Livingston Gears Up For A 'Night Out'

Get ready for a night out on the town, Livingston.

The Livingston Police Department will once again be hosting their free “National Night Out” festival, a local event held in solidarity with other police departments around the country that aims to increase awareness about police anti-crime programs and promote police-community partnerships.

This year’s event is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 4, at the Oval in Memorial Park.

The public event will kick off with an opening ceremony at 5:30 p.m., and culminate with a dusk screening of “Paddington.”

In case of rain, the event will be held inside Livingston High School.

According to the Livingston Police Department, the free event will include helicopter landings, K9 Units, a Civil War reenactment on horseback, the NJ National Guard’s leadership rock climbing wall, inflatable and mechanical rides, games, live music, a DJ, the Livingston Fire Department’s water sprinkler, face painting, and balloon sculptures.

Hot dogs, pizza and drinks will be provided free-of-charge.

There will also be a free raffle which will allow participants to enter to win prizes donated by Love Letters, Karig’s Livingston Hardware, Target, Starbucks, Handcrafters, Panevino’s, Antonio’s Salon and Spa, Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa, Olive Garden and others. The West Essex YMCA will be providing children’s activities.

In addition, there will be a Rolling Video Games theater where visitors can play games from Wii, Playstation 3, and Xbox 360 on four wide screen high-def TVs with built-in vibration motors synced to the on-screen action.

Musical entertainment will include The Red Light Band - a Livingston-based jam band playing timeless acts like Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead, Phish and Jimi Hendrix - who will take the stage from 6 p.m. to dusk.

There will also be a volunteer fair at this year’s event, which will showcase Livingston’s organizations and committees as well as volunteer opportunities. Any committee or organization that would like to be part of the volunteer fair should contact Alan Karpas at alan@karpas.net or 973-992-6411.

Jill Kravis, local coordinator and aunt of the organization’s founder, will have a table for Kayla Cares 4 Kids at the event to collect donations of DVDs (rated G, PG or PG-13) and electronics (new and used DVD players, Wii, Playstation, Xbox, Nintendo DS, LeapFrog, and video games in excellent working condition) for distribution to children in hospitals. The Livingston Police Department is a collection point for the charity. Any items that cannot be brought to National Night Out can be brought to police headquarters at any time of day or night.

Livingston C.H.O.W. (Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse) will have a collection table at the event. Attendees are asked to bring non-perishable food products, specifically peanut butter, jelly, tuna, pasta sauce and cereal, as well as paper products, detergents, and personal products.

Any organization or local business that would like to have a free display table at the event is asked to contact the Community Policing Unit. Also, volunteers are needed for various positions including running carnival games for children. To donate, volunteer, request a table or to learn more about Livingston’s upcoming National Night Out, contact the Community Policing Unit at (973) 992-3000 extension #3600 or email livingstonpd@gmail.com.

The festival is supported by donations from Regal Bank, St. Barnabas Medical Center, Livingston Chamber of Commerce, Livingston BID, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, Livingston Bagel, Eppes Essen, Corigliano Towing, and MMG Transportation LLC, Allstate/Neil H. Greco, Bottle King, Huntington Learning Center, Formosa Plastics Corp., Best Provision Co., Panek’s Service Center, Argyle Marketplace, Gerardo “Junior” DaSilva, Home Depot, Livingston Collision, Livingston Mart, and Costco Dieci Lifestyle Spa, Dieci Uomo, Anthony Francos, Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, Calabria, The Landmark, Livingston Pizza, Master Pizza and Pizzeta Enoteca.

Photo courtesy of the Livingston Police Department

Send Livingston news tips and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com