9 Neighborhood Events for Next to Nothing

(Source: Flickr/dani0010.)

There is something so powerful about simply knowing the names of your neighbors. You don’t have to know much about their lives or personalities. Just being able to put a face and a name to a particular front door is an important part of developing trust and a sense of belonging in your place. It’s so much more than having someone you could borrow a ladder or a cup of sugar from (though that’s pretty handy). I think that knowing your neighbors is a critical starting point for building a stronger town. 

Since dipping my toe into the neighborhood-building world several years ago, I’ve become an enthusiastic collector of event ideas. If it’s got neighbors connecting and hanging out together, my interest is piqued!

With enough time and money, anyone can throw an amazing event. But often, the simplest concepts are the most memorable and enjoyable. Those grassroots, bottom-up ideas are often the best, perhaps because they feel so accessible and replicable.

If you have an active neighborhood association or group, then you’re more likely to have some resources at your disposal: maybe a bit of a budget, a crew of volunteers, access to event space, communication channels, and name recognition. 

But what if you’re just a person who wants to get to know more people or strengthen the local sense of community? Depending on your personality, the idea of knocking on someone’s door and introducing yourself can feel a little daunting. A less intimate occasion with more people could be just what you need to start forging deeper connections with the people who share your street or building.

So, are you ready to plan something? I encourage you to be creative, but keep it simple… Really simple: something that takes minimal planning and can be done on a single day. It’s easy to let a great idea spiral into a complicated one (I speak from experience!), and if it takes a ton of preparation, you might not be keen to repeat it—or be too busy to actually enjoy yourself. 

Here are nine tested and true events that can be done for free or next to free, without needing permits or requiring a lot of supplies or complicated logistics. 

1. Front Yard Friday

I first heard about this idea during the early days of the pandemic. The goal was to get people to meet in a safe and socially distanced way, while also supporting local restaurants that were operating as takeout only. The instructions couldn’t be simpler: get some supper (from a restaurant or from your own kitchen), bring it outside to your front yard, driveway, or boulevard, and see who’s around! When we did this on my street, one neighbor came out with a hula hoop (surprise: she was a pro) and gave impromptu lessons. Another picked up some sidewalk chalk and wowed us with her artistic talents. Giant bubbles and musical instruments are also great ice breakers. 

(Source: Unsplash/Vincent Keiman.)

2. Back Lane Barbeque

Back Lane Barbeque. OK, so the whole idea of a BBQ with your neighbors is pretty classic, but I love the back lane twist. It takes the pressure off of feeling like any one person is “the host,” or like your backyard has to be company ready. One little pocket in my neighborhood has been having a summer back-lane BBQ for years. Everyone opens up their garages, brings their own drinks and foodstuffs to grill, and sides to share. 

3. Street-Long Scavenger Hunt

Another pandemic invention, spearheaded by one of my creative neighbors. It’s the perfect weekend neighborhood event: you can participate wherever it works for your schedule, it gets you outside and exploring your area, it’s good for all ages, and best of all, it’s fun! To prepare the hunt, pick a one- or two-block block stretch and scout out neat details in the yard or house for hunters to find, such as: red shutters, tire swing, bird bath, or last name sign. You can go really basic or get a little more cryptic with the clues (see examples here). Participants go sleuthing and simply write the house number or numbers that match beside the clue. A small prize (under $20) is nice, but people will participate even without it.

4. Pancake Party

My husband and I envied another street in our neighborhood for its long-running June block party and wanted to start something similar for our street, but were not up for coordinating a huge event. We’d heard folks say that despite all the exciting things that typically happened at the big block party, the most successful part was always the pancake breakfast, so we took that idea and ran with it. The front yard pancake party is a crowd pleasing, easy win! Pick a weekend morning and invite your neighbors (BYO plate and fork). Pick up some syrup, margarine, and a box or two of pancake mix—or make up a few batches of homemade batter the night before. The morning of, set up a table and electric griddle in your front yard and get flipping. My family has done this several times now and it’s become a highlight of our summer.

5. Neighborhood Garage Sale Day (or Weekend!)

In my city, where people are famously cheap thrifty, there are several communities that have a long-standing designated day or weekend for garage sales. The idea is that everyone benefits from more shoppers when they know they can come to one area and hit up a bunch of sales. My neighborhood tried this for the first time last year and it was a hit! The sale hosts reported a steady stream of bargain hunters, and the streets were full of folks strolling around looking for treasures. It was great fun bumping into neighbors while out hitting up sales and comparing notes on what we’d scored.

Strong Towns Staff Writer Asia Mieleszko performing on a porch with her band, medukha. Whether you’re a pro or not, you can bring music and joy to your neighborhood! (Source: Asia Mieleszko.)

6. Play Music on the Porch Day

This really couldn’t be simpler: bring your instrument out to your front porch, stoop, or yard and make some music. Can't carry a tune? Have a more musically inclined friend or family member over and show them off. Invite your neighbors to bring their lawn chairs and clap along. Play Music on the Porch Day is an international event held annually on the last Saturday in August, which means you’ve got lots of time to dream up your setlist before August 26. But in my books, any day’s a good day to play music on the porch!

7. Friendly Competitions

We've done a "light up the neighborhood" contest in December several times. This is a no-stakes challenge to encourage people to splash out with lights and outdoor decor. Sometimes there’s a theme (such as stars or hearts), but usually it’s just a general challenge. Folks are inspired to walk around the neighborhood and enjoy the holiday lights, then vote online for which street impressed them most. It’s all very unscientific, and the prize is just bragging rights, but it’s a great way to encourage people to get outside in the colder months and build pride of place.

8. Jane’s Walks (or Other Informal Walking Tours)

Noticing a growing number of elaborately painted garage doors popping up in our area, an artist friend and I led an “Art in the Neighborhood” tour last summer. We sleuthed out a dozen or so cool pieces of semi-public art and then invited people to simply join us for a little walk to see and appreciate them. Another year, my family attended a “Secrets in your Neighborhood Children’s Walk,” where we visited two great playgrounds and the hidden passageway that connects them. A walking tour can celebrate the mundane or the marvelous. What matters is doing it as a group! 

9. Pumpkin Parade

The idea here is that on November 1, people bring their carved Halloween pumpkins to a central place for one last hurrah. Everyone hangs out while admiring the carved creations and the cozy feeling of candlelight in the darkness. At the end of the night, the jack-o-lanterns are taken away to be composted (when we did this in my neighborhood, a volunteer with a pickup truck drove the expired pumpkins out to a nearby farm to be turned into animal feed). This grassroots idea came from Toronto, where it’s grown to the point that it’s officially supported by the parks department. As one pumpkin parade enthusiast put it, “Parades defy all of the laws of event planning. They are informal, organic, and take very little advance preparation.”

On top of being logistically uncomplicated, the beauty of these types of events is that they can easily be promoted in your local Facebook group or with some quick quarter-page flyers dropped off in your neighbors' mailboxes. 

No need to wait for perfection. Just try something out! In my experience, most people are yearning for a deeper connection. You might be surprised at how happy folks are to be invited.

Thanks to Verdunity for sponsoring the upcoming Strong Towns National Gathering. Learn more about Verdunity at verdunity.com.

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