Closing your street for a block party usually takes a permit from the city, and each city sets its own lead time, neighbor sign-off and barricade rules. The paperwork isn't hard, but missing a deadline by a few days can mean no closure at all.
This guide compares how several Colorado cities handle block parties and what to rent for a party on pavement. Check your own city's current rules before you book anything.
How Far Ahead to Apply
Lead times run from about two weeks to three months:
- Lafayette
- A Block Party Permit from Public Works, applied for online at least 10 business days ahead
- Golden
- A block party application at least 21 days ahead; later applications won't be considered
- Centennial
- A block party or street closure request at least three weeks ahead
- Lone Tree
- Block parties are special events; the City Clerk must receive the application 90 days to six months ahead
Not every city treats a block party as its own permit. Lone Tree folds street closures into its Special Event Permit, and Littleton says invitation-only parties at home don't need a formal City permit, though closing a street means notifying the Public Works Traffic Division first.
Neighbor Sign-Off and Maps
Cities want proof that the block agrees and a clear picture of the closure:
- Lafayette: a petition with at least 75 percent approval from affected addresses, plus an aerial map with homes labeled by address
- Golden: signed street closure petitions, a location map, and a site plan sketch showing barricades, tents, tables and other party items
- Centennial: the closure location and endpoints, a map or sketch, and confirmation that affected neighbors were notified
Draw the rental layout before you submit. When the city asks for tents and tables on the site plan, your rental order and your permit need to match.
Barricades and Emergency Access
Barricades are the rental people forget. Centennial requires barricades that meet federal MUTCD standards and says vehicles, cones, sawhorses and trash cans can't be used to block the street, and emergency vehicles must still be able to get through between the ends of the closure. Englewood pairs its Block Party Application with a block party trailer that residents can reserve.
Keep a clear lane through the closure for fire trucks and ambulances, and set tents, tables and games outside it.
Music, Food Trucks and Alcohol
Golden's block party permit covers more than the closure. It can add an open container permit, amplified music and a food truck, and the music must end by 9:30 p.m. on weekdays and 10:30 p.m. on weekends. In other cities, sound and alcohol follow the local noise code and liquor rules, so ask when you apply.
Selling alcohol at any Colorado event takes a special event permit held by a qualifying organization. See the special event liquor permit guide.
Insurance
Some cities ask for insurance depending on what the party includes. Lafayette may require liability insurance naming the City as additional insured based on the party's activities, with the certificate due at least three business days before the event. If you're renting a bounce house or a large tent, ask the rental company whether it can provide a certificate naming the city. See the event insurance guide.
What to Rent for a Street Party
- Barricades that meet your city's standard
- Pop-up canopies with weights, since stakes don't work on asphalt
- Folding tables and chairs, set back from the emergency lane
- Portable restrooms and handwashing for longer or larger parties
- Extra trash and recycling containers
- Power from a driveway or a generator, with cords covered where people walk
Ask the rental company whether its crew can deliver after the barricades go up, and when it will pick up so the street can reopen on time.
Before You Apply
- Check your city's lead time and count back from the party date
- Collect neighbor signatures or notices
- Sketch the closure, barricades and rental layout
- Line up barricades
- Ask about music hours and alcohol
- Ask whether insurance is required
- Book rentals that match the site plan
