NYC Extends Sports Field Lighting Hours for Summer Recreation

Yisroel R.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura announced that sports field and court lighting will remain on for an additional hour at 50 recreation sites across New York City this summer, allowing permitted use until 11:00 p.m.

The program will run from June 11 through Labor Day weekend and will provide more than 4,000 additional hours of evening recreational activity on basketball courts, soccer fields, and other athletic facilities throughout the five boroughs. 

City officials said the expanded hours are intended to provide additional recreational opportunities for residents who are only able to access athletic facilities after work or during cooler evening temperatures. The program is expected to support youth sports, adult leagues, and community organizations that rely on public parks and athletic fields.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement, “My hope is that twenty years from now we have world-class strikers and power forwards whose journeys began right here in New York City when they found their neighborhood pitches and courts lit up late at night.”

“By adding 4,000 hours of free and low-cost recreation, NYC Parks prove it is one of the City’s most important affordability agencies,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson. “Extended lighting means more people can spend more time outdoors, building community and enjoying their local parks.“

A full list of participating locations, and requests for a location permits can be found at the NYC Parks website.