‘Parks After Dark’ Helps LA County Communities Thrive

For an eight-week period each summer, the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) extends hours of park operation by several hours at 34 participating parks, offering evening events as part of its Parks After Dark program. The program offers family entertainment (like movies, concerts, arts and crafts, and free meals), sports and recreational activities (like swimming and dance), cultural and educational programming (like healthy cooking and financial literacy classes), and employment and volunteer opportunities for youth and adults.

PAD parks also host resource fairs through which public agencies and community-based organizations provide health, social, economic, and legal resources to participants. Throughout all events, deputies from the Sheriff’s Department patrol and engage in activities alongside participants, which help to ensure safety and foster positive interactions between law enforcement and community members.

The program outcomes and benefits of PAD have been well-documented. Key findings from a new evaluation by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research include: 

• A survey of attendees in 2023 found that 93% felt safe at PAD.
• Of attendees who did not meet the recommended activity guidelines for their age, 76% participated in at least one exercise or sports program at PAD.
• The vast majority of those surveyed expressed high levels of satisfaction with 97% saying they would attend again.

For more information, including the detailed data and recommendations, please read the report available here.