Fifty-seven Chester County residents died of accidental overdose in 2025, and on Monday, Aug. 31, each will be represented by a flag at the Historic Courthouse in West Chester.

The Chester County Department of Drug and Alcohol Services will host "Night of Light" from 6:30 to 8 p.m. as part of International Overdose Awareness Day, which is observed annually on Aug. 31. The ceremony will include a luminary display honoring those who died and those working toward long-term recovery, along with speakers and resource tables, according to the county.

The 57 flags will also be displayed at the Chester County Justice Center and the Government Services Center.

"One life lost is too many, and we continue to strive for zero overdose fatalities in Chester County," Jamie Johnson, executive director of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Services, said in the announcement.

Johnson credited a 20% decrease in overdose fatalities over the past four years to collaboration among county departments, community providers and families. She said prevention is working, treatment is available and recovery from substance use disorders is possible.

The trend is real. A separate county report put the 2025 confirmed total at 55 deaths, down from 69 in 2024, a roughly 20% year-over-year drop and the lowest annual number in nearly a decade. WHYY also reported the figure as the county's lowest in close to 10 years.

The Night of Light announcement lists 57 lives lost, slightly higher than the 55 confirmed in the separate report. The county has not explained the difference.

The event is free. It is open to the public at the Historic Courthouse, located at 2 N. High St. in West Chester Borough.

Residents seeking information about the county's drug and alcohol services can visit chesco.org/DrugandAlcohol or call the Chester County Information and Referral line at 866-286-3767.