This year, National Night Out is Tuesday, August 1. For people planning a neighborhood gathering, there are important deadlines for registering their events with the City and for blocking off their streets or alleys. Last year more 1,500 events were registered with the City. It is free to participate in National Night Out.
Registering a National Night Out event and applying to close a street or alley is a single online process. Or they can register their events and apply for street closure by calling 311. Organizers who register their events will get free Mystery Point Passes for Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America. Registration also places events on the official list of National Night Out events that gets distributed to police and other departments. (There’s no guarantee police will be able to visit each event.)
Deadlines to apply for street or alley closure: By July 18, free; July 19-July 26, $100; July 26 is the last day to apply for street closure.
Note: Not every street can be blocked off. Generally, bus routes and high traffic streets cannot be used for block events. Street closure requires the permission of 75 percent of neighbors; applicants should keep their names and addresses handy in case the permit application needs to be reviewed. Signatures are not required.
Rain plans are encouraged; organizers should decide if their event will go forward if it rains or be rescheduled. Anyone applying to close the street will have a rain date of Wednesday, August 2, unless they decline it during the application. If they aren’t closing the street, they can choose any rain date that works for their group.
National Night Out is an annual nationwide event that encourages residents to get out in the community, holding block parties and getting to know their neighbors as a way to prevent crime. It’s a great way to promote community-police partnerships and enjoy a Minnesota summer evening surrounded by friends and family.
As with many past National Night Outs, Minneapolis was ranked No. 1 among all U.S. cities larger than 250,000 people in 2016. Find out more about National Night Out at minneapolismn.gov/nno.