Citywide party with nationwide message

    Aug. 7 won’t look like an ordinary Tuesday night for the people of Holyoke. From 4-8 p.m., City Park will be bustling with activity for Holyoke’s first National Night Out event.
    National Night Out is, as it sounds like, a night each year on which communities nationwide are encouraged to host some sort of event to engage people and deliver information about local law enforcement.
    Holyoke Police Department has partnered with Holyoke Chamber of Commerce and Star 92.3, as well as several area organizations and businesses, to give the community a real party. As preparations continue to be made, the department is excited to see the community embrace its first National Night Out and hopes to see it become a new Holyoke tradition.
    In conjunction with the 4-8 p.m. festivities, free swimming will be offered at the pool from 2:30-5 p.m. and 7-8:30 p.m. Children under the age of 6 must be accompanied by an adult.
    National Night Out is scheduled to officially kick off with a dance routine by the Holyoke High School cheerleaders at 4 p.m. Throughout the evening, there will be a petting zoo, a video game trailer, bounce houses and corn hole games on-site for everyone to enjoy.
    Water balloon fights will be held at 4:30, 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.
    A street dance is planned for 5-6:30, with music and dancing of all kinds — kids’, country, Mexican, you name it.
    With an emphasis of safety in mind, in addition to all the fun, there will be free child identification kits available at the event in both English and Spanish. Parents can take the kits home and fill out information about their children to keep on hand, just in case police ever need it.
    Community members will have the opportunity to tour various emergency vehicles on display by Holyoke EMS, AirLife Denver, Colorado State Patrol, Phillips County Sheriff’s Office, Holyoke Volunteer Fire Department and HPD. They will also have a chance to dunk Police Chief Doug Bergstrom in a dunking booth.
    HVFD will be serving a meal for a freewill donation, and HHS chapters of FBLA and FCCLA will have dessert fundraisers.
    HPD officer Joseph Marcum, who has been instrumental in organizing the event, said, “Personally taking on this event and planning it for Holyoke Police Department has been a pleasure, and I am so thankful for working in a place where the community supports its police and first responders. The city of Holyoke continues to amaze me in the ways they continue to show support for what we do.”
    National Night Out is held in communities across the country on the first Tuesday in August each year. It is described as a “community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live.”
    Organizers are still accepting organizations and businesses who would like to have a booth at National Night Out. Anyone can have a booth at the event, but only nonprofit groups can provide food or sales of services or goods. All other organizations are welcome to have informational booths. To request space for a booth, email director@holyokechamber.org or officer.marcum@cityofholyoke-co.gov.