Block Party

 

Mostly I write about sharing nature in the urban environment, but what keeps my family here in the city,  besides work and car less commutes, is the community.  It is the backdrop of our lives and we wind through it on a daily basis.  We are always aware of it, but just as on a hike in the woods even when we think we are aware many things go unnoticed or nameless.  Today people we had previously only passed with a brief nod of the head or smile- had names.

Last night our neighborhood celebrated Neighborhood Night Out, a nationally celebrated day for block parties.   It is in part to know your neighbors and fight crime, but is also to develop relationships.  It was amazing!  A small group of neighbors who barely knew one another communicated by email to plan the event pulled it off with remarkable success.

Kids were biking and scootering around the street as soon as the block had been closed to vehicle traffic.   Tables were converged to make a giant potluck buffet and dinner table.  A five year old was the official face painter.

A street pinball game was constructed to take advantage of our street’s slope.    The construction of it being nearly as exciting as the myriad of ways that people played the game. 

In another area t-shirt paints and t-shirts were set out.  Artists emerged from the very youngest of neighbors to the oldest!

Later the ax and wood came out.  Young city folks split wood; learned by doing.   A fire was built and s’mores were eaten. 

Our block ,where most of the time the only walking and biking occurs as people pass through, showed that it truly is a community.  We just had to have the opportunity to get out of our houses, past our front yards and into the street.

It made me wonder how we could encourage this type of behavior more often.  Carless Streets are one way......Community art that slows people down or makes people stop and interact.   Nature that invites investigation & conversation and brings people to their boulevards to water and pull weeds.