The Village of Oak Park processed 600 block party requests in 2025. With the 2026 season running through Saturday, October 31, there's still time to shut down your street for a neighborhood cookout.

Block parties are free to host. The catch: popular weekends fill fast. The Village caps events at 30 per weekend, first-come, first-served, so organizers planning a late-summer gathering should submit their paperwork soon.

The Oak Park Police Department reminded residents of the season on June 5, directing them to the Village's block party portal at oak-park.us/blockparties for the full guidelines packet.

What It Takes to Apply

Organizers need signatures from at least 10 separate addresses on their block (or 75% of households on shorter blocks) using the 2026 petition form. Previous years' forms won't be accepted. The completed petition must be submitted online at least two weeks before the requested date.

Once approved, all block residents must be notified at least seven days in advance, including neighbors who didn't sign.

The Rules

Parties can run from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. East-west streets cannot be closed. Tables and chairs must stay within six feet of the curb to keep the lane clear for emergency vehicles. Nothing — no wires, lights, banners, or nets — can be strung across the street.

The Village delivers barricades the Friday before and picks them up Monday. Lose one, and it's $35.

Alcohol may be consumed on private property only and cannot be sold during the event.

Going Green

Residents can opt into a "green block party" through the application form. The Village provides a kit with compostable bags and pop-up waste sorting boxes with signage for separating trash.

If It Rains

Organizers have five days from the original date to reschedule by calling Public Works at 708-358-5700 on the Monday after the rained-out event. Rescheduled dates are not guaranteed.

Applications and the 2026 guidelines packet are available at oak-park.us/blockparties. Questions can go to [email protected].