Park Cities Residents Celebrate National Night Out

Although we live north of the border in University Park, my 9-year-old and I joined Highland Park residents as they kicked off fall on Oct. 1 at the town’s annual National Night Out celebration.

The event featured snacks, treats, face painting, spray-on tattoos, balloon artists, and what my son said was “the best bounce house slide” he’s ever been down.

Residents met HP staff members, including Patch, the Department of Public Safety’s unofficial emotional support dog. They also collected goodies from tables manned by 911 call takers, the library, and other town staffers.

Our favorite table was from the engineering department, which had rightfully awarded itself “THE G.O.A.T.” trophy for having the best National Night Out gifts. Engineering’s treats included tape measure keychains, squishy hardhats, and HP Magic 8 Balls.

Another highlight was spraying the firehose, which members of the Department of Public Safety patiently helped a steady stream of children, including my son, control.

We left with a blue balloon dog, smiles, and a variety of keychains which my son happily attached to his backpack before heading to bed.

Meanwhile, University Park celebrated National Night Out at the SMU campus on Tuesday. Activities there included a simulated dorm-burn by the University Park Fire Department.

Photos from the University Park event are below.

Photos from the Highland Park events are below.