Snellville, GA on Mar 05, 2012

Low Cost Neighborhood Gathering Ideas?

I am trying to come up with ideas for low-cost events to bring my neighbors together. As a part of the neighborhood watch program, we are required to do something once a year to bring our neighbors together. Can you guys offer some ideas and some things you may have done?

The community is made up of about 97 single-family homes. Several cul de sacs. Some small children but not many. You rarely see them out. Same with the teens. We do have a clubhouse and pool available but it is in a neighboring subdivision (we share homeowners association with 2 other neighborhoods). The no-brainer would be to do a potluck at the clubhouse, but I'd like some more creative ideas to choose from. The neighborhood used to do a pig roast but folks moved, people stopped coming to events and lost interest. We are rebuilding in a sense. Oh, and just fyi, the volunteers to pull this off are few and far between. I'll probably have better luck once I come up with something and just give people different tasks to do.

Anyway, please share your ideas!

Thanks!

14 Comments

KMS Woodworks Nederland, CO

One fun alternative to the "pig" roast is to bring in one of those wood fired portable pizza ovens. This is a big more "hands" on than the slow roasted porcine party. Setting up a rental tent at the end of one of the cul de sac's will keep it "in the Neighborhood".

on Mar 05, 2012 · Like 2
Becky Madisonville, LA

We have had pot luck parties as well as crawfish boils in our neighborhood. I've also hosted what I call "Hot Dog Halloween Night" serving hot dogs & homemade chili brought by dueling neighbors after "trick or treating". We decorate the garage and use it as our serving area which allows overflow into the driveway. I buy the hot dogs & buns at Sams Club so the cost is nominal. Our son,who also lives in our subdivision, did a neighborhood pig roast which was also a big hit. Hope these ideas help and good luck with your neighborhood parties.

on Mar 05, 2012 · Like 0
Ana M Alpharetta, GA

Ours is doing a Chili Cook Off, Another one we are doing is a 2 miles walk/run around the neighborhood. We also have pizza night at the pool and ice cream socials at the pool.

on Mar 05, 2012 · Like 0
Donna Dixson Buford, GA

I often do seminars for HOA's on whatever subject they would like to tackle on their landscapes. I could see a 'family' event around this with some really inexpensive kid projects, sort of a bring materials, do it & take it home for the kids with some really good informational landscape topics. Some HOA have used this method to try to encourage the home owners to beautify outside or just to keep their grass a little better maintained. You could plan an entire 'faire' like day out of it, with other DIY stuff ideas from our Hometalk friends.

on Mar 05, 2012 · Like 1
Pat P Akron, NY

I am hosting a soup party, All of the neighbors will be bringing over their favorite soup and we will be tasting them..We will share leftovers and receipes.. I will also be providing crackers and crusty bread along with beverages...We have a group of 7 homes on our dead end st...

on Mar 05, 2012 · Like 1
Cori H

In one of my neighborhoods growing up, we used to have a 4th of July Block Party. Everyone pot lucked the side dishes and brought their own meat to be BBQ'ed by a neighbor. Another neighbor would set up a badminton/volleyball net in their yard. One of them opened up their pool for us to go swimming in. There would be water balloons and squirt guns, etc. Then at night, everyone conjugated in a couple of driveways and everyone lit off their fireworks.

on Mar 05, 2012 · Like 0
Saralou D Cincinnati, OH

We used to do a parade on Memorial Day, Labor Day and Fourth of July. Kids decorated their bikes / wagon / strollers. People got out their high school instruments and there was a band playing as we marched. Ended up in someone's driveway for juice and cookies. Easy, but still knew all the neighbors

on Mar 05, 2012 · Like 0
HomeProHub San Jose, CA

Since you are basically starting all over, trying to organize a kick-off event that will appeal to everyone is a tall order and it may require several low turnout events in order to get things going. If they are interesting and worthwhile events word of mouth will take care of the rest. One thing you may want to consider rather than making that first event a party why not make it a community awareness event like a C.E.R.T. event. http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/ ...»

Communities often will come together faster and with more substance when working towards a common goal like emergency preparedness or community watch programs.

on Mar 05, 2012 · Like 1
Kam D Redmond, WA

Neighbors Night Out. Pot Luck annual event. Notify a couple weeks earlier and everyone comes and everyone looks forward to it every year. It's as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. I use to do a lot of planning and decorating but now we just set up tables and visit about our
community and what we have been doing. We invite the Mayor, council people, firemen and policemen. They always show up and give us a litte pep talk. So much fun.

on Mar 05, 2012 · Like 0
DEBBIE P

We had a street party .The month before was the block behind.Fun for kids too! The street is actually blocked by the city so games galore .We will do again this summer. It was a potluck.Even had neighbours come that moved away 6 years earlier.

on Mar 05, 2012 · Like 0
Teresa D Snellville, GA

I knew I could count on you guys for some great ideas! It will most likely be a potluck and I am considering inviting firefighters. The police will be invited because the event will count toward our Neighborhood Watch requirements. @Four Seasons, that is a good idea. Maybe I can get Walter to broadcast from our event! (dream big!)
@HomeProHub ... funny you should mention CERT. I am actually halfway through my training. I ...»
think we do our final exercise at the end of this month. I plan to try to bring that to the neighborhood as well but I'm doing so much now, I don't want to get in over my head (or further over my head).
I like the pizza, cook-off, parade, ideas ... it will all come down to logistics and how much help I can get. I was thinking about doing a clean up activity and having grilled hot dogs afterward ... again ... logistics.
I thought of a community yard sale, but neighbors wouldn't necessarily talk to one another during that.
Anyway, keep the ideas coming!

on Mar 05, 2012 · Like 1
DEBBIE P

oh my gosh you mentioned Firefighter.There was a firecall a few blocks over about 11pm.and the firtrucks could.t come down our street.There was about a dozen of us in the middle if the strret with a portable firepit .When
their call was done they stopped at the end and said hi. It was so funny.

on Mar 06, 2012 · Like 0
Peace Painting Co., Inc. Alpharetta, GA

Once a year, our neighborhood does a cookout in a caul-de-sac.
We put up a couple of canopies with some grills and everyone brings their own meat with other dishes and there is music.
We all eat from each others food.
The elements are basic, just enough to gather around. ...»

It's just great that you are thinking about doing anything like this Teresa!
CP

on Mar 06, 2012 · Like 0
Deborah C Durham, NC

In our neighborhood we have a salsa walk. Bring your own chips (no double dipping please), and walk around trying out different homemade salsas. We get to vote on our favorite ones. There are vegetable, fruit, bean types as well as from mild to very hot and those made by children. Some bring baked goods to sale as well. Its fun and we get to know our neighbors better.

on Mar 06, 2012 · Like 0

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