MUSCATINE, Iowa–Though summer will soon turn to fall and many favorite outdoor activities have come to an end, the Community Block Party will provide another chance for people of all ages to connect, learn about different local businesses and organizations, and try out some fun and free activities. Set for Sept. 9 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Discovery Park (located at 3300 Cedar Street in Muscatine), this year’s Community Block Party welcomes people to come back together in person and reap the benefits of living in a close-knit community.
12 years ago, the first Community Block Party took place to help people get to know different organizations in the Muscatine area, learn about their services, and see how they could access them, should they need it. Now, over a decade later, the even continues, giving people a fun way to get to know the different resources available to them in the community and to spend an evening out and about. The committee that organizes the Community Block Party selects a theme they feel fits the year’s event. This year year, organizer Lindsey Phillips shared the committee selected the theme of Fostering Community and Connections, as people and organizations alike reconnect with each other following the separation caused by start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Over time, the Community Block Party has grown. Nearly 40 businesses and organizations will attend this year’s event, including Crossroad’s Inc, Hy-Vee, Muscatine Center for Social Action, Muscatine Power and Water, the Salvation Army of Muscatine County, and the Muscatine Community Y, and many others as well. In addition to getting information about each of these groups and they ways they can benefit local families, attendees can also enjoy a free hot dog dinner and win door prizes from participating organizations. Kids can have a blast too, having balloon animals made for them, jumping in bounce houses, and making many fantastic crafts, such as at the friendship bracelet station, led by the Muscatine County Girl Scouts.
To make attending easy this year, Muscabus can provide free shuttle service to and from the event for anyone who calls them at 563-263-8152 before 4 p.m. Sept. 9 and makes an arrangement for a ride. For those who would prefer to drive to the Community Block Party, Crossroads has graciously provided overflow parking in their lot at 1424 Houser Street, preventing congestion in Discovery Park, which Muscatine County Conservation has graciously allowed different community groups to fill up. Frequent free shuttles will run from the Crossroads parking lot to Discovery Park and back, making it easy for attendees to spend plenty of time at the block party instead of trying to find parking.
From enjoying a scrumptious supper courtesy of Hy-Vee, to seeing the diverse organizations the committee assembled, to trying out the fun activities each group carefully planned, the Community Block Party will provide a nigh of quality entertainment that will help bring everyone in attendance closer together. “Each year nearly 400 families attend and it is always exciting to see connections made,” shared Phillips.
