October 9, 2025 — When the sun begins to set over David McDonald Park and the glow of string lights bounces off food trucks and vendor tents, it’s hard not to feel that familiar Clovis magic. Kids race from one bounce house to the next, neighbors catch up under the sound of live music, and police officers walk side by side with the community they serve. It’s the essence of what Clovis Night Out was built to be, a celebration of connection, safety, and small-town pride.
The 14th Annual Clovis Night Out returns on Saturday, October 18, 2025, from 4 p.m. until dark at David McDonald Park, located at Temperance and Sierra avenues. Powered by the Clovis Police Foundation, this family-friendly event will feature over 100 local food and boutique vendors, live music, city vehicle displays, and free bounce houses for kids, all capped off with the spectacular Skye Dreams Drone Light Show, now featuring 400 drones, double last year’s number.
While Clovis Night Out has become a defining local tradition, its roots trace back to something much bigger. The event began as part of National Night Out, a nationwide campaign launched in 1984 by the National Association of Town Watch. Designed to foster relationships between communities and the law enforcement agencies that protect them, National Night Out encourages neighbors to meet, connect, and promote public safety in a friendly, welcoming environment.
Clovis first joined the effort in 2011, thanks to the vision of then-Officer (later Captain) Katie Benham and Corporal Jim Monroe, who saw the value in creating a local version of the national event, one that reflected Clovis’s own tight-knit spirit. “Katie and Jim started Clovis Night Out together,” said Ty Wood, Public Information Officer with the Clovis Police Department and one of the event’s current organizers. “They wanted something that went beyond patrol cars and uniforms, something that reminded people we’re all part of the same community.”
The first Clovis Night Out was held at Clovis High School, taking over the north fields and basketball courts. What began as a modest gathering with a few patrol cars, a sound system, and a couple hundred attendees quickly outgrew the space. Within a few years, the event moved to its now permanent home at David McDonald Park, where it continues to thrive — drawing thousands each year.
One of the early decisions that helped set Clovis’s version apart was timing. “National Night Out is held every August, but no one wants to be outside in the Central Valley heat when it’s 100 degrees,” Wood said with a laugh. “So we moved it to October, and it’s worked perfectly ever since.” The shift not only made the event more enjoyable but also allowed Clovis to celebrate separately from other major fall events like the fair and ClovisFest.
This year’s Clovis Night Out will feature 78 boutique and general vendors and 26 food vendors, offering everything from local honey and handmade crafts to street tacos and shaved ice. “We try to keep it local, the mom-and-pop shops, the small businesses,” Wood said. “That’s what keeps the event authentic and rooted in Clovis.”
Beyond the booths and food trucks, families can explore police, fire, and city vehicle displays, meet first responders, and even climb aboard some of the equipment. “Kids love the trash trucks, the big tractors, and of course, the fire engines,” Wood said. “It’s about letting them see what we do and who we are in a fun, hands-on way.”
Adding to the excitement, the Bulldog Blitz Skydiving Team will make a dramatic entrance early in the evening, parachuting into the park before meeting attendees. “They’ve joined us several times before, and it’s always a huge crowd-pleaser,” Wood said.
The evening will end with the Skye Dreams Drone Light Show, a 12-minute performance synchronized to 11 songs chosen by the Clovis PD. The show, produced by a local husband-and-wife team from Clovis, has replaced traditional fireworks in recent years for environmental and safety reasons. “They’re local, which makes it even better,” Wood said. “It’s just another way this event supports and showcases our community.”
For Wood, who has lived in Clovis for nearly 30 years, Clovis Night Out is more than just a city event; it’s a reflection of what makes Clovis feel like home. “A lot of us who work for the department also live here,” he said. “We shop at the same stores, our kids go to the same schools. So to spend one night just enjoying the community we serve, that’s what this is all about.”
Clovis Night Out remains free to attend, and families are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair to relax and enjoy the music, drone show, and good company. “You don’t have to spend a dime to have a great time,” Wood said. “Just come out, enjoy the night, and be part of what makes Clovis, Clovis.”