The DeRidder Police Department and the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office are gearing up for the 2022 National Night Out event, which will be the evening of Aug. 2 at the Beauregard Parish Fairgrounds in DeRidder.
This event is observed in communities nationwide and according to the official National Night Out (NNO) website, began as a way to promote police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. It provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.
Months of preparation and planning go into the local event, which features a list of activities and spans an entire week.
The main NNO event will be from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.Tuesday, Aug. 2 at the fairgrounds. The theme is "Mayberry Comes to DeRidder."
The main event will feature games, a tug-of-war competition, car show, food trucks, vendors, a community resource fair, entertainment and more. It’s also a time to get to know first responders, military police, DeRidder Police Department officers and deputies with the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office.
There are also competitions associated with the special week, including a coloring contest, poster contest and “Side Kick Contest” where the winner gets to help the DeRidder Police Chief and Beauregard Parish Sheriff during NNO.
A “Where’s Nat” scavenger hunt will begin July 18 and runs through Aug. 1 in downtown DeRidder.
“Nat” is the official NNO mascot.