June 3, 2008 - This year, on August 5, more than 60,000 Minneapolis neighbors will gather for the 25th Annual National Night Out, celebrating and building community across the city. Advance planning makes it easier for everyone to have a good time, share the work and make things go smoothly. Last year, over 900 groups planned their parties in advance.

Some events will be as simple as neighbors sharing food and conversation on a front porch; others will close off streets and provide music, face painting, chalk art, potlucks, dancing, games, and pinatas. So start your planning early and join the celebration.

Planning Week

Avoid the last-minute rush, start your NNO planning early during Planning Week, June 16-22. Meeting during Planning Week helps you organize your party, gives your group time to work out the details and gets more people involved. If the official Planning Week dates don't work for your group, choose dates that do. CCP/SAFE, a unit of the Minneapolis Police Department, coordinates the City's NNO each year and is promoting this 8th Annual NNO Planning Week.

Some things to discuss at planning meetings:

How many people should we plan for? Who will get food, drinks, utensils, etc.?
What kinds of activities will encourage conversation and people getting to know one another?
What should we do for kids? Games, face painting, pinata, recognition awards for good things they've done, etc?
Should we have music? What kind and who will arrange for it?
Do we want to close the street? If so, who will apply (by the July 22 deadline)?
Should we make an invitation flyer? Who will do it? Who will get the flyers to the neighbors?
Do we need the flyer in more than one language? Which language(s) and who will do that?
What will we do if it rains?

It's Free and It's Easy to Register Your NNO Party and to Close Your Street for NNO

One process makes it possible to register your NNO event and apply to close your street. Visit www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/nno or, if you don't have Internet, call 311 or 612-673-3000. If you register by July 22, you'll be eligible for a door prize drawing. It's not essential to close your street to have a successful NNO event. Many groups meet in yards, parks, vacant lots, or inside. Closing your street is FREE if you apply by July 22. From July 23-July 31, there is a $100 late fee. Applications for street closure will not be accepted after July 31.

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