5 Things You Need to Consider When Hosting a Jubilee Street Party This Summer
This July, the Queen celebrates a whopping 70 years on the throne, and not only does that mean another long weekend, it also offers the perfect opportunity to get out and celebrate in your local communities. But, if you’re planning a street party there are a few important things you’ll need to consider before getting the bunting out!
Here are 5 top tips for holding the perfect street party!
Plan for all weather
I know it sounds obvious, but this is Great Britain, even if the forecast is good, you know you can never trust it - so prevent your party from being a washout by organising activities that can be done even in inclement weather, also, see if anyone has gazebos and use them. They'll be handy to use as a shaded area if we're lucky and it's really sunny.
Safety
Again, it's obvious, right? If you can, work with an events supplier who will have public liability insurance, or indeed purchase some yourself, it's not expensive but gives peace of mind in case anything goes wrong. And on the subject of things going wrong, think about the foot plan of your street party. You should have applied to the council for a road closure permit. You'll want to move any cars from the main party area, but you'll also want to think about what to do in an emergency. If something does go wrong, how will emergency vehicles get access? Put any non-moveables trucks, stands and objects (like Bouncy castles) at the edges of the road, or on the pavements if wide enough. People can move quickly, so if your attendees are taking up the road space, they can be easily and quickly ushered to the sides in the event of an emergency, leaving a clear thoroughfare for emergency vehicles. Ensure to appoint someone to be in charge of this too, doing a risk assessment (Ashtrays that aren't close to flammable materials, glass should be in sturdy bins etc) and ensuring safety protocol is followed throughout your event. (This person should preferably remain sober).
Waste and Recycling
Think about how you will dispose of your waste. Most authorities won't make any services available for this, so make sure you plan ahead. Encourage your neighbours to use their own cutlery, crockery and glassware so they can take them home and wash them up, and it helps the environment by reducing waste. Try to use recyclable materials for everything else, single-use plastic is a massive no no and will just fill your regular black wheelie bin right up. (And who gets weekly pickups these days)?
Be inclusive and aware of your neighbours/community.
You need to make sure that everyone is in the loop, you can do this by creating a WhatsApp group for all your street, but also bear in mind that not everyone will have mobile phones or be comfortable sharing their number. Do door knocks and flyers too to ensure any elderly, and non-English speaking neighbours are also kept in the loop and feel part of the event, that's what it's all about right? Use these comms to form a community group, assign jobs and find out what skills you have on your street. Does anyone do face painting? Do you have any budding musicians, the street-party vibe works best when everyone mucks in. Do a Potluck for food, perhaps encouraging people to create their favourite or national dishes, it's a great way to find out more about your neighbours. Make sure the event is elderly, family and dog-friendly, it's all about the community, and we're here to celebrate the Queen being our monarch for 70 years, but make sure you do it in a way that is friendly to all. Don't play loud music with lots of swear words, fireworks are a massive no for dogs, and ensure there are seats for the elderly..... Just think about what other people might like, not just yourself.
Be creative
Don't feel pressured here, but I'm a firm believer that every idea is a good idea. Encourage everyone on your street, including the little ones to come up with ideas, be it fancy dress, time capsules, a fashion show, talent show, the list is endless. Queenie's been in charge for 70 years, that's more than most of us have been alive and gives us a fair old source of inspiration, a lot has happened in that time. Now get creative and go celebrate!
