Events

National Night Out is an annual community-building event designed to strengthen relationships among neighbors and law enforcement. Its purpose is to promote neighborhood cooperation, crime prevention and safer, more closely connected communities.

The event grew from the work of Matt Peskin, a volunteer with a neighborhood-watch program near Philadelphia. He founded the National Association of Town Watch in 1981 and launched the first National Night Out in August 1984. That inaugural event involved approximately 2.5 million people in 400 communities across 23 states.

Millions of people in thousands of communities—including all 50 states, U.S. territories and military bases—participate. Observances commonly include block parties, cookouts, festivals, youth activities, safety demonstrations and visits from police, firefighters and emergency personnel. National Night Out is generally held on the first Tuesday in August; Texas and some other areas observe it on the first Tuesday in October. In 2026, the principal observance took place on August 4. ⁠