A street fair celebrates the character of a neighborhood. As its name suggests, it is typically held on the main street of a neighborhood.
The principal component of street fairs are booths used to sell goods (particularly food) or convey information. Some include carnival rides and parades. Many have live music and dance demonstrations.
Crowd control is a public security practice in which large crowds are managed in order to prevent the outbreak of crowd crushes, affray, fights involving drunk and disorderly people or riots. Crowd crushes in particular can cause many hundreds of fatalities. Effective crowd management is about managing expected and unexpected crowd occurrences. Crowd control can involve privately hired security guards as well as police officers. Crowd control is often used at large, public gatherings like street fairs, music festivals, stadiums and public demonstrations. At some events, security guards and police use metal detectors and sniffer dogs to prevent weapons and drugs being brought into a venue.
A block party or street party is a party in which many members of a single community congregate, either to observe an event of some importance or simply for mutual solidarity and enjoyment. The name comes from the form of the party, which often involves closing an entire city block to vehicle traffic or just a single street. Many times, there will be a celebration in the form of playing music, games, dance and activities with food such as popcorn machines and barbecues. When multiple streets become cordoned off, those are referred to as street fairs. These gatherings are especially popular during holidays or local celebrations and may range from informal get-togethers to large public events. The tradition has evolved globally, with local variations reflecting cultural, historical, and political contexts.
Block parties in many countries, particularly in urban areas, require permits and adherence to legal regulations such as street closures, noise control, public safety, and health guidelines.