Night Out Against Crime Returns to Bath County July 25

For more than a decade, the Bath County Sheriff’s Office has set aside one day a year to be something other than a badge and a traffic stop. On Saturday, July 25, Night Out Against Crime returns to Bath County High School — with free food, live music, and a lineup that punches well above what a county this size usually draws.

Lieutenant Jeff Grimm of the Bath County Sheriff’s Office joined Allegheny Mountain Radio to talk about this year’s event, the partnerships that make it possible, and why an afternoon of hot dogs and bluegrass matters more than it might sound.

Grimm traced the event’s purpose back to its origins. “It was to allow the public, the general public, to meet and see police officers — not when they’re getting pulled over to get a ticket, not when they’re being called to a residence to answer a call,” he said. “But to see us in a normal setting.”

“What people forget — police officers are humans,” Grimm said. “We have feelings. We have families that we go home to. We’re just out doing a job, and sometimes it’s a very stressful job.”

He pointed out that the stress runs both directions. When deputies show up, he said, it’s usually somebody’s emergency — a car crash, a call for service at a home or a grocery store. Night Out flips that dynamic.

“They need to see us when we have our hair down,” Grimm said. “We’re not carrying around 25 pounds of extra gear.”

He doesn’t take Bath County’s relationship with its Sheriff’s Office for granted. “We’re fortunate in Bath County to have the relationship with the community that we do. Not all communities have that relationship with law enforcement,” he said. “These are our neighbors. They’re friends and families. That’s why this event is so special to us.”

The Music

This year’s lineup features Ralph Stanley II & The Clinch Mountain Boys, Jack & Davis, and Wilson Fairchild — the latter made up of descendants of Harold and Don Reid of the Statler Brothers.

Ralph Stanley II carries forward a tradition his father, Dr. Ralph Stanley, and his uncle Carter began back in the 1940s. He’s also become a familiar face in this part of Virginia. “He loves this part of the state, comes up here every year,” Grimm said. “He’s like a staple.”

Grimm’s pitch was simple: “If you like country music, or you like bluegrass music, this is the place to be on the 25th of July.”

The Partnerships

Admission is free, as is the ice cream and the hot dogs — provided by rescue squads from Burnsville, Hot Springs, and Millboro, with the county’s fire departments supplying drinks and water.

Grimm was direct about who makes the day possible. “There’s absolutely no way that this can happen without the partnership with Bath County Parks and Recreation, Visit Bath, the Arts Association,” he said. “These guys make sure that this event happens each and every year.” The Omni Homestead and a number of local contributors also pitch in.

He also pushed back on a complaint anyone who lives here has heard. “One of the things that we hear, because we’re from here, is there’s nothing to do in Bath County,” Grimm said — before noting he listens to this radio station enough to know better. “There’s a lot going on.”

Vendor space in the courtyard is open at no cost to anyone who wants to set up. Last year’s event drew roughly 650 people. “We’re expecting a bigger crowd this year, to be completely honest with you,” Grimm said.

Night Out Against Crime — Saturday, July 25, 2026, Bath County High School. Free admission. Ralph II & The Clinch Mountain Boys 4:00 p.m., Jack & Davis 6:30 p.m., Wilson Fairchild 8:00 p.m.

Jeff has been one of my favorite interviews over the years. We always have a good time, on and off the air. What made this one even more special is that we did the whole thing with a puppy climbing up and down his lap. Juni took to him right away.

Jeff did have to break some bad news to her, though. She’s not going to be able to be a crime dog for the Sheriff’s Office.

So there’s that.

Hear the full conversation with Lt. Jeff Grimm below: