VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — The Parks After Dark program is returning to Virginia Beach this summer.

Launched in 2023, the program was established to help curb youth violence in the city by providing a safe space for family-friendly activities during evening hours when fewer activities are available for youth and teens.

“We are excited for the return of Parks After Dark this summer to offer free, family fun for all,” said Michael Kirschman, director of Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation. “This is a program created for the local community, by the local community. In 2023, Parks After Dark hosted 28 evening events with more than 12,000 visitors over the course of the summer.”

Police officers will be there in uniform in effort to build a better relationship with the community.

“An important component of Parks After Dark is the interaction with the police department, because when young people see officers not in an enforcement mode, but as part of their community, it strengthens those ties and then it builds the trust that’s needed so that when they do need to turn to law enforcement in an enforcement mode, they feel comfortable doing so,” said Virginia Beach Youth Opportunities Office Coordinator, Tiffany Cowell.

Parks After Dark offers live music, movies, lawn games, food, video game tournaments and more. Additionally, health and educational resources will be available.

“Giving them an opportunity to just really play and enjoy themselves as young people and even sometimes having families there, the teens often will kind of self-police because there are younger kids there,” said Cowell. “And so it also gives them an opportunity to be a little bit of a role model. And, you know, they’ll share the ball, they’ll invite little kids to come over and play in their games. And so we really see a really nice community environment during the program.”

The popular event also provides employment to youth participating in the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP).

Parks After Dark will take place at Williams Farm Park from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on most Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from June 6 to Aug. 24.

For more information about Parks After Dark click here.