Next Tuesday, August 5, Crookston will celebrate its 22nd Annual Night to Unite on the University of Minnesota Crookston Campus Mall. This annual event celebrates communities and law enforcement and is packed with prizes, games, demonstrations, food, and more.
Community leaders work together each year to make the event an evening to remember. “The National Night Out is a week from tomorrow, Tuesday, August 5, starting at 2:30 with the Walt Keller Bingo at the Prairie Lounge,” said one of the event organizers, Officer Cody Bannert. “At 4:30 p.m. is when the National Anthem is scheduled to kick off things. We’ve got some welcoming speeches by Police Chief Darin Selzler and Fire Chief Shane Heldstab.” Banert says that prizes will start being given out after the welcome speeches conclude and the fun begins.
Last year, 37 bicycle packages were given away during Night to Unite, and this year is set to top that. “This year we have so far been able to collect 38 bicycle packages, which include a helmet, a bike lock, and bicycles,” says Bannert. “Those are part of the raffle, along with other prizes, the committee picks up a couple of days beforehand, and they get raffled off to those that register.”
Some other things taking place during the event range from a watermelon eating contest, a Polk County Sheriff’s Department K-9 demonstration, the Border Patrol Helicopter landing, dunk tanks, and the Golf Ball Drop. There will be some new faces in the dunk tank this year. “Right now we’ve got our new middle school principal, Lisa Conzemius, and our Superintendent, Randy Bruer, as contestants for the dunk tank.”
The Crookston Fire Department will be on hand during the event to give bucket rides and host the golf ball drop. “We’ve got a golf ball drop at 7:30 p.m. Registration for that ends at 6:30 p.m.,” says Bannert. “The fire department will be hosting the golf ball drop, and the fire department will be doing the bucket rides. People can walk up to the fire truck; they will extend them in the air and then put them back down.”
Night to Unite is a great way to get to know first responders in the community, visit with city officials and Park & Rec members, meet other families from the community, and form friendships. T.H.E. Bus will provide public transportation to the event, and all events are free except for your visit to a food truck.
For more information, follow Night to Unite on Facebook or call Cody Banert at 1-218-281-3111.