Staten Island accounts for a disproportionate share of the city's block party permits every summer, and Paulding Avenue at Speedwell is one of dozens of streets that will be closed and grilling on the same August afternoon. That density is the point: the South Shore treats a closed block as a fixed annual institution rather than an occasion. If you want to see the block party as a genuine civic form rather than a novelty, this is the borough where it lives.
What to expect
A closed residential block with barricades, grills, tables and music, kids using the roadbed, and neighbors camped out in driveways and front yards. Nothing is programmed — it runs on whatever the block puts together. Expect the busiest stretch to come in the evening.
Good to know
- Staten Island's local bus network and the Staten Island Railway serve the area; most attendees drive
- Free — block parties take place on closed public streets
- The roadbed is flat and step-free once barricaded
- It runs into the night, so evening is the peak rather than the afternoon
- Parking on nearby blocks tightens as the day goes on
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Common questions
Are block parties open to non-residents?
They're held on public streets and are generally welcoming, but they're organized by and centered on the residents of the block.
How long do they typically run?
Permits often cover eight hours or more, commonly from early afternoon into the night.
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