The 4th of July is a great holiday, it’s at the height of summer and it’s full of BBQs, parties, and fireworks. This year is extra special since most celebrations were canceled last year. Even though it is an exciting day, you should still be thinking about celebrating safely. 

4th of July at home

 If your city has banned gatherings, or your community has a high number of cases, then the 4th of July celebrations should be canceled. The board can still involve the community. However, it will have to be similar to last year and be online.

Support Local Businesses

You could give residents a list of local businesses that they can order food from. You could also encourage people to share what they’re having on your community’s social network. 

Or you could have a competition, so people take pictures of what they cooked and send it to you, and the best picture wins a gift basket or coupon for a local restaurant. 

If you have a website or HOA software, then you can use it to your advantage, and let residents know what’s going on in the community. 

Family Gatherings

If your community doesn’t have a 4th July party, and residents tend to celebrate at home, then make sure to send out an email with rules around noise, fireworks, and having guests. You should also send them safety reminders. You could also post them on your HOA website.

4th of July as a community

If you can have a 4th of July party with the whole community, then that’s amazing! You can throw a great event, and we have ideas for you

Picnic

Having a party is easier to do if your community has outdoor space, either a pool area or a lawn. As residents can be outside, enjoying the sun and everything the association has to offer in summer. You could collect money from residents and place orders from a local restaurant to support local businesses. This would ensure that each household has separated dish(es), and they could bring their own drinks, cutlery, and hand sanitizer. A picnic also makes it a bit easier to ensure that everyone keeps their distance from each other.

Otherwise, you could ask everyone to bring their own food and have their own picnics, this would work nicely if there is a fireworks display to watch.

Parade

Having a parade is a really fun way to get people together. If you’re a golfing community, people could decorate their golf carts. Otherwise, children and parents could do a parade all dressed up. To spice it up, you could throw in a costume or vehicle contest. This is such a great way to build neighborhood spirit.

If your community can celebrate together, then send an email to everyone advising them how to stay safe (wearing masks, using hand sanitizer, not sharing food…) and letting them know how the day will go.

Safety Precautions

Most Independence Days are spent grilling, swimming, and watching fireworks. These are all great fun, but they do require care. The board should remind residents about their rules and safety precautions around the holiday.

Fireworks

What’s more 4th of July than fireworks?! A firework display is beautiful, but the fireworks themselves need to be handled very carefully. No child should handle them, and they should never be aimed at someone. It’s very important to monitor the weather conditions before setting off fireworks. You should also read local and state regulations around fireworks before buying any.

If your association has a lot of pets, the HOA should send recommendations on how to deal with pets during the fireworks.

Grilling

Having a barbecue is almost a national sport on the 4th of July! Homeowners should be reminded not to leave a grill unattended, especially if it’s owned by the HOA. There shouldn’t be any decorations near grills either, they should also be around 10 feet from any building or structure. Finally, there should be a fire extinguisher nearby.

Swimming

If HOA members are swimming in the association’s pool, they need to follow the rules. If they’re going to a lake, river, or beach, they should be careful in and around the water. Lifejackets should be worn, and they shouldn’t swim if there isn’t a lifeguard nearby.

Common Rules

If the board is transparent about the rules, the 4th of July becomes more enjoyable. Residents need to know what they are and aren’t allowed to in the run-up to the holiday, and on the day.

Decorations

Most residents will decorate their homes for the 4th of July with flags. This is often a very personal matter, and they really want to display their pride. It’s an important part of the 4th of July. However, residents should follow the HOA’s rules about the size of flags and the way they’re displayed.

To avoid any upset, send out your rules well in advance so that residents are reminded of the HOA’s standards. You can send them by email and include the community’s newsletter.

Noise

While the 4th of July is always a holiday, the day after normally isn’t. That means that residents need to be respectful of the rules around noise. Fireworks shouldn’t be set off late at night, as this is noisy and distressing to pets and their owners. Parties should also become quiet or end during the association’s quiet hours. Once again, it’s good to remind residents of this so they don’t get carried away. 

Conclusion

The 4th of July is a great community holiday. However your association is celebrating this year, it’s important to communicate the HOA’s rules with residents. If you have HOA software this can help you to stay in touch with residents.