RGNA hosts many regular events throughout the year, running from March to December.
We start the year with our Annual Meeting in mid-March which officially includes a recap of the previous year’s activities and board elections, and also often has external speakers on current topics.
April brings a social event, currently Dip into Spring, where residents bring their favorite dips to share, with RGNA providing chips, crackers and some beverages. Around Earth Day we partner with the city to pick up litter around the neighborhood.
May usually brings a household clean-up event with RGNA renting dumpsters for trash and yard debris. Typical dumpster items are too big to fit in a bag for weekly trash pickup, but not worth scheduling a bulky item pickup from the city, something like a broken plastic lawn chair. Along with the dumpsters for truly unusable items, we often partner with Goodwill Industries who will accept unwanted but working items for sale in their thrift stores. And freecycling is definitely encouraged, as some people find treasure in other people’s discards.
Our biggest event, the all-neighborhood block party, occurs in June. RGNA supplies protein and beverages while everyone brings a pot-luck dish to share. There are activities for the kids, such as face painting, along with music and door prizes. This usually brings out 200-300 people throughout the evening.
After taking a break in the heat of the summer, late September to early October brings our progressive dinner. Adult residents all gather together for appetizers, then break up into groups of 10-12 for a salad course, different groups of 10-12 for an entree, and then return together for dessert. Participants either cook or host.
Halloween is very popular with adults and kids alike, so there is usually a parade for those in costume, and in the past, a very haunted garage for those daring souls.
December brings a chance to be recognized for creative holiday decorations, and then on the winter solstice, RGNA encourages residents to put out luminaries and stroll through the neighborhood as a way to intentionally chat with your neighbors during the winter months, when interactions are often minimal.
There can be other activities as well as new situations arise. For several years the KC Marathon route skirted the edge of RGNA so we set up a cheering party to encourage the runners. In 2025, RGNA received a grant and hosted small, informal coffee and donut sessions for each block of the neighborhood.
Other ideas are welcome. Use the contact page to get involved.
