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Alexandria neighborhoods filled with cookouts, children’s games and community gatherings on Aug. 5 as residents joined the annual National Night Out campaign.
The event is designed to strengthen neighborhood connections and relationships between residents and law enforcement. Sheriff Sean Casey, Police Chief Tarrick McGuire, Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez and other emergency personnel visited communities across the city.
City Council members also traveled among the festivities. Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley, an avid cyclist, led police officers on a ride through the Carlyle neighborhood.
Traditionally observed on the first Tuesday in August, National Night Out began in 1984, when 2.5 million people across 400 communities in 23 states participated. Early observances often consisted of neighbors sitting on their front porches with the lights on.
The campaign has since grown to include block parties, festivals, parades and cookouts, attracting more than 35 million participants nationwide. Alexandria has marked the occasion for many years and continues to add neighborhoods to its local celebration.