INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — Indianapolis' "Summer in the City" program will move to weekend nights after youth said they needed safe weekend activities.
The free program will run Friday and Saturday nights from 6 to 10 p.m. starting June 12 through Aug. 29.
The Office of Public Health and Safety partnered with Let Them Talk Inc. to host the program. OPHS said it shifted to weekend evenings after conversations with youth last summer.
"We've spent a lot of time listening to and engaging with our youth and heard them loud and clear – they are looking for something to do at night on the weekends," Shardae Roper-Hoskins OPHS Administrator of Community Violence Reduction said.
The program serves youth ages 12 to 17 at the Brightwood-Forest Manor Community Center at 4062 E. 34th Street.
Each night includes DJ music, meals, group activities, conversations, games and competitions. Free transportation is provided.
The program is part of the city's broader youth violence prevention strategy.
"A key piece of violence prevention is ensuring young people have safe, positive ways to spend their time in the summer months," Mayor Joe Hogsett said.
WATCH | ‘Summer in the City’ offers teens a new activity each day to keep them out of trouble during summer months
The “Summer in the City” nightly schedule includes:
- 6–6:45 p.m.: Welcome, DJ music, open social time, relationship-building
- 6:45–8:15 p.m.: Meal service and high-energy group activities that encourage teamwork and engagement
- 8:15–8:45 p.m.: “Kickback Conversations” circles (interactive, peer-driven discussions facilitated by staff and partners)
- 8:45–10 p.m.: Games, competitions, incentives, and DJ music to close out the night in a positive and structured way. The program emphasizes a high-engagement model (90% experiential engagement, 10% guided discussion) to ensure youth remain engaged while receiving meaningful developmental support.
Registration is open HERE.
Alongside OPHS, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the Indy Public Safety Foundation are offering weekly summer programs. More information is available at this link.
