Hattiesburg, Mississippi – On Friday, September 24, the City of Hattiesburg will kick off its 31st year of celebrating National Night Out through a partnership with Live at Five at Town Square Park (100 Main Street), from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

The kick-off event will include live music by Mike Doussan and Company, food vendors, touch a truck opportunities for children and interaction with first responders from the Hattiesburg Police Department, Hattiesburg Fire Department, Forrest County Sherriff’s Office and elected officials from both the city and the county.

The City’s neighborhood coordinator, Tonya Jordan, is working closely with community representatives and neighborhood associations to make sure the event is not only a collaborative celebration but also that it meets the core mission of National Night Out – to enhance the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement.

“We are very excited about this year’s reboot of the event,” said Jordan. “With so many safety guidelines to consider for COVID-19, we felt a partnership with an established live music event outdoors would help abide by those safety guidelines and create a fun experience for residents to get out and meet our city’s first responders.”

National Night Out in Hattiesburg is a celebration of the community and its partnership with law enforcement and first responders – both essential to making all of Hattiesburg’s neighborhoods a safer, more caring place to live, work and play.

“We look forward to this event every year,” said Police Chief Peggy Sealy. “Citizen involvement is critical to the job our officers do, and we look forward to being able to strengthen those relationships through this annual celebration.”

The event serves as a precursor to neighborhood parties on Tuesday, October 5 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.

All neighborhood associations interested in hosting a party on Oct. 5 will be able to sign up and/or pick up party packets at the Live at Five event on Sept. 24. Neighborhood representatives can also sign up at https://bit.ly/nno2021