The city of Concord is pretty big on community interaction and family fun. Whether it’s Market Days or Midnight Merriment or Halloween Howl, there seems to always be something going on that encourages people to come together and have a good time.
National Night Out is one of the main events playing into that theme, and it’s coming up next Tuesday, Aug. 1, at Rollins Park.
National Night Out events are held across the country every year to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness and strengthen neighborhood and community police relationships. Concord’s event began in White Park before moving to Rollins Park about 12 years ago, said Officer Ryan Howe with the Concord Police Department’s Community Resource Unit, who has been running the event for the past five years.
“It started in White Park, we did a little small event, but it just expanded over the years,” Howe said. “It’s gained a lot of popularity in Concord and people reach out and ask me to attend.”
Arguably the main attraction of the whole night – which is scheduled for 5 to 8:30 p.m., rain or shine – will be the chance to get up close and personal to a Black Hawk helicopter. The chopper will land right on the baseball field a little after the start of the event – probably between 5:30 and 6, Howe said – so spectators can stand by as it touches down. Don’t worry, though, because there will be many law enforcement officials on hand to cordon off the area where the helicopter lands so everybody stays a safe distance away.
Once it lands, kids (and adults, too) can go right up to it and touch it and take a close look at one of the most impressive instruments of warfare of all time. The chopper will take back off near the end of the event, so if you stick around for the whole thing you can watch the takeoff as well as the landing.
The military helicopter certainly won’t be the only attraction, though. There will also be a petting zoo, wild animals provided by Wildlife Encounters, games, contests with prizes, a rock climbing wall, Touch a Truck featuring some antique military vehicles, K9 demonstrations and more.
“It’s a great way to bring people together,” Howe said.
There will also be representatives from local businesses, such as Concord Hospital and Concord Public Library, set up at booths around the park to provide information about their services. Representatives from the Concord Police Department, the state police, Concord Fire Department, Penacook Rescue and the Merrimack County Sheriff’s Office will also be there.
“They usually bring emergency vehicles to display for the kids to look at,” Howe said.
And, perhaps most important of all, there will be plenty of food. Tickets will be available at the gazebo in the middle of the park, and those tickets will let you get any food item – pizza, hot dogs, snow cones, cotton candy – or drink for $1 each.
As far as parking is concerned, the parking lot will be closed, as will some side streets in the vicinity, so you’ll have to find a permissible spot to park somewhere else. There will be plenty of signs letting you know where you can and can’t park, Howe said, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find a spot.
If you’re looking for a sure bet, you can park at Rundlett Middle School (144 South St.) and take a free shuttle bus over to Rollins Park. Or you could just park there and walk to the park – it’s only a couple-minute walk.
This will be a free event that should be a good time for the whole family, and the community in general.
As Howe put it: “It’s a great night, it’s free to enter, it’s a great way to bring the whole community together, and I think it’s very important.
For more info, call 225-8600, ext. 3738.
