For more information:
richmond.ca/BlockParty
RICHMOND
PROGRAM
NEIGHBOURHOOD
BLOCK PARTY
PLANNING GUIDE
How to Plan, Checklist and Party Ideas!
INTRODUCTION
The Richmond Neighbourhood Block Party Program is
designed to support neighbourhood groups to connect,
create a sense of community and enhance safety and
awareness in neighbourhoods. Block parties can take place
in a variety of spaces, including parks, on local streets or
private properties.
NEIGHBOURHOOD BLOCK PARTY
PLANNING CHECKLIST
• months before your event
Gather a few neighbours to form a Planning
Committee and start planning your block party
Submit your Neighbourhood Block Party
Program Application online to the City of
Richmond
If you are applying for a temporary road
closure: discuss your block party idea with
residents in your neighbourhood and ask them
to sign the Neighbourhood Road Closure
Permission Form
(found at richmond.ca/BlockParty)
• – weeks before your event
Receive approval from City of Richmond for
Block Party request no later than two weeks
prior to your event.
Send out invitations for your block party and
collect RSVPs.
Start planning activities for the party and
purchasing any materials needed for the
activities.
Arrange for equipment and supplies. These
may include: tables, chairs, tents, BBQs,
coolers, ice and water.
Create a site safety plan – emergency
vehicle access, fire extinguisher, first aid kit,
barricades, cones, road closure signage, etc.
Arrange for proper waste management
(garbage, recycling and compost bins).
• week before your event
If the City of Richmond granted an approval
for a temporary road closure, send an email
or distribute flyers about the temporary road
closure on your street to remind residents to
move their cars before the party (if applicable).
Meet with your Planning Committee to discuss
what has been done to date and what still
needs to be done before the event.
• day before your event
Send an email to your neighbours to remind
them about the upcoming temporary road
closure (if applicable).
• On the day of your event
Set up the various areas of your party:
seating, food preparation, activities, waste
management, etc.
Set up a sign-in station where attendees can
check-in and make a name tag.
After everyone has arrived, welcome them to
the party and introduce the day’s activities.
Mingle, eat, share a laugh and have lots of fun!
• Clean-Up
Ensure clean-up is completed and that your
garbage, recycling and compost bins have been
returned to the proper places.
Remove and recycle any signage that was
posted around your neighbourhood.
• After your event
Complete your summary report. Submit this
form to the City of Richmond within weeks
of your block party date.
BLOCK PARTY ACTIVITY IDEAS
There are so many fun and easy activities that you can do
with your neighbours at your upcoming block party. Check
out some of the ideas below for inspiration.
EXPLORE
Go on an adventure to explore your neighbourhood with a
Scavenger Hunt. There are lots of great pre-set scavenger
hunt item lists online, or collaborate with your neighbours
to design a list that is unique to your neighbourhood!
CONNECT
Get to know your fellow neighbours by playing a Ball Toss
Icebreaker game. This activity is really simple to prepare and
can be played anywhere – the only materials you need are a
beach ball and a permanent marker. To prepare this activity,
gather some of your neighbours together to come up with
fun get-to-know-you questions to write onto each section
of the beach ball. When you are ready to play, have the
participants stand in a circle, then explain that the activity
involves answering the question that is facing you when you
catch the beach ball, then tossing the ball to another person
in the circle.
CREATE
Whether you’re a professional artist or it’s your first time
holding a paint brush, everyone can have fun doing a Painting
activity – have participants paint on individual canvases,
decorate some rocks or even try out finger painting!
JUMP
All you need is some chalk and a section of open space
within your block party’s road closure area (sidewalks
and driveways work well for this!) to design your
neighbourhood’s very own Hopscotch game!
BUILD
If you would like to introduce an element of friendly
competition at your block party, have your neighbours try
building some structures with the Cup Challenge! Kids and
adults alike will have fun with this one, and you can make
the structures as simple or elaborate as you would like,
depending on what materials you choose. Some materials
to consider (in addition to paper cups, of course!) are
wooden popsicle sticks and small pieces of cardboard. You
can design different challenges, such as: building the tallest
tower, a pyramid-building race, building a bridge, etc.
