting the ball rolling. You can do this. I believe in you.
Myth One: I don’t know my neighbors or have their contact info, so I can’t throw a party.
The reason you are throwing a block party is to get to know your neighbors better.
