National Night Out (also known as Night to Unite) is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. 

This year’s National Night Out is Tues., Aug. 2 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. .

National Night Out is designed to enhance the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. It is also an opportunity to rekindle the spirit of your Neighborhood Watch program or to start a new program with the energy from the evening. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.

Millions of neighbors take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities from all fifty states, U.S. territories and military bases worldwide on the first Tuesday in August (Texas and select areas celebrate on the first Tuesday in October). Neighborhoods host block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts and various other community events with safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, exhibits and much, much more.

One hundred and eighty-eight cities in the State of Minnesota participate in NNO, including Becker, Big Lake, Annandale, Elk River, Buffalo, Monticello, South Haven, St. Cloud, Waite Park and Otsego, to name a few areas in Central Minnesota.

The first annual National Night Out in 1984 involved 2.5 million neighbors across 400 communities in 23 states. It is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch in the United States.