Block Parties can be so much fun, so for this fourth of July I organized one.  We moved from Houston away from friends & family to a small town only a few months prior, so we still wanted to get to know our neighbors & didn't really have anyone to celebrate with.  It was a huge success.  I was so proud of everyone. Actually two of my other neighbors wanted to do a block party & when they mentioned it, I ran with the idea & suggested a fourth of July party.  I made out the invites & reminders & included a flag to be placed in the lawn for the big day. One of the ladies was in charge of arts & crafts. We made flags & uncle sam hats for the kids. Myself & another lady were in charge of activities. We began with a parade. We also set up a bounce around.  We had a blow up pool filled with Oriental Trading (OT) patriotic blow up balls. We had carnival games & prizes. We had a football toss, ring toss, bowling, fishing pool, rubber ducky pond, washer toss, jelly bean guess, & lollipop pull. We gave each child a card & told them to play the games & at each game was a stamping station. Once they had all the stamps on their cards, they turned it in for prizes - we had bags of prizes to be given out once all games had been played.  We had bags of popcorn & cotton candy for them too. I painted the kids' faces & helped them decorate cookies. I also made up a batch of patrotic flubber for the kids to play with (actually left over from another party). We had a cook-out.  Glow in the dark (OT) necklaces were handed out once it became dark & was time for fire works.  We also had children make & decorate firecrackers out of film canisters & alka seltzers (NASAkids.com).  Even though we live in what I would call a small town, we still can't just set off real fireworks.  Nearly everyone turned out for it & ever one pitched in helping with activities & food. I was so happy & meet some of my neighbors.  I hope to do the same thing for labor day.  I hope the fire department or police department can come for the parade, they couldn't for the 4th - naturally it is their busiest day of the year.  Well block parties can be so much fun & may really warm your heart to see how helpful neighbors can be!  Happy party planning.