CB3 Approves!

We didn’t have to go to the full board meeting. It’s amazing that they post the votes online so quickly. Also, CB3 seems to be very pro-block party. Phew.

Other news:

1. Bands will be picked this weekend. Monday at the latest.
2. SCORE! might have some fun, educational activities for the block party (they’re kind of local, right?).
3. New York City Coalition Against Hunger might be a part of the party too.

Thanks for checking in! As always, if you would like to join in organizing the party or an activity (especially if you’re a resident!), please email us. We will get back to you.

CB3 Parks & Recreation Committee Meeting + AAFE photos

The committee gave us a hard time about having amplified sound, but voted to recommend approval for our party anyway. The full board meeting is next Tuesday and they will decide whether or not to approve our party. No word from the city yet.

The committee was also concerned about our use of a promoter. For future reference: don’t include a promoter on the application form if your party is small. The CB thinks of promoters as a professional who will be bringing in large acts or companies to a party of thousands. Our promoter is just one person who has a different full-time job. It would have been better to leave that part blank.

Also, letters from well-known non-profit organizations helped us get our party through this round of approval. Individuals are allowed to apply for block party permits, but the CB seemed wary of us and kept asking, “Who are you? Who is sponsoring this party?” The Tenement Museum and Transportation Alternatives were kind enough to provide us with letters that helped make our operation legitimate.

As promised, some photos from the AAFE party after the jump.

Acceptance from the CB!

CB3 has accepted our block party application. We still have to get approval from CB3 and the city, but things are looking good!

We would like to thank Ms. D. Starkes at CB3 for helping us out and for being so nice to us. We would also like to thank the Tenement Museum for writing us a letter of approval.

Things we have learned from our first block party application:

1. Go to the Community Board first! We downloaded all of our forms instead of going to the office to pick them up; we thought we saved ourselves a trip. However, if you go to the office, they can explain things for you and help you. I (mistakenly) thought that the less I bothered the CB with questions, the more they would like me. But why should anybody like someone they haven’t seen before?
2. On the other hand, email is good because you will have records of everything. If you think you might need a conversation on record, send an email confirmation or ask for a letter printed on the organization’s official letterhead.
3. Flyers & clipboards make you look a little more official.
4. If you have a meeting at the precinct, plan it like a doctor’s visit: you might have to wait for hours.
5. And most important! Don’t wait until 5 days before the deadline to figure out when the deadline is.

What’s up next: We’re looking for some party planning volunteers & some bands. We’re also trying to get in touch with the following organizations: LES Ecology Center, Council on the Environment (CENYC), Bike Works NYC, Asian Americans for Equality Community Center, and NYCares. If you work there or have any contacts, please let us know through the contact page. Thanks!