Howdy, Neighbor: Planning a Neighborhood Get-Together

Dear Punchbowl,
What would you suggest for a simple neighborhood gathering...just so that we can all meet but not have a long time commitment or a big expense? There are a few new faces in the neighborhood and I thought it would be nice if people met before the fall and winter set in, where no one sees anyone for months.
Liz
Northborough, MA

Dear Liz, 
I think you’ve got the right idea. In situations like this, where there may be newcomers to a neighborhood and not everyone knows one another very well, it’s always a good move to get everybody together, even if only for an hour or two. Having even the slightest of friendships with your neighbors can often end up making all the difference in a neighborhood’s dynamic.

My party planning advice to you is simple: pick an upcoming Saturday or Sunday to invite your neighbors over for cookies and lemonade. Ask each family to bring their favorite kind of cookies, and tell them just what you told me: it would be nice if people met before the fall and winter set in. Since people are often working on projects in the yard or around the house on summer weekends, your brief weekend get-together will be a nice break from the work and will have a natural ending-point if your neighbors are trying to get the weeding done or a swing set built before Monday.

Plus, you'll have a whole bunch of leftover cookies by the end of the party!

Enjoy Planning.
Punchbowl