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Take advantage of the summer with a good old-fashioned street party. With the coronation of King Charles III just around the corner (with an added bank holiday), now is the perfect time to start planning the party to celebrate Britain’s new monarch.
The King will be crowned on Saturday May 6, 2023 at Westminster Abbey in London. Camilla, queen consort, will also be crowned during the historic event, which is the first to take place in nearly 70 years after the late queen’s long reign.
While the official ceremony will take place on Saturday May 6, an additional bank holiday has also been confirmed for Monday May 8. This is in addition to the bank holiday already in effect on May 1, giving us plenty of time to throw celebrations (as long as the weather stays dry).
If this is your first time planning a block party, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here’s everything you need to know about hosting a King’s Coronation community gathering, including block party rules, license information, and who can host a block party:
Who can throw a coronation street party?
Street parties for residents and neighbors are easy to organize. Your local council may require you to complete a simple application form, but you won’t need a license. You can find your town hall by entering your zip code in find your town hall.
The UK has a rich history of block parties to celebrate royal events (weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, VE Day), and the Coronation of the King is no exception. They are a great way for neighbors to meet and bond over food, cake, drinks, dancing and music.
Hosting a successful street party is all in the planning. Share the load by asking a few neighbors to help organize arrangements, and plan ahead to give residents plenty of notice. Once the numbers are confirmed, create a catering plan and ask people to contribute a special dish or drink. A bring and share approach is the best way to deal with hungry crowds.
If your street requires a temporary road closure, please contact your local council at least six weeks in advance. Your first point of contact could be the council’s road, licensing, events or communities team. Alternatively, you can also organize a coronation party in your garden. This is known as a ‘Street Meet’ and is more informal (more on that below).
Organizing a coronation street party: what are the rules?
According to the advice published by the government, the rules of street parties are as follows:
- Street parties are for residents and neighbors only
- Advertising is for residents only.
- Your block party should take place on a quiet residential street, apartment block, or local green space.
- Must be self-organized
- No formal risk assessment is necessary, as long as the safety needs of all attendees are considered.
- Licenses are not normally required unless it is for the sale of alcohol. If you plan to sell alcohol, you’ll need to check if you need a Notice of Temporary Events (this usually costs £21).
- You don’t usually need insurance
- The 2003 Licensing Act does not require a music license at a street party
- The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has confirmed that one-off events such as block parties are not typically considered food businesses, so there are no forms to fill out.
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Organizing a street meeting: What are the rules?
If you don’t have time to organize a street closure, you can still enjoy a get-together with the neighbors by hosting a ‘street meet’ – an informal gathering in a driveway, parking area, front lawn or private piece of land.
“A block party really is better on a closed street as more people join in and it’s great to have no traffic during the day,” says The Street Party Site. ‘But for various reasons, you may not be able, want or have time to organize a road closure. So you can still have an informal meeting on the street. The event would be more basic and fewer people could come, but easier and still worth it.’
Before you rush out to send out invites, some things to keep in mind include:
- A street gathering should not obstruct other pedestrians or have people loitering on the street in an unsafe manner.
- When organizing, you need to make sure that children are kept safely away from vehicles (unlike an official block party, a street rally means the road will stay open)
- For more information, go to gov.uk/organise-street-part.
Block party ideas: expert tips for a successful party
“Try making your own banner out of colored or recycled paper – this can be a fun activity for people to do with their neighbors before the event too,” the hospitality experts at Alliance Online tell us. ‘Then try Union Jack ribbons, banners and tablecloths to really get into the coronation spirit. You can also combine this decoration with some fresh flowers to enhance everything with a colorful touch of the season.
Don’t forget the dinner block parties too. Experts advise: ‘Make sure the meal is planned in advance to avoid the stress of the day. If you’re letting everyone bring whatever they want to buy or make, it’s still good to do an expected inventory before the event to make sure you don’t get five of one thing and zero of another.
Are you organizing your own street party? Take a look at the essentials every host should buy in time for the celebration.
Must-haves for street parties
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