Organize a Block Party

What is Block Party?

A block party is a neighbourhood event in which residents get together to hold a social gathering on their street. Parties can be held on weekends and holidays. The street can be closed off to traffic during your party. 

Getting a Permit

If you are organizing a block party and planning to close your street, you will need to apply for a permit from the City of Ottawa. You need to submit an application for a permit at least twenty-eight (28) days before your event, and you must apply in writing to the City. Your application must be signed either by you or by someone else who is organizing or sponsoring this event. Your application must include the following information: 

• the date of your event
• the start and finish times of your event
• the estimated number of participants
• the purpose of the event
• the proposed location and route, if applicable
• the number and type of vehicles, including floats and displays, if applicable
• other information the General Manager might ask for that is specific to your event 

You may need to provide proof of insurance to the City before you receive a permit. For more information about your responsibilities when holding a block party, please visit: 

http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/bylaw/a_z/special_events/index_en.html

or

http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/bylaw/a_z/special_events/block_parties_en.html

Or call the City’s Contact Centre, open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday through Saturday at: 

General Inquiries: 3-1-1 (613-580-2400)
Toll-Free: 866-261-9799
TTY: 613-580-2401-TTY/Teletypewriter users only 

If you are planning to serve alcohol at an event on City property (like in a park) you will need to obtain a Special Occasion Permit from the City. There are also rules and regulations for setting up a space to serve alcohol, and who can serve it. More information about the City’s Municipal Alcohol Policy can be found at: 

http://www.ottawa.ca/city_hall/policies/alcohol_policy/index_en.html 

Setting a budget and a timeline

When organizing a party no one wants to be left with a big bill at the end of it, so make sure you create a realistic budget right away. Creating a budget involves listing all the things (food, equipment, entertainment, marketing, prizes, decorations, space rental, permit fees, thank-you gifts, etc.) your event will need and how much everything will cost. Then, you need to consider how much you might be able to cover through donations or sponsorship, and how much you may need to charge people to participate in the event, in order to cover your costs. Always try to leave a bit of room in your budget for last minute things that might come up. Finally, one person on your committee should be in charge of the budget to make sure it stays on track. 

Once the committee has settled on an event date, it is important to create a timeline for your event. This document outlines what activities have to be done in the months/weeks leading up to the event all the way through to post-event activities, such as returning rental equipment or writing thank you notes. The schedule assigns deadlines for each activity as well as who is responsible for what. 

Insurance

The City of Ottawa does not always require insurance for small neighbourhood events or block parties, but you should call and ask before you start organizing yours. If there are activities like street hockey or other sports involved, in which people or property could be hurt or damaged, insurance is recommended. 

You can check with your own home insurer to see what kind of rates they might offer you. Otherwise you can contact an insurance company like PAL Insurance (1-800-265-8098), that specializes in one-time coverage for special events. 

By-laws

Don’t forget there are by-laws about noise, parking and other issues that might relate to your block party. You can find out more information about all by-laws in the City of Ottawa at: 

http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/bylaw/index_en.html 

Sample Checklist for Planning a Block Party