As summer comes to a close, Peekskill had a memorable season! From large-scale celebrations on the Riverfront to hands-on youth programs, family-friendly events in our parks, and opportunities for residents of all ages, there was no shortage of activity across our City. Below is a recap of our summer, showcasing what makes Peekskill such a vibrant and welcoming community.
We kicked off the summer season with our spectacular Fourth of July celebration at the Riverfront, where more than 18,000 people came together to enjoy live music from Ladies of the 80s and an incredible fireworks show. Earlier that morning, the Peekskill Volunteer Firefighters Association organized our annual Fourth of July parade through the downtown, bringing plenty of community spirit.
Also, as part of our summer festivities, we held our annual National Night Out event on Tuesday, August 5th, in Pugsley Park as part of a special evening dedicated to strengthening relationships between the community and our Police Department. The night featured food, games, giveaways, and live music — showcasing Peekskill’s community spirit.
This year, the City partnered with the Peekskill School District, & YWCA of White Plains & Central Westchester for its Freedom School, a free six-week summer literacy and empowerment program for children in grades K-5, and Camp Funkist, a camp for youth ages 4 – entering 6th grade. The school district hosted the Freedom School, which was rooted in cultural pride, joyful learning, and social action, while Camp Funkist in the city provided youth with activities that included swimming, arts, sports, STEM, musical theater, games, natured-themed weeks, and specials. A special thank you to the PCSD & YWCA of White Plains & Central Westchester for bringing these programs to our youth, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with them.
Our Parks and Recreation Department provided plenty of programs and activities for all ages to enjoy this summer. Whether it was swimming at the Depew Park Veterans Memorial Pool, enjoying free music at the Riverfront as part of the Summer Concert Series, free family-friendly films at Pugsley Park as part of our Family Movies in the Park Series, or playing on our new pickleball courts, it was a summer full of memories.
This year, our Parks and Recreation Department provided its Teen Escape Camp for youth in grades 6-9, a Creative Arts Camp for youth in grades 1-7, and a financial literacy camp for youth in grades K-2, 3-6, and 7-12 through SPARK Business Academy. The Teen Escape Camp provided a balanced mix of recreational and social experiences with trips to amusement parks, arcades, bowling, baseball games, and water parks. Our Creative Arts Camp provided youth with instruction in drama, art, music, dance, and crafts, as well as visits to local studios and performance sites. This summer, SPARK Business Academy, a new addition to our programming, provided our youth with an innovative financial literacy camp with programs ranging from entrepreneurship, STEM challenges, and financial skills. We are so grateful for the Summer Youth Enrichment Grant from NewYork-Presbyterian to fund SPARK.
The Youth Bureau had another busy summer, which included its Rising Stars Summer Program for youth ages 10-13, providing them with academic support, leadership training, and the addition of sports programming. The Summer Youth Employment Program provided youth ages 14-20 with paid summer youth experiences that helped them explore career paths, develop job readiness skills, and earn income. A new program added this year at the Youth Bureau was its Environmental Leaders of Color, a vibrant program for high school students to educate communities about energy and environmental best practices, which also included our popular Rising Tide Boat Building program. On Wednesday, August 13th, over 60 youth were recognized at the Youth Bureau for participating in this season’s programming as part of its summer celebration.
In addition to all of our camps and programming, the Peekskill Community Kitchen Program, with funding from the Peekskill Facilities Development Corporation, offered an eight-week food service training for youth ages 18–24 during the summer months. Participants trained with professional chefs, earned stipends, and received three-year Safe Food Handling Certificates, opening doors and introducing our youth to future careers.
To close out the summer, the Youth Bureau held its 10th Annual Back to School Supply Giveaway on Thursday, August 21st at the Youth Bureau, which provided backpacks and supplies to over 1,000 youth. A special thank you to all the community partners and organizations who donated the backpacks and supplies so our youth can start the school year prepared and ready to learn.
As we look ahead to the fall months, we are excited to roll out our new garbage signs and launch a littering campaign educating residents and business owners on proper garbage disposal. We are also looking forward to the Peekskill Shines Together Festival presented by the Human Relations Commission on Saturday, September 13th, from 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm at the Riverfront, and also the return of our Depew Park Fun Day and Touch a Truck event on Saturday, September 27th, from 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm at Depew Park.
I hope that your summer was a memorable one, and together let us continue to make Peekskill a city where everyone thrives.
Sincerely,
Matt Alexander
City Manager
