Neighborhood Block Party

Overview

Host a block party in your neighborhood!

Block parties provide opportunities to connect with neighbors, celebrate milestones, work on common projects, and strengthen community relationships. These events are held and attended by people living along the street. They are not intended to be publicized or open to the general public. 

A Neighborhood Block Party Request Form is required for neighborhood events that temporarily close a street.

Eligibility

Not every street in the City can host a block party. Major arterials, roads that are the primary access for a neighborhood, and streets that may prevent emergency service vehicle access are not able to host block parties. To see if your street is eligible, please refer to WSDOT’s Classification System. Type your street address in the map’s search bar. Streets noted with a thin grey line are eligible for block parties.

Block parties may be feasible on major streets, but would require further administrative review through the Special Events permit process. Please note that the Special Events permit process requires a fee and a longer review time.

Restrictions

The City requires certain conditions to be met to allow a block party to occur:

• A Neighborhood Block Party Request Form is submitted at least ten business days before the event.
• The contact listed on the Block Party Request Form must be present at all times during the event and available by phone.
• Block parties are only allowed between 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
• No alcoholic beverages shall be served/consumed in street right of way.
• No lane or street closures are allowed except for those noted in the Request Form.
• A barricade must be in place to block off the street closure. The barricade should be signed to indicate the road closure. Trash cans may be used as barricades.
• A 20-ft driving lane shall be kept clear within the barricaded area in case emergency vehicles or local traffic needs access.
• All trash must be removed from the right of way following the party.

Process

A Neighborhood Block Party Request Form must be submitted at least ten business days prior to the scheduled event. There is no fee for this. The request may be denied if City staff highlight an issue (ineligible street, City project in the area, no available detour for traffic, etc.)

Prior to the event date, please contact (written or verbal) those neighbors who may be directly impacted by the closure so they can adjust their plans if necessary. Consider how to minimize impacts to your neighbors.