Street parties are fun events right on your own neighbourhood street. They are small gatherings of less than 200 people and the primary audience is people who live in the neighbourhood.
The goal of street parties is to foster neighbourhood spirit, and that can often be done with simple, low-cost, easy-to-plan activities.
Popular activities for a street party include a BBQ or potluck, live music, games, sports or holiday or cultural celebrations. You can find a bunch of ideas for your next street party by seeing what other neighbourhoods are doing here.
Alcohol is not permitted at street parties. Inflatables or animal rides are not allowed under the city’s insurance package, but can occur if alternative insurance is arranged.
About this guide
If you’d like to host a street party, but don’t know where to start, this guide is for you!
We’ve put together all of the common tasks that go into organizing a street party and clearly laid out the process for getting approval from the city to close the street. Explore each of the sections and steps below to learn how to host a street party.
This guide is for Street Parties that are small gatherings of less than 200 people with a target audience of people that live in your neighbourhood.
If your event is for more than 200 people or is intended for a city-wide audience, there are additional requirements and costs related to emergency planning, safety and sanitation, so please contact city staff for advice. Please connect with Stephanie Brasseur, Traffic Project Coordinator, by email or call 519-741-2200 x7373 for guidance on how to proceed for events over 200 people.
Everything you need to know about street parties
Benefits of street parties
Street parties are fun! Expect lots of laughter as you meet new people and catch up with old friends. Street parties bring neighbours together and help to foster a sense of belonging. They can also instill a sense of neighbourhood pride.
Often, conversations at street parties can help neighbours discover common interests and form or strengthen relationships between neighbours.
Street parties can even foster a safer neighbourhood and prevent crime. When neighbours know each other, they can look out for each other and be ready to help out in times of need.
How much does a street party cost?
Good news! There is no cost from the city for the special event road closure permit. We also cover insurance costs, for street parties up to 200 people.
Expenses related to hosting an event are your responsibility, but don’t need to be a lot. Go with a simple potluck and you won’t have any expenses at all!
Some residents choose to collect donations from each neighbour to buy food and drinks or hire a band or other entertainment. Local businesses may be interested in donating food, supplies or cash to your event.
You can apply for up to $2,000 through the LoveMyHood Matching Grant. Just remember this is a one-time grant and cannot fund events every year.
8 Steps to Host a Street Party
Before starting your Street Party application form there are a few things you should know:
- This form must be completed at least four weeks before your event.
- The road closure petition with 60% support from the street is required for approval of your street party. Please allow yourself time to gather the needed signatures to meet this requirement. You must upload a copy of the completed petition to the form in order to submit your application.
- All street parties must be alcohol free; you as the event organizer must clearly communicate to all event attendees that alcohol is not permitted.
- If approval from Public Health is required for food, provide at least 45 days.
- You will need a business license if you charge money at the event for admission, food or entertainment (such as food trucks/vendors, retail vendors or busking). You don't need a license for free or donated food, like potlucks and BBQs. Collecting donations on a "pay what you can" basis to cover costs of your event does not require a license. Ask city staff for more direction or learn more at kitchener.ca/businesslicensing.
Get Started
1. Form a group to help out
Bring together three to five people who are eager to be involved and help plan your street party. It’s also a good idea to identify a coordinator who can help keep everything on track.
Together, identify a vision for your street party and some key goals you hope to achieve. Brainstorm ideas on what to do. Think about what might attract different ages and cultural backgrounds, so everyone feels welcome.
Contact our team for guidance and support and we will have someone connect with you.
2. Decide when and where to host your street party
Pick a date and time for your street party. If you make it an annual event, it is a good idea to stick with the same date year after year. Remember to set a rain date as well!
Consider hosting your event on Neighbours Day, when people across Kitchener host and attend events in their neighbourhood.
Choose a residential street for your party. The street must be closed from block to block, so emergency vehicles can quickly identify the closed street and adjust accordingly.
Collector and major arterial roads are not eligible for street parties, so contact our team if you’re not sure if your street qualifies.
Organize logistics
3. Go door-to-door to complete the road closure petition form
A road closure impacts every resident on the street, so it’s important everyone is informed of the road closure. We also ask you to collect signatures of support from 60% of the people on your street.
Use our road closure and petition form which has all the relevant information people will need to know in order to sign in support. Submit the form to city staff to receive a special event permit for closing the road. Please allow four weeks for processing.
4. Submit your Street Party Application
We’ve streamlined our application process, so that you only have to complete one form. Completing this form will automatically send a request for the following:
- A Special Event Permit and Road Closure for approval.
- A Noise Exemption to the Bylaw Department for approval. This will ensure our bylaw officers are aware of what’s happening in the case of complaints
- Insurance Coverage for your street party. Insurance is required to have a street party. The City of Kitchener provides insurance for all neighbourhood street parties with up to 200 guests. If your event is for more than 200 people or is intended for a city-wide audience, there are additional requirements and costs related to emergency planning, safety, and sanitation, so please contact city staff for advice.
SUBMIT YOUR STREET PARTY APPLICATION HERE
5. Promote your street party
There are lots of ways to spread the word about your event. When going door-to-door bring your event flyers or posters. Other ideas include social media, emails, media, or advertising.
Notify your neighbourhood association or local community partners and ask them to include in their newsletters or communications.
Think about different ages, demographics, cultural backgrounds or special interest groups. They will all have preferred ways of communicating so reach out in different ways to connect with different people.
6. Make a schedule and site plan
Time to bring it all together! Sketch out where the different activities will occur, leaving an emergency route free of barriers. Make sure everyone knows their responsibilities and what time everything is happening from set up to clean up.
Think about safety and possible emergencies. Follow our Safety Checklist for guidance.
Host the street party
7. Close the road to vehicles -- open it to people!
Barricades will be delivered to your street a day or two in advance of your street party. When it’s time to start setting up your event, move the barricades onto the incoming lane to safely close the street. Leave the lane exiting the street free of barricades for emergency vehicles or people accessing their driveways. Make sure you have your special event permit at your event.
8. Have fun!
Set things up – and get partying! Don’t forget to take pictures and share on social media, using #lovemyhood!
After the street party ends, wrap-up by:
- Taking down equipment, cleaning up and disposing of waste.
- Ensuring everything is removed from the roadway, and then reopen the road.
- Thanking your volunteers – a lot!
- Reflecting on how everything went and planning ahead for next year.
Safety checklist
Please take the time to plan so the event can be safely enjoyed by everyone:
- Follow public health food safety guidelines and contact Region of Waterloo Public Health at 519-883-2008 ext. 5147.
- Identify a single person to make decisions in case of emergency and prepare an emergency communications plan.
- Monitor the weather in case plans need to change.
- Clearly communicate to all event attendees that alcohol is not permitted.
- Have a first aid kit and fire extinguisher.
- Complete a safety check before the event starts, to be sure things like barricades, tents, or tables are set up properly.
- If an accident or injury occurs and you received insurance through the city, complete an incident report form, found here.
Other helpful tools
Festival of Neighbourhoods has collected examples of activities that work well in different neighbourhoods. To answer some of your questions related to how to involve all neighbours and make sure everyone can feel welcome at your street party, check out the various tools on their website.
For the Westmount Neighbourhood Association, their street is the setting for an annual BYOP party – Bring Your Own Picnic – on Neighbours Day. The street becomes alive with laughter and conversation.
Ice cream was a big hit when Wilson Avenue was closed for a street party while students painted the crosswalks leading up to the local elementary school.
Contact Us