Flamingo Fridays with the Elan Neighborhood

Article Written By: Joani Walsh

Some of the best community building doesn't take a committee, a budget, or a plan... just a driveway, a few lawn chairs, and a flock of pink flamingos. Learn how Wolf Ranch Elan neighbor, Joani Walsh, brought a 20 year old tradition from her neighborhood in Minnesota to her neighborhood in Colorado Springs

“Here's the scoop on "Flamingo Fridays"...

Flamingo Fridays started in our Deer Run Golf Club neighborhood in Victoria, MN about twenty years ago! It was between several neighbor friends on one of the streets within that community. Over summer, one of those families would put out pink flamingos on their front lawn to indicate whose driveway they would gather on the following Friday. It was intentionally casual... each person would just bring a lawn chair and something to drink, and they'd have a good time! The hosting family would supply a simple snack, but it was meant to be an easy breezy get-together, not a "pot luck."

My husband Mick and I were the first residents here in the Wolf Ranch Élan neighborhood of 50 homes. As we watched homes being constructed and people moving in, we had the idea to start Flamingo Fridays here, but open to all of the neighbors. We mentioned the idea to some of the neighbors whom we had already met, to see if there was interest in having an occasional "driveway get together" over the summer, and there was! So, last year we successfully hosted the first Flamingo Friday on our driveway and invited the entire neighborhood. After each Flamingo Friday, someone then volunteers to host the next Flamingo Friday and provide nametags and a simple snack (popcorn or pretzels, M&Ms...), typically to be held 2 - 3 weeks later. We make a couple of flyers and post them on the neighborhood mailbox station and also post it to our community WhatsApp. We still keep it simple... just bring a chair and a drink, and meet with neighbors at the driveway with the flamingos on Friday from 5:00-7:00pm (it always goes longer!). Some of the neighbors have been at almost every Flamingo Friday thus far, and then there are those neighbors who come for the first time and meet someone new! I would say that Flamingo Friday has definitely brought a closer community to our little pocket of the world, which feels very, very good! We have had as many as 25 people and as few as 8; it doesn't matter! Overall familiarity and closer friendships are forming... and a noticeable uptick in drive-by car waving!

I think this is such a great idea for most other neighborhoods or "blocks" to adapt, because it is simple, casual, and stress-free!”