Night Out – Tuesday, August 2

The last two years have isolated so many of us from our neighbors. Night Out is an excuse to invite the neighbors on your block to come together for an hour or so to visit and reconnect. Next Tuesday evening is the designated time. You can publicize your event with flyers to homes and posters on telephone poles.

Some blocks do something simple. One or two families haul out a table and chairs in the front yard and visit with whichever neighbors come by to chat. Other blocks get elaborate and move out into the street. The Seattle Police Department will let you block off the street for the evening if you register your event here. On the same webpage you can find the official signs you can print out and post on the recycle containers you move out to block the street. If you request a visit by a Police cruiser or a fire truck, just answer yes on the application and your site will be added to the list. They are not guaranteeing that they will get to all sites that request a visit.

Some blocks have been having a pot luck supper in the middle of the street for many years. On one block a few years back a Seattle Symphony musician got some colleagues to come over for a string quartet concert. Others gave out pavement chalk to all the kids in the block to decorate the street. One neighbor handed out water guns to all the kids and they went nuts soaking each other. One block set up an audio system and hosted a desert and dance party.

This is a great opportunity for neighbors to talk about preparing the block for an emergency. Find out who on your block has skills that might be useful if “the big one” hits or a neighbor has a bad accident. Collect phone numbers and emails to distribute back to your neighbors so they can more easily communicate if they see something that seems out of place. Talk up getting together to plant some street trees on your block.