Providence Township will celebrate its National Night Out event on Tuesday, Aug. 2, from 6 to 8 p.m. The long-standing community event will be held at the Providence Township Office, 200 Mount Airy Road, New Providence. This rain-or-shine event is expected to draw about 500 attendees and will have an event staff member direct parking.

A tradition honored in multiple cities across the U.S., National Night Out began to take shape in 1984 as neighborhood residents around the country banded together to better organize in their communities and make them safer places to live. Since then, it has served to connect locals with nonprofits and first responders in their area. Initially, Providence Township held community picnics to serve a similar purpose, but in 2018 the picnics were revitalized and evolved into the something more along the lines of the nationwide tradition. This will be the fourth annual event held in Providence Township; members from Lancaster EMS, Pennsylvania State Police and multiple local fire companies (Quarryville, Willow Street, Rawlinsville and Refton) will be in attendance to meet with community members.

"It's a great time for the community to get together to meet their first responders," said Heidi Martinez, zoning officer for the township. "It's also a good opportunity to discover nonprofits and organizations in the area." A plethora of organizations from the county will operate stands and provide information as well as a variety of games and activities for participants; Solanco Neighborhood Ministries, Solanco Education Foundation, Christian Motorcyclists Association and the Quarryville Library will be represented, among others.

Providence Township's National Night Out has boasted complimentary food and beverages as well as a bouncy house in recent years; the bouncy house will return this year, and the complimentary food and drinks will include hot dogs, Herr's potato chips, ice cream sandwiches, water and iced tea. The event will introduce new attractions for this year's function, including caricatures offered by local resident Sam Mylin and axe throwing courtesy of Hatchet & Axe Co., both free of charge. At 7 p.m., the Quarryville Fire Company will continue the community favorite candy drop activity, where a fire engine ladder is extended by the maintenance building and children age 10 and under are invited to fill their pockets during the ensuing shower of sweets. Additionally, each year the fire companies present their trucks to allow the children a chance to climb inside a real fire engine.

National Night Out is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Martinez at secretary@providencetownship.com.