Night Out

Night Out started in 1984 as a national community-building campaign from the National Association of Town Watch, and it's grown into one of the country's largest crime-prevention events, with tens of thousands of communities and tens of millions of neighbors taking part each year. In Seattle, it's promoted locally by SPD's Crime Prevention team on the first Tuesday of August as a low-key way to meet the people who live around you.

What to expect

• Block-by-block gatherings across Maple Leaf, porch lights on, neighbors out
• A relaxed evening to swap names, numbers, and get to know your street
• Presented locally by SPD's Crime Prevention team, free to attend

Organizing your own block

Want to host a gathering on your own block? Register with SPD by July 27, 2026 for this year's event. Once registered, your gathering shows up on the city's public Night Out map so neighbors up and down the street know where to find you, and SPD provides a starter kit: street closure signs, waste station labels, the Night Out logo, and invitation templates in eight languages, including Spanish, Vietnamese, and Tagalog.

Check seattle.gov/police/crime-prevention/night-out for the city's registration form and materials if you're organizing a gathering on your own block.