Many residents across the region have planned National Night Out celebrations tonight.
The Stafford Sheriff’s Office will hold a large gathering at the Stafford Marketplace off Va. 610 in North Stafford, from 6 to 9 p.m.
More than 30 businesses and community organizations will be represented at the fair, including the LifeEvac helicopter, local fire and rescue departments and an area animal adoption organization.
The event is free and is intended to supplement 17 other National Night Out celebrations that will be held tonight in the county.
Fairfax County will also observe National Night Out at more than 150 events scheduled in the county, many of them in the Mt. Vernon District.
More than 200 are expected at an ice cream social and cookout at the Jefferson Manor community, and 200 are expected to celebrate at Creekside Village, at the Janne Lee Avenue Community Center.
“When neighbors know each other and look out for one another, it’s the best defense against criminal activity,” said Fairfax police spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell. “If people are familiar with their neighborhood, they can tell when someone doesn’t look familiar and report suspicious activity.”
A National Night Out celebration was held Saturday night in Woodbridge, at the Prince William County Government Center.
This year marks the 27th annual National Night Out, with it’s theme “America’s Night Out Against Crime.”
The idea behind the event is to promote awareness of crime and drug prevention. It’s also designed to strengthen partnerships between local police and sheriff’s deputies and residents, according to the organization’s Web site.
