Mayor Wu and Office of Youth Engagement and Advancement Share Impact of Boston After Dark 2025

This summer's Boston After Dark event series engaged over 1,500 youth at 23 events across 15 neighborhoods between June and August.

Mayor Michelle Wu and the City of Boston's Office of Youth Engagement (OYEA) shared the impact of the 2025 Boston After Dark summer event series. Boston After Dark provides safe and fun opportunities for teenagers (14-18 years old) to be in community on Friday nights during the summer. During the first summer of Boston After Dark in 2024, OYEA hosted 18 events across 9 neighborhoods, serving 1,000 young people. With support from the Cummings Foundation and Boston's Children Hospital, this summer, OYEA expanded the initiative to coordinate 23 events across 15 neighborhoods from the end of June through August. Each took place between 5 - 9 p.m. at Boston Centers for Youth and Families (BCYF) and YMCA centers, with one event hosted at the Franklin Field Boston Housing Authority (BHA) teen center. This year's programming saw a 50 percent increase in attendance and engaged over 1,500 youth.

"This summer, Boston After Dark engaged over fifteen hundred young people with opportunities to stay active in their communities, from sports tournaments to talent shows," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "I am grateful to the Office of Youth Engagement and Advancement for not only leading this successful summer safety plan but their continuous work year-round, which is a critical step in making sure Boston remains the safest city in America."

The Boston After Dark initiative commenced in 2024 as a direct response to a pattern of youth violence seen in the summer of 2023. Along with community partners, OYEA recognized that many of these instances took place among young people already connected to summer programming, and identified a lack of opportunities for engagement after program or work hours as one crucial source. OYEA launched Boston After Dark to organize fun and safe spaces for teens during evening hours throughout the summer.

The expansion of this summer's Boston After Dark programming is supported by the recent findings of OYEA's Youth Speaks Boston survey, a citywide needs assessment that collected responses from 1650 Boston residents between the ages of 14-25. The results indicated that Boston youth prioritize events where they can "hang out with friends" (55 percent of survey respondents) that include opportunities to meet new people (56 percent), free food (49 percent), and feelings of community, belonging, and inclusivity (49 percent).

"Boston After Dark has shown us the power of creating safe, fun, and welcoming spaces for our city's teens during the summer months. From neighborhood basketball games to music and arts events, young people came together to connect, celebrate, and feel a sense of belonging in their communities," said Pedro Cruz, Executive Director of the Office of Youth Engagement and Advancement. "We are excited to expand these opportunities into school vacation weeks so that more young people can thrive year-round. Our young people deserve spaces where they can feel safe, supported, and inspired-and Boston After Dark is helping to make that vision a reality."

"I am proud of the team at the Office of Youth Engagement and Advancement and grateful to our partners at Boston Centers for Youth & Families, the YMCA, and Boston Housing Authority," said José F. Massó, Chief of Human Services. "This partnership shows that when we work together, we can make a big impact for the youth in our City."

All 23 Boston After Dark events were completely free and included food from local businesses, an ice cream truck, and exclusive merch. Every Friday night also featured a live youth DJ in partnership with Youth Options Unlimited (YOU) Boston, a photobooth, and giveaways of Sprayground backpacks and Red Sox tickets. Each Boston After Dark site hosted a different theme with a unique set of activities. Among these were roller skating, airbrush tattoos, face painting, dunk tanks, basketball tournaments, jewelry making, obstacle courses, water slides, barbecues, youth performances by 617Peak and Beat the Odds Boston, an inflatable nightclub, and a video game truck.

"Boston After Dark is really important for teens because it gives me and other teens a chance to hang out and connect. A lot of us just stay inside most of the time, but events like this give us friends, comfort, and a fun way to spend time together," said Boston After Dark attendee Mamaa Fofana, age 15.

"Boston After Dark events were a huge success this summer and served as a powerful way to connect with teens who may not have previously engaged with BCYF," said Marta E. Rivera, Commissioner of Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF). "These events provided safe, welcoming spaces for young people to come together, have fun, and build meaningful relationships with our staff and with one another. We're proud to offer these kinds of opportunities and remain deeply committed to developing programs that truly reflect and support the needs of Boston's youth."

Boston After Dark 2025 included expanded partnerships with youth-serving collaborators both within and outside the City, a manifestation of OYEA's aim to break down the silos that exist in the youth work field. Consolidating the strengths and resources of multiple organizations under a shared vision allowed a scale of programming beyond what would be possible through any one organization.

In addition to the intended audience of 14-18-year-old youth, Boston After Dark events this year were attended by the networks of youth participants' family members and friends, both older and younger. While Boston After Dark is first and foremost designed to meet the unique needs of teenagers, it is a program inclusive of all Boston residents.

"Hosting Boston After Dark at Gallivan Community Center has been nothing short of legendary. Every Friday night, Boston After Dark is creating a safe, high-energy space where teens can vibe, connect, and just be themselves," said Jose Rodriguez, Site Director of BCYF Gallivan. "This ain't just a program - it's memories in the making, and every young person should get to feel that love."

"These events offered young people a tangible way to see the commitment of the City, its leaders, and its organizations to building trust and empowerment by creating opportunities for them to take ownership of their community spaces. Teens appreciated knowing their community is invested in their well-being, and as a result, they showed great engagement and participation," said David Shapiro, Chief Executive Officer of YMCA of Greater Boston. "We hope this is the beginning of a long tradition of Boston After Dark and we're proud to serve as a host and partner with OYEA. It is a great new addition to our free summer memberships for all teens and expansive summer youth employment program in partnership with the City."

To learn more about Boston After Dark and see photos from this summer's events, visit boston.gov/after-dark. To stay informed about future events from the Office of Youth Engagement and Advancement, visit boston.gov/oyea, and follow our social channels @oyeaboston Facebook and Instagram, and @oyea.boston.gov on Bluesky.

• Published by: Youth Engagement and Advancement