This was my first year attending a National Night Out party in my own neighborhood. I was being kind of anti-social and shy as a new neighbor. Eventually, the coordinator stopped by and asked me to come introduce myself. Well, long story short, somehow I ended up as the block leader for next year's party? (I don't know how I always end up leading volunteer groups...but I guess it's a good thing).

So, what I need from y'all are suggestions for making next year's National Night Out bigger and badder than this year's party (I can't let last year's block leader show me up j/k)

They roped off the block, grilled out, created a block map with the neighbors' names so we knew where everyone was at, and let the kids play. The Minneapolis police dropped in for a moment, too.

 Oh, and I think water balloons were involved at some point ;)

I have yet to attend my own neighborhood party, but I attended my first two National Night Out parties in Prior Lake last night. I attended one at Wilds Park and another in the Stroms Circle neighborhood.

What a great event. It is a nice opportunity to meet community members, police officers, firefighters and city council members.

The Wilds Park party boasted inflatable games, a police car, a fire truck, a raffle, a catered BBQ and a neighborhood potluck.

The Storms Circle party had Freezees, ice-cream sandwiches, soda and a bicycle parade led by police officers.