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Concerning the academic debate on the privatization of public spaces in cities and the loss of relevance of the neighborhoods in building identity on the part of residents, this article aims to reflect on the festive potential of public spaces in the process of giving new meaning to communities and the reconstruction of communities in neighborhoods. Drawing upon direct observation of four experiences of parties and fairs in the city of Talca in Chile, as well as interviews with their organizers and participants, we attempt to understand the potential for and limitations of festive uses of spaces and the ability of such events to intervene and activate the collective live of neighborhoods. We conclude that public parties are indeed able to stimulate processes of neighborhood identification and community empowerment, as long as they 1) include a mobilizing discourse and purpose; 2) are based on a flexible administration model of self-management; 3) have a territorial relevance; and 4) generate learning processes regarding the action itself.