Kansas City, MO — On Saturday, Mayor Sly James will kick off registration for Mayor’s Nights, the annual summertime offering of activities for youth and adults, starting next week and running through early August.
The Mayor’s Nights Registration Frenzy, featuring entertainment, snacks and prizes, will be held from 11am to 2pm at Brush Creek Community Center, 3801 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. Youth and adults are invited to attend and learn more about participating in Mayor’s Nights activities.
“This program offers a variety of interesting, fun activities so there is something for everyone,” said Mayor James. “I encourage all young people to register and invite their friends and family to get involved, too.”
The events and activities, which are held at community centers and many other locations, provide opportunities for youth and adults to play sports, dance, socialize, explore art and technology, and just have fun.
Registration for Hoops, Kicks and Nets closes June 10. Registration for Club KC is open all summer. Registrants will receive a free Mayor’s Nights VIP Card, which is required to participate in Mayor’s Nights events. Holders of a VIP Card from previous years need not register again.
Mayor’s Nights includes four major initiatives:
Club KC — Youth ages 11-18 can enjoy live DJs, dancing, basketball, swim parties, video games, arts, robotics, digital literacy empowering speakers, guest celebrities, concessions and much more from late May through early August. Partners in 2016 include Arts Tech KC, Atkins Group, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City, Guadalupe Center, Kansas City Public Library, KC Hoop, Swope Park Corridor, and Mattie Rhodes.
Night Hoops — Night Hoops, founded in 1992 and the longest-running Mayor’s Nights program, is an eight-week evening basketball league for youth and adults that not only focuses on basketball, but also offers youth-enrichment activities, job and professional development training and mentoring. Night Hoops is managed by Kansas City Parks & Recreation.
Night Kicks — This eight-week evening soccer program for both youth and adults is modeled after the World Cup Soccer tournament. The 2016 partner’s are Guadalupe Center and Mattie Rhodes.
Night Nets — Night Nets is an eight-week evening volleyball program for both youth and adults. The program also offers educational enrichment on topics such as health and wellness, financial literacy and more. Night Nets is managed by Kansas City Parks & Recreation.
An important objective of Mayor’s Nights is to give youth and young adults a wide variety of beneficial alternative activities during the summer evening months when more stringent youth curfew rules are in effect.
“Mayor’s Nights and Club KC provide ways for teens and adults to learn new skills, compete in a healthy manner and just have fun in a safe environment,” said Mayor James.
Kansas City’s more stringent curfew is enforceable from May 27 (the Friday of Memorial Day weekend) to Sept. 25 (the last Sunday in September) and will be supported by an appropriate increased police presence. For minors 15 and younger, the curfew is set at 10 p.m. For minors ages 16 and 17, the curfew is set at 11 p.m. in most parts of the City.
The City’s five entertainment districts — the Plaza, Westport, Downtown/Central Business District, 18th and Vine, and Zona Rosa — have a special curfew during summer months that requires anyone under 18 to be accompanied by a parent or guardian after 9 p.m. during those summer months.
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