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player ready...At a new venue this year, Highland Park Police hosted the community at National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 5.
Previous National Night Out events in Highland Park were held at City Hall, 1707 St. Johns Avenue. For 2025, banner sunset weather at nearly 80 degrees prevailed at Hidden Creek Aquapark, 1220 Fredrickson Place.
Attendees could swim, enjoy free treats including pizza slices, popsicles, and drinks, visit the community table midway for more complimentary items, dance to disc jockey music, pet animals in the petting zoo, try the touch a truck opportunity, and watch a drone demonstration.
Climbing into the driver’s seat of a touch a truck vehicle was Wylie Boyd, 10, a rising fifth-grader from Highland Park.
“We love our community,” said Wylie’s mother, Melanie Boyd, of the Highland Park High School Class of 1995.
“It’s nice to get together and have a nice, safe, fun environment and activity where everybody can have fun of all ages,” Melanie Boyd said.
Highland Park’s National Night Out was among many held in Lake County. As a parent, “We want everybody to feel safe in the community,” Boyd added.
The opening ceremony featured the Highland Park Police Honor Guard with national anthem vocalist Kaylyn Taylor Baldwin.
Highland Park Patrol Officer Travis Dragicevich, a (USMC) United States Marine Corps veteran with military service years from 1997 to 2001, held the American flag for honor guard duty.
It feels “wonderful” to have the honor to carry the American flag, Dragicevich said.
The Community – The Anti-Drug Coalition (CTAD) community partner table had a midway presence, staffed by Lindsay Sweet of Lincolnshire, CTAD executive director, the parent of Hadley Sweet, 13, a rising eighth-grader. Hadley also helped that evening, passing out inflatable beach balls to event attendees.
“We try to get our message out as often as possible,” Lindsay Sweet said. “It’s important to talk to kids about making healthy choices and that conversation begins when they’re little.”
The swimming pool, tube slides, and splash pad play area were busy with patrons. Asahel Salmeron, 4, of Gurnee, went down the kiddie water slide for younger children.
“It’s really nice what they’re doing for the community,” said Asahel’s father, Pablo Salmeron, about National Night Out. “The kids have fun, we’re really grateful.
“And thanks to the police officers for what they do for the community,” Pablo Salmeron said.
The Highland Park Fourth of July parade shooting took place in 2022, resulting in the deaths of seven people with many injuries.
“It was very difficult for a lot of people,” Salmeron recalled. “I did have some friends who were affected by that … they lost their family member(s). But eventually, we’ve got to move on and something like this (National Night Out) helps the community out, definitely, so thank you,” Asahel’s father added.
Levi Ruby, 10, a rising fifth-grader from Highland Park, climbed into the seat of a large red fire engine in the touch a truck-secured parking lot.
“I really want to say that I appreciate the first responders,” said Levi’s father, Matt Ruby. “We love seeing them out here, and it’s so nice when they can come and show skills to the kids.”
School starts this month for Levi and for many other Lake County children.
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Summer has “gone way too fast,” Matt Ruby said. “I can’t believe it.”
Karie Angell Luc is a freelancer for Pioneer Press.