North Andover Cancels Popular National Night Out For 2019

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — Police said they will be forced to cancel their annual National Night Out in North Andover as a result of ongoing work to upgrade the North Andover Middle School athletic fields. The free event has been held on the second Tuesday in August for the past several years on the fields, but this year there will not be enough parking for the hundreds of people who attend each year and space for the events that draw them.

"This was a difficult decision to make because it’s such a great night to bring public safety, North Andover Merchants, and North Andover citizens together for a family friendly event," North Andover Police Chief Charles Gray said in a statement. "The past National Night Out events have always been a challenge coordinating vehicle and pedestrian traffic during set up and breakdown, but this year we would’ve been restricted to one access point and that complicated matters. The reduction in parking for participants also played a factor as this would cause more congestion on already congested side streets."

Police departments across the country sponsor National Night Out each year. In North Andover, the event has featured fire truck tours, demonstrations, games and food, as well as giveaways from local merchants that sponsor the event.