The Bemidji community came out to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church to celebrate National Night Out on Tuesday.

National Night Out is an annual event that is designed to build relationships with public service men and women and to thank them for everything they do to keep the community safe. St. Mark’s Lutheran Church had live music, food, family-fun activities like face-painting, balloon twisting, a bounce house, door prizes and a display of law enforcement vehicles. It’s the fifth year the church has hosted the event.

“The goal is to reach out into our communities, to give back, to say welcome to our campus, come see our church, come have some fun and fellowship with us. Listen to some good music, eat some good food. Just totally a communal event,” said Ben Zamzou, Pastor at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church.

Communities across the country participate in the event on the first Tuesday in August.

By — Malaak Khattab

News Reporter