Baltimore Unveils Summer Youth Strategy And Curfew Plan

Baltimore City leaders on Wednesday announced the return of the city’s Summer Youth Engagement Strategy along with seasonal curfew enforcement efforts aimed at keeping young people safe, active, and connected throughout the summer months.

Now entering its fourth year, the initiative combines late-night programming, recreation opportunities, employment programs, and community outreach efforts that city officials say have contributed to a decline in youth violence across Baltimore.

According to city leaders, Baltimore has seen a 57% decrease in youth victims of nonfatal shootings since 2023, along with a more than 30% reduction in youth aggravated assault victims. Officials credit a combination of prevention programs, outreach efforts, and increased youth engagement opportunities for helping drive those numbers down.

Mayor Brandon Scott highlighted several accomplishments from previous summers, including more than 3,200 youth participating in Rec & Parks summer camps, nearly 1,800 attending “Rock the Block” community events, and more than 1,300 attending Splash Fest teen pool parties. The city also offered more than 8,600 YouthWorks jobs through nearly 700 employers while outreach teams reported hundreds of positive interactions with local youth.

“As always, our goal this summer is to keep our young people safe, connected, and engaged,” Scott said. “This summer, we’ll be ‘In the Mix in ’26’ with even more opportunities for our young people to make the most out of their summer break and stay safe.”

The strategy includes teen concerts, community block parties, pool parties at Druid Hill Park Pool, mobile recreation programs, basketball leagues, and extended recreation center hours on Friday and Saturday nights through mid-August.

Several recreation centers across the city will remain open until 11 p.m. with programming designed for teens and young adults ages 13 to 20.

Meanwhile, Baltimore’s summer curfew policy will begin the Friday before Memorial Day. Children under 14 are prohibited from being in public places between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m., while teens ages 14 to 17 must follow expanded nighttime curfew hours depending on the day of the week.

City officials say the goal is to provide safe spaces, meaningful activities, and employment opportunities to help keep youth engaged all summer long.