LongIsland.com

Block Party Bonanza - Tips for Hosting a Great Gathering This Summer!

Written by Debbi Spiegel  |  02. August 2013

Picking a theme for your festivities is a great way to coordinate all your decorations, food, and entertainment. If your theme is music, you could create an awesome street banner by painting a drop cloth with "Rock the Block"  (or a message of your choice) centered on the banner. Then just string it up between two trees or step ladders to set the stage for a memorable party. Use the same technique and stencil a few more drop cloths with your party colors to use as tablecloths.

Line the street with decorative galvanized buckets filled with sand and candles and then you can party on into the night. Get all the neighbors involved ahead of time by painting the buckets to coordinate with your theme. For even more nighttime ambiance, pick up a bunch of affordable tiki torches from the local dollar store and personalize them with your theme colors too.

Nothing says block party like an old-fashioned potato sack race. You can purchase burlap in rolls inexpensively from a home improvement store to make your own sacks. Sew up the sides with floral wire and help the kids decorate their own sacks with fabric spray paint and stencils before racing toward the finish line.

The final ingredient to make your block party a blast is fun and fabulous food!  Here are a few simple and easy ways to creatively serve up some summertime treats.

Fruit kabobs are a beautiful and delicious addition to any block party. And you can even add a chocolate or yogurt dip to make them extra yummy. Just pick up a large piece of foam and the moss you buy in a roll from the floral section at your local craft store. Cover the foam in the moss and wrap the edges in ribbon for a pretty presentation. Then you just stick your kabobs in the foam and you’re done. Pretty as a centerpiece and delicious as a dessert.

A S’mores bar is sure to be the hit of the party. All you need to do is purchase a long, rectangular holder ( window box) and fill it with sand and use chaffing dish fuel to roast your marshmallows. Just be sure there’s always a grown-up around to supervise. Set up the rest of the fixings buffet style and you’re good to go. The only hard part is not eating too many.

HAVE FUN everyone!

We'd love to hear about your block party experiences.  Please comment below.

 

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