(First photo in – from Brandon in Arbor Heights; see below)

6 PM: It’s the official start of this year’s Night Out, a night for neighbors to celebrate and collaborate on safety, preparedness, and more. (That means closed streets, so be careful and patient if you’re on the road.) As usual, we’ll be heading out to stop by some parties for photos; we also welcome YOUR photo – editor@westseattleblog.com, texted to 206-293-6302, or tagged on Twitter/Instagram, @westseattleblog. Updates ahead!

6:18 PM: Thanks to Brandon for sending in the first photo, now atop this story, via Twitter. He reports, “Arbor Heights (California & 102nd-104th) National Night Out, just getting going with Groove Kitchen” (the band).

6:34 PM: Here’s the group at our first stop, just south of Gatewood Elementary School:

Party organizer: Donna Sandstrom of The Whale Trail. This group’s party includes stuffed peppers, cookies, and coinciding with our arrival, a visit from Southwest Precinct Community Police Team Officer Jon Flores and members of the precinct’s Summer Youth Employment Program.

And thanks to Kevin for this photo:

6:59 PM: Also just in via Twitter:

7:09 PM: Just stopped by the always-huge Pigeon Point Night Out party. Here too, a Community Police Team officer is visiting – John O’Neil, this time:

We’ve also noticed many places in Pigeon Point with anti-hate signs, in reaction to last week’s racist, threatening note discovery.

7:16 PM: Texted from Fauntlee Hills, this reminder that Seattle Fire is out on Night Out, too:

That’s Engine 37 visiting neighbors. Meantime, Liesbet near Constellation Park texted photos of her neighborhood’s first-ever party, which had a visit from Engine 29:

7:32 PM: Thanks to South Park’ers for texting from their annual Night Out bash South Park Putts Out. We’d heard about the Prince memorial portrait that’s being auctioned:

Jen Nye and Wendy Woldenberg painted the portrait.

Another tweeted photo – from Marcia in Highland Park:

The kids on the block are making chalk art in the street, too.

8 PM: Two hours down, one to go, though over the years we’ve noted most parties tend to wrap closer to 8 than to 9. We just visited Gatewood, where Dave and Jeanne Edwards are hosting a Night Out party. Dave just turned 100 and is a WSB reader (thank you!) – he’s just left of center in our photo:

Thanks to neighbor Dale for sharing the news about this party (and Dave’s milestone).

Before heading to Gatewood, we stopped in Westwood, where Whitney had let us know that West Seattle’s own Mikey Mike the Rad Scientist was going to perform.

(updated) We missed the show but MM (top right in group photo) gave everybody a star:

And then in Admiral, Angela invited us to the block party where neighbors were making wood-fired pizza:

8:31 PM: Since it’s cloudy, it’s getting dark. More photos! From The Junction:

And from North Delridge, where David says the Puget Boulevard neighbors are having their first-ever Night Out party:

Thanks for all the photos – we have more in queue, but have to break away from Night Out for a few minutes since it’s also Election Night …

9:54 PM: Back to the photos! From Jon in the 4800 block of 46th Ave SW:

At 36th and Dawson, the Seattle Police Pipes and Drums visited!

Barry sent the photo from a Gatewood neighborhood we’ve visited in past years – the flags are unforgettable:

From Angela:

She explains, “This was on 18th Ave SW between Myrtle and Webster. We were the only gathering within half a mile or so, so we had some neighbors from the Puget Ridge Cohousing join us!”

Back to Gatewood, where Mark photographed the 39th/Elmgrove block party:

South of Admiral, from Jonathan at 41st/Hinds/Manning:

On Rose St., karaoke and an outdoor movie:

Another SFD visit – Ladder 11 on 39th SW:

More firefighters near Walnut and Hanford:

And another appearance of CPT Officer Flores with neighbors in the 6700 block of 37th SW:

Thanks to Aaron for that photo.

ADDED WEDNESDAY: Another photo – from 36th/Hanford/Stevens:

Hope everyone had a great Night Out!