Annual National Night Out returns at new, downtown Gig Harbor venue

A much anticipated summer event, National Night Out returns Tuesday (Aug. 1) to a new venue in downtown Gig Harbor, combining with the Summer Sounds of Skansie concert series in the park.

One of the reasons for the move was to avoid splitting crowds between the concert in the park and National Night Out, previously held at Gig Harbor’s Civic Center, said Adam Blodgett, community service officer for the Gig Harbor Police Department.

“Gig Harbor has really grown the past couple years so we really focused on downtown,” he said. “National Night Out will be downtown for the first time on the waterfront.”

National Night Out is an annual, nationwide campaign that promotes police-community partnerships to strengthen relationships between police departments and residents.

The free event gathers together local first responders, community partners and crime prevention programs on that same night throughout the country to promote crime awareness and support for crime prevention programs.

“We have so many people wanting to be part of our National Night Out,” Blodgett said. “It’s become close to the second biggest event of the year behind Maritime Festival.”

Last year’s event ranked eighth in the nation within the 5,000 to 15,000 population category, Blodgett said.

The goal for this year’s event was to focus more closely on local departments, organizations and charities to give the event a closer-to-home feel, he said.

Joining the Gig Harbor Police Department at the event are representatives from the U.S. military, Gig Harbor Fire & Medic One, Pierce County Sheriff, Washington State Patrol, South Sound 911 and, of course, storm troopers.

Musical feature from Summer Sounds of Skansie will be Bobby Sox & the Jukebox playings 1950s and 60s music live beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Gig Harbor’s National Night Out is hosted by the police department and sponsored by The Jaycox-Gig Harbor Police Benevolent Fund, Gig Harbor Fire and Medic One, Gig Harbor Employees Guild, Pepsi-Cola, American Family Insurance, South Sound 911, Target, Home Depot, Wilco Farm Stores, Costco Wholesale and Gig Harbor Kiwanis.

“This area has been really patient with all the growth this past year, and I think giving back to the community is the best thing we can do,” Blodgett said. “The police department here has grown in the past year and the community has been really supportive and open to us.”

Harborview Drive will be closed from Pioneer Way to Rosedale Street from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday (Aug. 1) for the event.

This story was originally published July 26, 2017 at 11:38 AM with the headline "Annual National Night Out returns at new, downtown Gig Harbor venue."