Since 1985, people in the United States have celebrated Park and Recreation Month in July to promote building strong, vibrant, and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation and to recognize the more than 160,000 full-time park and recreation professionals — along with hundreds of thousands of part-time and seasonal workers and volunteers — that maintain our country’s local, state and community parks.
The services that park and recreation professionals provide are vital for our communities — from protecting open space and natural resources to helping fight obesity and providing activities and resources for all people. This has been especially true throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Park and Recreation Month encourages everyone to reflect on the exponential value park and recreation professionals bring to communities.
According to a 2021 NRPA Park Pulse poll, more than nine in ten U.S. adults say it is important for local government to invest in community infrastructure, such as parks, community centers, recreation facilities, and senior centers.
It’s time to share how We Rise Up for Parks and Recreation! We’re celebrating Park and Recreation Month this July by highlighting all the ways our communities are stronger, more vibrant, and more resilient because of parks and recreation.
NRPA encourages all people that support parks and recreation to share how parks and recreation has improved their lives on social media using #RiseUpJuly.
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