FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 12, 2022

CONTACT:
Mayor Gloria: Rachel Laing at (619) 929-7946 or rlaing@sandiego.gov
San Diego Parks Foundation: Jen Lebron at (858)354-3746 or jen@lebronstrategic.com

SAN DIEGO As part of an effort to bring communities together and create safer neighborhoods, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, San Diego County Health and Human Services Director Nick Machionne, and the San Diego Parks Foundation today announced the launch of Parks After Dark, a new Come Play Outside program that will transform three San Diego neighborhood parks into community festivals every weekend this summer.

San Diego's Parks After Dark will be held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at the City Heights, Linda Vista, and Skyline Hills Recreation Centers from 6 - 9 p.m. from July 14 through Aug. 27. The events will feature live entertainment, activities for all ages, games and free meals for kids.

Were so grateful to our partners at the County, Parks Foundation and Price Philanthropies for making three of our popular neighborhood parks centers of fun and community for families on summer nights, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said. These hosted nighttime activities will create lasting summer memories in a safe, healthy and fun environment.

The City of San Diego received a $500,000 grant from the County of San Diego to launch the program.

The County of San Diego is pleased to help support Parks After Dark that provides a wide range of enjoyable, supervised activities and safe services to our neighborhood children and adults, said Chair Nathan Fletcher, San Diego County Board of Supervisors. The County is supporting programs that improve youth mental health and being able to enjoy our parks is one way to do that.

Parks After Dark is based on a popular County of Los Angeles program that has brought hundreds of thousands of Angelenos together every summer for more than a decade. It's designed to positively activate public spaces to reduce crime and create social cohesion by bringing joy to the community and create safe places to play on summer nights.

In Los Angeles, data showed that the first three parks to host similar programs saw a 32% decrease in serious and violent crimes within their first three years, between 2009 and 2013.

The San Diego Parks Foundation is grateful to Mayor Gloria, Chair Fletcher, the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, and the Price Philanthropies Foundation whose partnerships and generosity will help make this a summer to remember for San Diego families, said Michel Anderson, San Diego Parks Foundation Board Chair. This program builds on the success of last year's 'Come Play Outside' programs and will give folks of all ages something to celebrate in their community this summer.

The program is made possible by the City of San Diego, the County of San Diego, and Price Philanthropies Foundation. The 2022 "Parks After Dark" schedule and activities can be found here.

About "Come Play Outside"
In its inaugural summer 2021, the San Diego Parks Foundation's "Come Play Outside" programs served more than 16,000 children youth and families. They were made possible by Price Philanthropies Foundation, the JEM Project, Walter J. & Betty C. Zable Foundation, Hervey Family Fund at The San Diego Foundation, Robert & Allison Price Charitable Trust, the Walmart Foundation, Albertsons Foundation, and the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency, and the City of San Diego Parks & Recreation Department.

About San Diego Parks Foundation
San Diego Parks Foundation strives to connect all San Diegans to high-quality parks through philanthropic and volunteer contributions to the City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department, and to support the Citys mission to build a world-class inclusive park system that strengthens communities and provides equitable access to recreational opportunities. Learn more at sandiegoparksfoundation.org.

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