Island residents are invited to flip on their porch lights, lock up the house and come out for a night of fun Tuesday, Aug. 1 — all in the name of crime prevention.

Oak Harbor and Island County law enforcement, medical and non-profit agencies are banding together once more to bring National Night Out to Windjammer Park from noon to 8 p.m.

At the national level it’s the 23rd year the event has been held and through recent years it has become a summertime mainstay here on Whidbey.

Because of what organizers call an “overwhelming participation” over the past few years, the hours of Oak Harbor’s National Night Out have been expanded to encourage an entire day of activities.

The “Night Out” begins at noon and continues through 8 p.m. to allow plenty of time for the working crowd to arrive.

Some of the events planned for the day include a climbing wall and dunk tank, live music, karate demonstration, K-9 demonstration, search and rescue demonstration, and activities for children of all ages. An eye-opener will surely be the car crash scene dramatization at which people will get an up-close view of emergency personnel responding to the accident scene.

A short parade through Oak Harbor will start at 4 p.m. from the fire department on Whidbey Ave. to Midway Blvd. and down Bayshore Drive with everyone arriving at Windjammer Park.

The National Night Out campaign involves citizens, law enforcement agencies and emergency personnel from the City of Oak Harbor, Island County Sheriff’s Department and Whidbey Island Naval Air Station, social service organizations, civic groups, businesses and local officials from Island County.

“There’s always really good energy that night with all the interaction between the agencies and the community gathered,” said Cathy Niiro, member of the local National Night Out committee and executive director of United Way of Island County.

The Night Out is designed to: “Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; generate support for, and participation in local anti-crime programs; strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.”

“It’s especially important in this transient community with the Navy that people have a chance to learn what resources are out there,” Niiro said. “Many times people arrive and know nothing about the town they just moved to.”

Many free family activities will be available during the entire event, including food, demonstrations and hands-on activities for all ages.

New this year will be an outdoor movie, “Shrek,” beginning at 9 p.m.

Niiro reminds people that whether they show up to the National Night Out or not, they can show their unity against crime by turning on that front porch light.

“It’s a symbolic showing that this community cares for each other, takes care of each other and lets criminals know, ‘Hey, we’re watching you,’” she said.