2019 Block Party: Sunday, July 28 from 12-5 PM
It all started when…
We gathered a group of volunteer neighbors to see how we could bring neighbors together by creating a community picnic in the middle of the street. If we had art, music, games, magic, and food, could we would gather everyone together at one table? with food from all over the world? .
With a donation of 25 tables from the Broadway Armory and Edgewater Arts Festival we place them in the middle of the street. Weeks before, neighborhood kids, who wait all year for the event, put up signs to advertise the event and to inform drivers to move their cars. Once the cars are gone, we sweep the street, bring out the chairs and tables and place a long white paper roll across the 25 tables joining them together.. We cut flowers, place them in vases, gather food from local restaurants, we all bring food, and Otis gets the barbecue going which sends smoke signals to the adjoining streets. The artists and kids set up the booths for face painting, finger nail painting, and dream making. The kids fill up the water balloons, bring out the napkins, silverware, soda, watermelon, and popsicles. We set up the game stations and once the bouncy house arrives, the kids with their parents arrive!
The neighbor brings his accordion and we all start dancing, the poets recite poetry, the fire truck arrives and the kids can sit in the truck. The magician and his bunny arrive, and we end the day with the water balloon toss with the winner getting Lickity Split gift cards!!! Cant wait for this year.
6018North is an Illinois not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the promotion of culture and the arts in Chicago. 6018North projects are partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, the Illinois Arts Council Youth Employment Grant, CityArts Grants from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events, an Artistic Vitality Grant from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the Field Foundation of Illinois, MacArthur Funds for Arts and Culture at the Driehaus Foundation, and individual donations.