Trying to have a blast with your neighbors and enjoy Oak Park’s community spirit? Block party season allows for residents to do both, and requests open 8 a.m. March 1.
The Oak Park block party season lasts from March 29 to Oct. 31. Requests have to have a petition signed by at least 10 addresses on the block, or at least 75% if the block has fewer than 10 houses.
There’s no charge, but every block is limited to two events, including a block party or block sale. The block cannot hold the events on consecutive days. Only 30 events per weekend are allowed, according to a news release, on a first-come, first-served basis.
Guidelines state the event may start at 9 a.m. but cannot continue past 11 p.m.
The village provides removable barriers to block the street. Cars are not allowed to be used as a barricade. Alcohol can only be consumed on private property and cannot be sold during a block party, according to the guidelines.
If a block party is disrupted by weather, the Public Works Department can help reschedule the event, but a date preference is not guaranteed. Blocks have five days from the original date to reschedule.
According to a news release, the village is encouraging blocks to have green events. A zero-waste event would mean residents produce less than 10% landfill waste, according to the release, so the other 90% would be recyclable or compostable.
Petition forms are due to the village at least two weeks prior to the requested date for the event, according to the news release. Once approved, all block residents must be notified of the date and time of the event, according to the guidelines. More information can be found online.