Residents Encouraged to Organize a National Night Out Block Party

Published on June 30, 2026

Oakland, CA – Mayor Barbara Lee, Acting City Administrator Betsy Lake, and Interim Police Chief James Beere urge Oakland residents to participate in National Night Out (NNO) on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. NNO is America’s block party night and an opportunity for neighbors to get to know each other. The theme this year is “Celebrating Safe Spaces in the Town.”

This year’s registration deadline is Friday, July 24, 2026. Neighbors can register to host a block party, barbeque, ice cream social or other outdoor event that brings neighbors together. Party hosts can register their block party on the City of Oakland website:

https://www.oaklandca.gov/Community/Events-Culture/Events/National-Night-Out

Registered NNO block parties can block off their street for free. City of Oakland staff, including the Oakland Police Department and Oakland Fire Department, will visit as many parties as possible on NNO.

NNO provides an opportunity for communities to connect and foster peace in our neighborhoods. A powerful and profound message is “When neighbors know each other, neighborhoods are safer.”

The event will partner again this year with the Town Nights program. Town Nights is a community-driven initiative focused on strengthening Oakland's social fabric. Town Nights has successfully transformed public spaces into vibrant hubs, engaging 40,000+ attendees and serving more than 35,000 free meals during 100 events in the past three years. This proactive strategy fosters safe and resilient communities by investing in the City's social capital including partnerships with residents, businesses, and government. A year-round event calendar can be found at www.townnights.org.

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