Summer Nights Program to host free fun recreational activities in New Bedford
NEW BEDFORD — As part of its commitment to promoting the safety and health of Massachusetts’ young people, the Healey-Driscoll Administration announced the expansion of the Department of Conservation’s successful Summer Nights Program.
The Summer Nights Program provides recreational and educational opportunities for young people, ages 13 to 21, in urban areas around the state during evening hours throughout July and August. This year, the Healey-Driscoll Administration has expanded the program to its largest reach yet, partnering with 84 organizations that will provide free activities including sports, arts and crafts, music, and mentoring and life skills workshops at approximately 125 locations including many in New Bedford.
"We are thrilled to be expanding the successful Summer Nights Program into more communities across Massachusetts, providing more teens and young adults with free and safe opportunities to learn, grow, and even play some basketball,” said Governor Maura Healey in a press release. “Programs like Summer Nights give young people opportunities to build healthy relationships, while also serving as a critical tool for violence prevention during the hot summer months. Summer Nights are also free, making fun recreational activities available to every family who wants to participate.”
The following Summer Nights Programs will run in New Bedford from July 6 to Aug. 20, unless otherwise noted:
Dream Out Loud Creative Careers Center
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Dream Out Loud, 127 West Rodney French Blvd., New Bedford. Serving New Bedford students who have entered or completed grades 5 – 9. Programming includes activities for personal growth and well-being through creative self-expression. Students will participate in music/songwriting workshops, in which they compose lyrics and music to original creations, and illustration/graphic design classes that cover basic intermediate-level graphic design techniques. The program runs from July 7 through August 24, and by the end of the summer, students will have created their own original work of art to be featured in a CD or publication to be shared at an end-of-semester Student Showcase that is open to the public.
Dennison Memorial Community Center
The Dennison Memorial Community Center will be hosting basketball clinics, field trips, and special events at 755 South First St., New Bedford. The program will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday with some late-night programs. For more information, please visit www.dennisoncommunity.org or call (508)-996-2691.
Leaders In Training LLC
Leaders In Training is hosting a co-ed basketball league at Buttonwood Park, Rockdale Avenue, New Bedford for elementary through high school-aged youth focused on developing individual and team skills. The program runs from 5 to 9 p.m. from Monday through Thursday from July 1 through August 15 at 545 Purchase St., New Bedford. For more information, call 508-742-8650.
NorthStar Learning Centers
The HEAL Center at 95 Cedar St., New Bedford will host a Visual Arts Night (painting on canvases, aprons, doing sand art, while channeling the creativity of the youth) with Eden from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays; boxing with Wilson Mascarenhas from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays; game night from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays; a multimedia Art Night (making jewelry, ceramics, and mask making, and sign making) from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Thursdays. The program starts Wednesday, July 5, and runs through August 17 with a Youth Celebration Day on August 19. For more information or to register, please call Shawnte Paris at (508)-962-1999 or email at sparis@northstarlc.org.
Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford
Boys & Girls Club of Greater New Bedford will host activities that include technology, the arts, sports recreation, education, field trips, and more. They will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday beginning July 3 and running through Aug. 25 at 166 Jenney St., New Bedford. Call (508) 992-8011 for more information.
Community Boating Center
The Community Boating Center is hosting organized sailboat games and races and participating in the New Bedford Yacht Club summer race series. The program begins July 12 and runs through Aug. 16 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesdays at 1641 Padanaram Ave., New Bedford. Visit www.communityboating.org or call (508) 992-6219 for more information.
Discovery Language Academy
Discovery Language Academy will host evening workshops Monday through Thursday from 4:30 to 7 p.m. starting July 10 through Aug. 11 at 128 Union St., New Bedford. The workshops will include Healthy Cooking Classes by Coastal Foodshed, Yoga classes with New Bedford Wellness, Folkloric dance Classes, swimming classes at the YMCA, Arts classes with Eufemia Reis of House of Gamboa (local artist), etc. For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/discoverylanguageacademy.org/ or call 508-997-8295 to register.
Allen Haskell Gardens
The Trustees of Reservations is hosting nature and outdoor recreation-based games including fort building, birding, map and compass, nature art, gardening, cornhole, and yoga at the Allen Haskell Gardens. The program will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Mondays starting July 10 through Aug. 14 at 787 Shawmut Ave., New Bedford. Visit www.thetrustees.org/mobileadventures or call 857-328-0531 for more information.
Buttonwood Park
The Trustees of Reservations is hosting nature and outdoor recreation-based games including fort building, birding, map and compass, fishing, camping, nature art, gardening, nature cornhole tournaments, and yoga at Buttonwood Park. The program will be held from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays starting July 11 and running through Aug. 15 Buttonwood Park, Rockdale Ave., New Bedford. Visit www.thetrustees.org/mobileadventures or call 857-328-0531 for more information.
For a full list of programming, please visit DCR’s Summer Nights Program webpage.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Summer nights program bringing free recreation to New Bedford
