(NEWARK, NJ) -- On May 29, 2025, Mayor Ras J. Baraka announced "Summer Fun in Newark," a vibrant series of free summer programming that will ignite Newark's public parks, recreation centers, and cultural venues, infusing Newark neighborhoods with a wide array of wholesome activities, entertainment, and opportunities for education.
This citywide programming enables residents of all ages to deepen their engagement with Newark, a city long defined and strengthened by the arts, culture, and athleticism. The range of free activities span festivals and farmers markets, parades, and pop-up playgrounds, music and movie nights, a cookout and a carnival, and a full spectrum of sports, arts, games, enrichment and social expression programs for young kids, families, teens, adults, and seniors.
With an official start date when city pools open Friday, May 30, and continuing through Monday, September 1, events in all five wards will spotlight the breadth of Newark’s cultural energy — outdoors and accessible for all to connect, relax, and play.
“Summer time brings out Newark’s special spirit, as the city surges with lively performances, colorful events, music, dance, sport and outdoor activities – free – for families and individuals of all ages,” said Mayor Baraka. “This year promises to outdo past programs with the widest ever collaboration of partners who have tied a full roster of offerings together in a big bow. I invite everyone to come accept this wonderful gift of unity and appreciation for each other and this dynamic city we call home.”
The all-encompassing summer fun program is a mosaic of interlocking offerings from City of Newark entities including the Department of Recreation, Cultural Affairs & Senior Services, the Office of Special Projects, the Office of Violence Prevention & Trauma Recovery (OVPTR), the Arts & Education District, Newark Alliance, Department of Public Safety, and Newark City Parks Foundation, Inc.
The Department of Recreation’s Summer Enrichment Program at all recreation centers and Centers of Hope starts Monday, July 7, running through Friday, August 22, from 8:00am to 4:00pm. Activities include music, dancing, movies, sports and swimming. Their Late Night Initiative includes food and entertainment every Friday and Saturday starting Friday, May 30, with recreation centers open until 10:00pm. It ends Saturday, June 28.
“The City of Newark Department of Recreation, Cultural Affairs & Senior Services is excited to welcome all participants to our 2025 summer programming and events — a special place where friendships blossom into lasting bonds and where our community comes together as one big family,” said Director of Recreation, Cultural Affairs & Senior Services Donnell Redding.
“We take great pride in our commitment to building social bridges. We collaborate closely with local churches, public and charter schools, nonprofit organizations, public libraries, gyms, sports groups, cultural and corporate partners, and dedicated support groups to create a strong, supportive environment for everyone. We look forward to seeing you on opening day! Get ready for a safe, fun-filled, and enjoyable summer,” he added.
“Summer activations are the heartbeat of the Arts and Education District during the most active time of the year,” said Arts & Education District Director Victoria Walker. “They breathe life into downtown, making it a destination for culture, creativity and connections. We invite you to explore our galleries, visit our parks, attend a show, participate in our festivals, and support the local businesses that contribute to the economic impact.”
The mayor’s announcement came at a City Hall press conference embellished with a summertime vibe. Local artist Suliman Onque created a real time, live painting during the event, while DJ Shell Spin laid down a sound track. Mr. Onque is a multifaceted artist from Newark who does paintings, portraits, murals, logos, graphic design, comic books, wearable art, and NFT art. He has been in more than 60 different Art exhibits and has created more than 2,000 physical and digital art creations, including being one of the Black Lives Matter Muralist in Manufactures Village April 2020.
DJ Shell Spin uses art to send out messages of hope and inspiration to the community as she lives her life freely and boldly in a world that too often attempts to silence black women. She has performed at venues including Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Brooklyn Museum, Newark Symphony Hall, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn, and the Meadowlands and more.
“The Safe Summer Initiative 2025 is a vital step toward building safer, healthier communities in Newark,” said Kyleesha Wingfield Hill, Director of the Office of Violence Prevention & Trauma Recovery. “Through positive programming in high-crime areas, support for 150 at-risk youth in our Safe Summer Academy, and a curfew focused on safety, we are addressing violence at its roots. This initiative reflects Newark’s commitment to prevention, opportunity, and giving every young person a chance to thrive.”
“We plan to offer Newark residents a safe and fun Summer 2025,” Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, Sr., said. “Our Precinct Commanders, Community Service Officers, and Community Relations Unit will present exciting activities, including National Night Out, to ensure that children and adults experience an enjoyable summer. We are pleased to host another Newark Public Safety Youth Academy this year. This summer camp program provides attendees with insights into the intricate work conducted by police, firefighters, and emergency management staff. Newark Firefighters will also announce dates and locations for fire hydrant openings, and Newark residents and visitors will regularly encounter members of the Newark Police Community Focus Team conducting foot patrols and engaging positively with the community,” he added.
OVPTR, with the support of the Department of Public Safety, are collaborating again this summer with the city’s longstanding youth curfew that extends outreach to those under 18 out on the streets between 11:00pm and 5:30am, on weekends, Friday to Sunday. On Monday, July 7, the youth curfew will be expanded to seven days a week until the week of Monday, September 1, when it will revert back to weekends.
The curfew initiative is designed as engagement to prevent youth from being victims of crime, or becoming involved in criminal activity. Underage children found further than 100 yards from their home and without an adult accompanying them, are driven in city vehicles to their residences. If no adult is home, they are brought to the OVPTR main office staffed with social workers until an adult family member comes to get them. Last year, the city saw a seven percent decrease in juvenile arrests during the duration of the curfew. Unlike other cities now adopting a curfew, Newark’s initiative does not include arrests, fines or penalties. It simply makes them and their parents accountable for their whereabouts in the wee hours of the night, and, importantly, offers outreach opportunities to learn which kids and families might need any of a wide range of social services and assistance. The engagement has the sole purpose of keeping kids safe and finding out what, if any, help or guidance they require.
“This summer marks an exciting new chapter for our downtown parks,” said Newark City Parks Foundation, Inc. Executive Director Marcy DePina. “In close partnership with the City of Newark, the Arts & Education District, and a vibrant network of local stakeholders, we are proud to present a dynamic season of programming that brings movement, music, learning, and joy to our public spaces. From fitness classes and kayaking to house music concerts and major cultural festivals, these experiences invite everyone to connect with the city, the river, and each other.
“Thanks to a refreshed brand identity created by the Design Consortium and Rutgers University – Newark Design Consortium students, along with a growing public art program that includes the ‘Shadow of a Face’ monument to Harriet Tubman, the Lower Passaic Urban Waters Artist-in-Residence Amanda Thackray, and the upcoming Newark Grounds sculpture at Mulberry Commons, our parks are becoming living canvases of community creativity,” she added. “Coupled with vital renovations at Harriet Tubman Square and Riverfront Park's expansion, this season is about more than events—it’s about transformation. We invite all of Newark and beyond to discover what’s happening in our parks this summer.”
For the complete schedule of downtown Arts and Education District activities, continuously updated throughout the summer to accommodate weather and other conditions, click here.
Check the City of Newark Department of Recreation page for the 2025 Newark Summer Fun Brochure, to be posted the week of June 2.
