National Night Out Offers Block Parties Throughout the City

Tuesday will see thousands of West Hollywood residents take to the streets to celebrate their neighborhoods and fight crime at the same time.

The city’s annual National Night Out is Tuesday night offering neighbors a chance to mingle at block parties throughout the city. More than 2,000 residents are expected to participate in the events sponsored by the city’s Neighborhood Watch groups in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The annual event offers neighbors a chance to meet each other and also fight crime. The idea is if you get to know the people living near you, it creates a stronger sense of a neighborhood and encourages people to look out for each other, to report suspicious activity and crime.

“National Night Out is a great way to promote neighborhood spirit and safety by getting to know your neighbors, City and public safety staff, and members of the Sheriff’s and Fire Departments,” said Mayor Jeff Prang in a press statement. “Do plan to come out and join me and the entire City Council on August 7 at one of the block parties throughout our City. It is a night of great fun and good food, and helps us all keep our neighborhoods safer.”

Ten block parties are scheduled this year:

• 801 Kings Road (patio area), hosted by Kings Road Tenant Association, starting at 5:30 p.m.
• Hart Park (8341 De Longpre Ave), hosted by Flores-De Longpre Neighborhood Watch, starting at 6 p.m.
• Norton Avenue (between Laurel and Hayworth avenues); hosted by Center City Alliance, starting at 6 p.m.
• Sherbourne Avenue cul-de-sac (at Ashcroft Avenue), hosted by West Hollywood West Residents Association, starting at 6 p.m.
• Westmount Drive cul-de-sac (north of Santa Monica Boulevard, just south of the Westmount/West Knoll traffic circle), hosted by West Hollywood North Neighborhood Association, staring at 6 p.m.
• Rugby Drive (at Westmount Drive), hosed by Tri-West Area Neighborhood Watch, starting at 6:30 p.m.
• Lloyd Place (between Elevado Street and Norma Place), hosted by Norma Triangle, starting at 6:30 p.m.
• Fuller Street (1205-1215 Fuller Street), hosted by the Russian Advisory Board, starting at 7 p.m.
• 1265 Harper Avenue (patio area), hosted by Harper-Sweetzer Neighborhood Watch, starting at 7 p.m.
• 1230 Horn Ave (top of the hill), hosted by West Hollywood Heights Neighborhood association, starting at 7 p.m.

For block parties that take place on the street, those roads will be closed off between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Additionally, the 2011 Academy-Award-winning Best Picture The Artist will screen in in the grassy area near the tennis courts starting at 8 p.m.

National Night Out is a national campaign which involves citizens, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, businesses, neighborhood organizations and local officials from over 15,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases worldwide. In all, over 36 million people participated in National Night Out 2011.