NEIGHBOURHOOD BINGO CARD
At your block party, find a neighbour who matches one of the characteristics in the boxes below, and write their name
in that box. Get 5 boxes filled in a row (vertical, horizontal or diagonal) for Bingo!
B I N G O
Is a teacher Has a dog Likes chocolate Plays soccer
Whose birthday
month is August
Was not born in
Canada
Participates in
dance classes
Speaks 2 languages
Enjoys going to the
beach
Has a younger
sibling
Likes to cook
Has travelled to a
different country
Has visited a
community centre
in Richmond
Knows how
to skate
Is an only child
Volunteers for a
charity
Goes to school in
Richmond
Enjoys painting
Grows vegetables
in their garden
Participates in a
team sport
Can play a musical
instrument
Takes the bus
every week
Has extended family
who live in Canada
Can ride a bicycle
RICHMOND
PROGRAM
NEIGHBOURHOOD
BLOCK PARTY
PHYSICAL LITERACY ACTIVITIES
What is Physical Literacy?
Physical Literacy is the motivation, confidence, physical
competence, knowledge and understanding to value and
take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for
life. (International Physical Literacy Association)
Who is it for?
Everyone benefits from physical literacy! The City of
Richmond is targeting children two to 12 years old as
these ages are ideal for children to develop fundamental
movement skills.
Why is it Important?
A variety of acquired movement skills lead to an increase in
confidence, participation, enjoyment and opportunities to
connect and socialize. These skills are the foundation for an
active life.
For more information about the City of Richmond’s
Physical Literacy initiatives and ideas for block parties,
visit richmond.ca/PhysicalLiteracy or send an email to
physicalliteracy@richmond.ca.
ARTS AND CRAFTS IDEAS
Encourage your neighbours to channel their inner artist
with these accessible, environmentally-conscious and highly-
customizable art experiences that can be tried out at your
block party. These activities are very simple to prepare as the
supplies needed are common household items that you may
already have or that can be found at your local dollar store!
These activities are designed to be easily adapted to whatever
materials you already have on-hand, so we encourage you and
your neighbours to get creative with these!
FESTIVE HAT-MAKING
Suggested Materials
• 1 empty ice cream bucket (or any similar-sized
container/bowl with a circular base)
• Tape
• Large pieces of paper cut into squares
– newspapers and wrapping paper work
particularly well
• Decorative materials of your choice (paint,
ribbon, stickers, etc.)
Steps
Tape the bucket face-down onto a hard surface
such as a table.
Drape a large piece of paper over the bucket,
then wrap tape around the bottom edge of the
bucket (this helps to create the rounded shape
of the hat).
Lift up the piece of paper from the bucket, and
you now have a hat!
Depending on what style of hat you want, you
may wish to trim the edges of the paper so that
the brim of the hat isn’t as wide. You can also roll
up the entire brim to create a top hat just like the
purple one shown in the photo on the right.
Decorate your hat!
POP-UP FLOWERS
Suggested Materials
• Multi-coloured / brown paper bags – you will
need 7 bags per flower
• Coloured paper / wrapping paper
• Glue sticks
• Stapler
• Scissors
• Hole-puncher
• String
• Decorative materials of your choice (paint,
ribbon, stickers, etc.)
Steps
Set aside 7 paper bags and stack them so that
the bags’ openings are all on the same side of
the stack.
Glue the bags on top of each other with the bag
openings facing the same way. The easiest way
to do this is by applying glue on one side of each
bag and then sticking the “glued” side of one bag
to the “dry” side of another bag.
Take your stack of paper bags and cut the top
corners into curved edges to form the petal
shapes for your flower. Do not cut the corners
at the bottom of the bag.
Hold the top bag with your left hand and the
bottom bag with your right hand, and pull both
bags towards each other – this will create your
flower! Next, glue or staple both bags together.
Cut out 2 small circles from the coloured paper
– these will be the centers of your flower.
Glue the circles onto both sides of your flower,
and then decorate your flower.
Poke a small hole into one of the “petals”
of your flower, and thread a piece of string
through it so that you can hang your flower up
as a decorative piece.
Step 3: Cut the petal shape for your flower. Step 6: Glue circles onto the center of your flower.
CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions about the Richmond Neighbourhood
Block Party Program or about how to host a neighbourhood
block party, email BlockParty@richmond.ca.
