National Night Out on Aug. 5

National Night Out on Aug. 5|National Night Out on Aug. 5
Photo by Alex Belisle|Photo by Alex Belisle

Thousands of Bronxites will turn out across the borough for the 31st annual National Night Out Against Crime on Tuesday, August 5.

The annual event was started in 1984 as a “lights on” campaign to demonstrate against crime across the country, said 49th Precinct community council member Hazel Miura, and has since become a popular event that brings the community together with the police.

“The aim is to let criminals know this is a community that won’t stand for crime, and that we support our local precinct,” said Miura.

The 49th precinct’s event will take place from about 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Pelham Parkway North at Wallace Avenue.

Miura said it’s one of the largest events in the borough, drawing about 5,000 people over the course of the night.

In addition to police from the local precinct, the event will host representatives from local organizations and city agencies who interact with residents.

“It’s just one day out of the year when everybody comes out,” said Miura.

There will be a bounce castle, slide, and climbing wall for kids, she said, and the event has a very family-friendly, fun atmosphere. It’s also educational, with police and other agencies offering helpful information for residents.

The neighboring 45th Precinct’s event will be similar, with games, snacks, and tables with information from a wide variety of agencies, said Community Affairs Officer Anne Marie Morrison.

The event starts at 6 p.m. on the Co-op City Section 1 greenway, (entrance at 140 Benchley Place), she said, and both youth and senior groups will put on performances.

“There’s something for every age group,” said Morrison.

And then after it gets dark, around 9 p.m., Morrison said it’s all about the outdoor movies. This year’s choice is Iron Man 3.

The popular event in Co-op City usually draws at least 2,000 people, she said.

“It’s usually a very nice night,” said Morrison. “People love it.”

Bronx National Night Out events:

40th Precinct- St.Marys Park at 146th St. & St. Anns Ave., 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

41st Precinct- Longwood Ave. between Southern Blvd to Fox St., 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

42nd Precinct- Boston Road and Louis Nine Blvd between Boston and Jennings, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m

43rd Precinct- 1930 Randall Avenue between Stickball Blvd and White Plains Road, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m

44th Precinct- East 169 Street, between Walton and Gerard Avenue, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

45th Precinct- Rear of 140 Benchley Place, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., 9 p.m. movie

46th Precinct- Grand Concourse between East 181st and East 182nd St., 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

47th Precinct- Grenada Place between Ely Ave and Laconia Ave., 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

48th Precinct- 1900 Crotona Pkwy between Elsmere and East 176th St., 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

49th Precinct-Pelham Parkway and Wallace Ave., 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

50th Precinct- Marble Hill Ave between West 228th St. to West 230th St., 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

52nd Precinct- Williamsbridge Oval Park- Vancortland Ave and Bainbridge Ave., 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Reach Reporter Jaime Williams at (718) 742–3383. E-mail her at jwilliams@cnglocal.com.
The crowds gather for an outdoor movie screening in Co-op City at last year’s National Night Out in the 45th Precinct.
Photo by Alex Belisle