AGAWAM – It’s become a rite of summer in communities across the nation. On Aug. 6, America celebrates the 36th annual National Night Out.

What began back in 1984 with neighbors turning on their porch lights and sitting out in their front yards on the first Tuesday in August to take a stance against crime has grown into annual gatherings with a single purpose: to foster positive relationships between neighborhoods and law enforcement. Organized and sponsored by the National Association of Town Watches, National Night Out events are now celebrated in all 50 states, in U. S. territories, and on all U. S. military bases across the globe.

In Agawam, the community comes together at School Street Park, 511 School St., beginning at 5 p.m. for food and fun! The event, which according to Sargent Bob Burke of the Agawam Police Department draws approximately 2,000 annual attendees from Agawam and surrounding communities, has something for everyone – from dance presentations to meet-and-greet opportunities with various law enforcement and public safety branches to entertainment for the kids such as a puppet show and face painting.

“We have a Black Hawk helicopter, the Life Flight helicopter and the State Police helicopter at our event,” Burke said. “We have the State Police, the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, the U. S. Marshals, the State Police will do a K-9 demonstration and the Fire Department will do a jaws of life demonstration.” 

Burke said the U. S. Army will also have a booth, and that all these groups would be there to “meet and talk with people.” The Police Department will also have a motorcycle, a cruiser, and their police transport vehicle on-site, and Burke said kids would have a chance to get an up-close view of all three.

“The kids love to get in the car and we show them how the lights work,” Burke said.

As always, the Police Department would be giving out free hot dogs and water, while supplies last. 

At 7 p.m., Burke said, the Park & Rec. Department’s concession stand opens as the band Off the Record takes the stage in the School Street Park band shell to close the event with a great concert.

“We want people to come and have a good time,” Buke said. “We want to show them that we are here for them, to serve them and to help them out.”