Mayor Bass Kicks Off 2026 ‘Summer Night Lights’ as Part of Her Comprehensive Approach to Public Safety

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LOS ANGELES - Mayor Karen Bass yesterday was joined by Councilmember Heather Hutt and community leaders at Jim Gilliam Park to kick off this year's Summer Night Lights (SNL), which provide safe, family-friendly activities at 42 locations in communities most impacted by violent crime. As part of Mayor Bass' comprehensive approach to public safety, Summer Night Lights works to prevent crime by investing in neighborhoods through community-centered resources and solutions. B-roll and photos available here.

"Those long, summer nights can be times of trouble, but by providing positive activities for families and young people and activating our parks at night, Summer Night Lights is proven to increase public safety - and it's a way for people to have a lot of fun, too," Mayor Bass said.

Summer Night Lights is led by the Mayor's Office of Community Safety, which was started by Mayor Bass to prevent crime through community-led approaches to increase safety and wellbeing.

SNL programming includes free meals, sports and fitness clinics, family-friendly activities and connections to community resources, such as financial literacy workshops and mental health services. The program is inspired by the Summer of Success program which Mayor Bass helped create as a community organizer at Community Coalition. Last summer, SNL had more than 110,000 participants. This year, SNL staffing has increased citywide by 16%, giving more than 600 youth a summer job.

"The significant decline in violent crime we have seen across Los Angeles is no accident; it is the direct result of our intentional, unwavering investment in community-led solutions," said Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson. "When we fund programs like Summer Night Lights, we do more than just fill our parks with activities-we replace violence with opportunity, build lasting trust, and prove that real public safety is rooted in the health and empowerment of our neighborhoods."

"Summer Night Lights is exactly the kind of program that makes our communities safer," said Councilmember John Lee, Chair of the Public Safety Committee. "When we provide young people and families with safe places to gather, positive activities, and meaningful resources, we are not only helping prevent crime, we are building stronger relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Public safety is about enforcement, but it is also about prevention, trust, and giving our youth opportunities to succeed."

"I've seen firsthand what these nights mean for our families in South LA," said Councilwoman Heather Hutt. "Kids get to just be kids, parents get a break, and our community gets a chance to utilize our parks and city infrastructure in peace. That's what public safety looks like to me."

"Well-used public spaces create safe spaces," said Councilmember Tim McOsker. "When we activate our parks and recreation centers with programs that bring people together, we strengthen communities and create safer neighborhoods. That's why Summer Night Lights programs are so important. It gives families, young people, and neighbors a safe, welcoming place to spend summer evenings together while strengthening the sense of community that makes our neighborhoods safer."

In February, Mayor Bass announced a 27% drop in homicides in neighborhoods most impacted by violence, referred to as Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) zones across the city. This coincided with a 19% citywide drop in homicides, the lowest on record in 60 years for the City of Los Angeles.

This year's Summer Night Lights will run from July 1 to August 7. Sites are open Wednesday through Saturday from 6:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M.:

San Fernando Valley

• Delano Recreation Center

• Hubert Humphrey Memorial Recreation Center

• Lanark Recreation Center

• Sepulveda Recreation Center

• Sun Valley Recreation Center

• Valley Plaza Recreation Center

• David M. Gonzales Recreation Center

Northeast Los Angeles

• Cypress Park and Recreation Center

• Highland Park Recreation Center

• Glassell Recreation Center and Youth Center

• El Sereno Recreation Center

• Montecito Heights Recreation Center

South Los Angeles

• Jackie Tatum/Harvard Recreation Center

• Jim Gilliam Recreation Center

• Martin Luther King Jr. Recreation Center

• Mount Carmel Recreation Center

• Ross Snyder Recreation Center

• Slauson Recreation and Senior Citizen Center

• South Park Recreation Center

• Van Ness Recreation Center

• Algin Sutton Recreation Center

• Green Meadows Recreation Center

• Gilbert Lindsay Recreation Center

• Denker Recreation Center

• Trinity Recreation Center

• Michelle and Barack Obama Sports Complex

• Saint Andrews Recreation Center

Boyle Heights

• Lou Costello Jr. Recreation Center

• Ramon Garcia Recreation Center

• Hazard Recreation Center

• Evergreen Recreation Center

• Wabash Recreation Center

Central Los Angeles

• Normandie Recreation Center

• Lemon Grove Recreation Center

• Toberman Recreation Center

• Lafayette Multipurpose Community Center

Watts

• Nickerson Gardens

• Imperial Courts

• Jordan Downs

• 109th Street Recreation Center

Harbor Area

• Wilmington Recreation Center

• Harbor City Recreation Center