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Register or apply for a free block party permit to close a street by July 20. National Night Out is Tuesday, August 4, 2026.
 Register your block and even apply to shut down your street to host a neighborhood gathering for National Night Out in August.
The annual event showcases gatherings around Berkeley as a way for neighbors to meet each other, get to know City staff, and build community.
Registering by July 20 gets your gathering listed on a Citywide map, which will make it easier for newcomers to your neighborhood to find you.
Registering also allows you to request visits from City staff, including Berkeley Police, Berkeley Fire, or the Office of Emergency Services. You can also request a visit from a City Council member.
Pull out the lawn chairs, fire up the grill, organize a potluck or set out ice cream and lemonade stands. You still have time to plan for your gathering on the first Tuesday in August.
Start by registering your event and consider applying for a free permit to shut down your block. Do both by July 20.
To close a street, submit block party permit
Property owners, residents, or tenants of properties fronting a street can apply for a block party. This permit – which will be free for the night of August 4 – closes part or all of a street to vehicle traffic. The gathering must be fewer than 50 people.
If your block party is approved, you will get street closure signs and barricade equipment to help reserve space for your event. You'll pick everything up the following week at the City's Corporation Yard.
To close your street on National Night Out, send a Block Party Permit Application to transportation@berkeleyca.gov by July 20.
Get to know your neighbors and help build a stronger community
Hosting or attending a National Night Out gathering is one way to complete Berkeley Fire's Meet Six Neighbors Challenge.
The challenge encourages residents to meet six new neighbors and build stronger neighborhood connections before an emergency happens.
To complete the challenge:
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Sign up for the challenge and receive your “Connection Completion Card.”
- Attend or host a block party on National Night Out.
- Meet six new neighbors.
- Email completed cards to oes@berkeleyca.gov by August 10.
If you'd like help getting started meeting neighbors, join a city-hosted meetup and training session on strengthening your neighborhood network:
Participants who complete the challenge will be entered into a drawing for a Neighbor Pizza Party with Berkeley Fire Chief Sprague.
Berkeley's National Night Out program is organized by the Berkeley Police Department’s Community Services Bureau, with help from the Fire Department, Public Works, and other City departments.
Invite your neighbors, organize a potluck, or host a block party. Take the chance to meet new people in your neighborhood this summer.
Learn more about National Night Out
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