Meet your neighbors at a National Night Out event Aug. 6

The 2012 National Night Out event at the Annandale Shopping Center.

The public is invited to a free, communitywide National Night Out event at the Annandale Shopping Center Tuesday evening Aug. 6, 6 p.m. on Columbia Pike by Gallows Road, featuring an outdoor family-friendly movie.

That’s just one of many National Night Out events happening all over the Annandale/Mason area. National Night Out was created by the National Association Town Watch in 1984 to support crime prevention. Community and homeowner associations are encouraged to organize neighborhood cookouts or other get-togethers on the first Tuesday in August with the idea that communities are safer when people know their neighbors.

Fairfax County Police officers, firefighters, and McGruff, the crime-fighting dog, will be attending many of these events, with information about crime prevention and safety.

National Night Out at the Annandale Shopping Center opens with a Hapmudo demonstration at 6:15 p.m., followed by 10-minute massages, 6:30-7:30 p.m.; ZumbaTonic Dance-A-Thon, 7-8 p.m.; and the feature film “Despicable Me” with popcorn at 8:15 p.m. There will also be visits by police officers from the Mason District station, raffles, children’s activities, and more.

In addition, the following National Night Out events in the Annandale/Mason area are scheduled for Aug. 6 for neighborhood residents:

Bel Air—ice cream social in Bel Air Park, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Bren Mar Park—cookout at 6233 Indian Run Parkway, 6 p.m.

Camelot—potluck dinner, Excalibur Court, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Edsall Park—Edsall Park Swim Club, 5-9 p.m.

Hirst/Estabrook—cookout, 4017 Hirst Drive, Annandale, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Lakeside Plaza—party in the lobby, 3800 Powell Lane, Falls Church, 5-7 p.m.

Lafayette Village—snow cones and moon bounce, playground at Lafayette Village Drive and Trammel Road, 6:45-8:30 p.m.

Lincolnia Hills/Heywood Glenn—Moody Court, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Mantua—ice cream social, 3204 Chichester Lane, Fairfax, 7-9 p.m.

Parklawn—potluck dinner at Peace Lutheran Church, 6362 Lincolnia Road, 6-7:30 p.m.

The Parliaments—cookout and movie on the grassy area at 7409 Eastmoreland Road, Annandale, 5-10 p.m.

The Pinecrest—Cookout in the gazebo on Pinecrest Vista Drive, Alexandria, 6-8 p.m.

Ravensworth-Bristow—hot dogs, ice cream social, and Hapmudo demonstration in the field at Ravensworth Baptist Church, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Skyline Plaza—cookout at the entrance at 3703 George Mason Drive, Falls Church, 7-9 p.m.

Stonegate at Landmark—ice cream social at 6269 Shackelford Terrace, Alexandria, 7-9 p.m.

Willston Center—food and music in the parking lot, 6131 Willston Drive, Falls Church, 6-8:30 p.m.

Winterset Varsity Park—cookout at 3904 Woodburn Road, 6-9 p.m.

Woodburn Village condos—ice cream social at 3380 Woodburn road near the pool, 8-9 p.m.

Woodlake Towers condos—snacks, 3100 S. Manchester St., Falls Church, 6-8 p.m.