What happened to those long summer days where neighbors would spend time together at the block party? Well, the City of Fort Collins is bringing this old tradition back and is even providing a little help for those whose budget might be tight this year.

Neighborhood Night Out is an annual, nationwide event that falls on the first Tuesday in August, which is Aug. 6 this year. The idea behind NNO is to help build a community geared toward building relationships and safety. The City of Fort Collins has taken this one step further by actively supporting this event. Those interested in participating can register online with the City and will receive a goodie bag filled with T-shirts, name tags and balloons, among other items. After registering with the city, the event will also be added to a list of other events around Fort Collins.

“Each year we have about 100 events registered,” said Melanie Clark from Neighborhood Services.

Registration is open until July 23. Forms can be filled out and turned into Neighborhood Services. Events can range from ice cream parties to BBQ’s.

Nick Massarotti, a CSU student, is planning on cooking out for NNO.

“I’ve got plenty of meat and a lot of friends who I’m looking forward to having over this year,” Massarotti said.

Through the City of Fort Collins, there are grants available to help you organize your block party. There are a variety of events that are eligible to receive grants ranging from neighborhood clean ups, block parties, potlucks, beatification projects and more. However, they are restricted as well. More information is available on the Fort Collins Neighborhood Services website.

Neighborhood Night Out runs during the National Night Out event which was first started in 1984 to help increase awareness about police programs such as drug prevention, town watch and other anti-crime efforts.

Content producer Darin Hinman can be reached at news@collegian.com.