LAKEPORT, Calif. – The city of Lakeport will host its second annual National Night Out event on Tuesday, Aug. 5.

The festivities will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Natural High School property, located at 800 N. Main St. in Lakeport.

Special events will include a youth game area and a raffle for two bikes with helmets.

In order to eligible for the bike raffle, children will need to check in at the Lakeport Police Drug Education Booth.

This will be a great opportunity for the community to meet and greet city council members, city staff and local public safety personnel.  

Other visitors will include McGruff the Crime Dog and Chipper from the California Highway Patrol.

 Major sponsors for this event include Grocery Outlet, who will be providing hot dogs, buns and condiments, and Lake County News, who will be providing bottled water and event advertising.

The city of Lakeport will provide watermelon. The Lakeport Kiwanis Club will be grilling.  Please note that hot dogs will be available to the first 200 people to attend the event.

In 1984, the National Association of Town Watch, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the development and promotion of various crime prevention programs, introduced National Night Out, “America’s Night Out Against Crime.”  

This began an effort to promote involvement in crime prevention activities, police-community partnerships, neighborhood camaraderie, and to send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

The traditional “lights on” campaign and symbolic front porch vigils turned into a celebration across America with various events and activities including, but not limited to, block parties, cookouts, parades, visits from emergency personnel, rallies and marches, exhibits, youth events, safety demonstrations and seminars, in effort to heighten awareness and enhance community relations.

The city also is encouraging neighborhoods to get involved in putting on their own National Night Out event that evening by holding a block party.  

City staff will be happy to assist with the necessary street closures to facilitate such an event on that night.

If your neighborhood would like to participate in a National Night Out block party, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 707-263-5615, Extension 12, to obtain an application.  

Applications will be received until 5 p.m. Thursday, July 24.