Photos by Elizabeth Connolly
by Elizabeth Connolly
Hometown Weekly Reporter
It was a picture-perfect summer evening for Walpole’s annual National Night Out (NNO), which was held on Tuesday, August 5th this year. Hundreds of locals converged on Stone Field to celebrate the popular event, which started at 5:00 p.m. and ended after the 8:00 p.m. glow foam party.
There was something on offer for just about everyone. Excited kids lined up for the giant inflatables, a temporary tattoo station, and face painting. Both the Walpole Police and Walpole Fire Departments were in attendance, chatting with residents and offering kiddos a chance to say hello to Rebel, the police dog, or the opportunity to put out wooden “fires” on a demonstration house with a hose. There were also three food trucks parked nearby, selling things like hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, and chocolate covered berries. Attendees could enjoy their purchased or packed food while listening to the popular local band “Sapphire Crush” perform under a tent in the middle of the field. Additionally, Walpole Recreation staff were in the middle of the field handing out light-up bracelets to elated children that stopped by their booth.
“National Night Out was a big hit this year! We had a great turnout and enjoyed our favorite inflatables, live music, face paint and food trucks. The weather was perfect,” said Assistant Recreation Director Lauren Antonetti. “New this year, we wrapped up the evening with a glow foam party, generously donated by AJT Supplies. We want to thank everyone who joined us for the event.”
NNO was founded by Matt Peskin, President of the National Association of Town Watch, in 1984. The first event was held in Philadelphia, PA, and largely consisted of folks turning on their front lights and sitting outside. Since those early days, it has grown to include more than 38 million people in over 16,000 communities across the country. According to the NNO website (natw.org): “NNO is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie.”
Our local NNO is hosted by Walpole Recreation, in collaboration with the Walpole Public Safety Departments. Though this year’s event is over, you can still enjoy live local music at Concerts on the Common, also hosted by the recreation department. These events take place on the common by the gazebo Tuesday nights in July and August. The last concert of the summer, which will be held on August 26th, will feature the band Knock on Wood.
