(7/29) On Tuesday, August 6, the town of Emmitsburg will become host to National Night Out, a nationwide event held annually on the first Tuesday in August. The event will be held from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Emmitsburg’s Community Park. Town staff has been organizing and preparing for this event for the past few months and are very excited and honored to host this community event.

National Night Out dates back to the 1990’s in Frederick County. It is an annual community-building campaign that promotes strong police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer places to live and work. National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. 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. Neighborhoods host block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts and various other community events with safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel, exhibits and more. The event is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, build support and participation in local anti-crime programs and, most importantly, represent the kind of spirit, energy and determination that is helping to make many neighborhoods safer places to live. It is also the perfect opportunity to get to know your neighbors even better.

This year, Emmitsburg will be teaming up with Frederick County and the Frederick County Sheriff's Department for a countywide celebration held at Emmitsburg’s Community Park! In the hopes of having a northern county celebration in 2019, Emmitsburg’s Mayor Donald Briggs sent a letter to Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins asking if he would consider hosting the event in northern Frederick County and Emmitsburg for 2019. Sheriff Jenkins accepted and the planning began. Based on numbers from years past and the growing interest in this community event, between 400 and 600 people are expected to attend. Most of the food and decorations for the National Night Out festivities are being donated by local organizations.

This event is free to the community and will feature face painting, complimentary hot dogs and ice cream from Antietam Dairy, a bounce house, D&D pony rides, and a petting zoo, entertainment, police K-9 demonstrations, SWAT teams, fire trucks, McGruff the crime dog, ambulances as well as an array of vendors. Representatives will be on hand from various local organizations including: the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention; the Boys & Girls Club; Frederick County Emergency Communications, Parks & Recreation, Public Library, State’s Attorney’s Office; Frederick County Health Department Overdose Response/Narcan, Prevention Services, Syringe Services; US Census Bureau; and Mount Saint Mary's University. Other vendors include: Native Plant Apparel, Frederick County Animal Shelter, EOPCC Board, Catoctin Feeder Schools, Christ Community Church, Color Street, FredRock Disc Golf, Maryland Designs, The Gourmet Cupboard and more!

Be sure to stop by National Night Out, hosted in Emmitsburg for an evening of community fun. It will be a great time to get to know your neighbors as well as your local police and safety personnel!