Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Highlights ‘The City of Wins’

 Mayor Ras J. Baraka  highlighted Newark’s 2026 summer of impact and applauded City Hall directors for successful and often record-breaking performances as they facilitated a safe, productive and fun summer to residents of all ages, local businesses, and visitors.

“Newark grabbed national headlines for the steepest decline in homicides this summer, but we celebrated successes every day that define what it means to be a Newarker,” said Mayor Baraka. “It means we provided summer jobs to our youth, we supported kids from justice-impacted families, and we used our juvenile curfew to engage young people and connect them to services. It means we planted trees to beautify our beloved city. We sang and danced at festivals. We protected our most vulnerable residents and had each other’s back.”

Following are sample highlights that illustrate the wide range of events, programs and accomplishments enjoyed by Newark this Summer.

Newark led the country in decreasing homicides this summer, with a drop of 64.7%. in the first half of 2026 compared to 2025. The City’s Juvenile Summer Curfew program recorded an all-time high of 2,324 engagements with at-risk youth, fulfilling its mission to not arrest kids, but to have dialog that identifies needs and connects their families to services. Through August 23, there were zero youth fatalities and zero youth shootings during curfew hours.

Newark hosted Peace Week from August 20 to August 29. Programming included local artists, musicians, and presenters; Saving Our Girls, an event on human trafficking awareness and prevention; Senior Village; Bike for Peace; and a Memorial Vigil. The week culminated with “24 Hrs. of Peace,” the annual event that is emblematic of the efforts used daily, year-round that have distinguished Newark as the country’s #1 city in crime reduction. Through music, dialogue, wellness programming, and community engagement, the initiative is an integral part of Newark’s broader violence-prevention and public-safety strategy. It creates a safe environment for residents, promotes nonviolence and conflict resolution, connects families with resources, and reinforces the City’s continuous commitment to peace, healing, and stronger neighborhoods.

The FIFA World Cup came to New Jersey this summer. 144,000 Newark residents and visitors attended the Newark Fan Village, which screened all 104 World Cup matches over all 39 days and featured Newark artists, entertainment, and small businesses. The Fan Village reported zero public-safety incidents and produced approximately 5 million digital impressions. The FIFA games also swelled the number of free microtransit rides to 16,000 during the summer months, coinciding with Newark being ranked fourth in “Best U.S. Cities to Live Without a Car.”

To spotlight just one of Newark’s countless athletic and sports programs, Newark’s six municipal pools welcomed 54,178 swimmers this summer. 37 lifeguards were hired, with ongoing weekly training. On August 6, two lifeguards responded to a swimmer having a medical emergency. The swimmer was rescued, resuscitated and transported to a hospital for care.

As one of the top three hottest urban heat islands in the country, Newark issued extreme heat advisories for a total of 15 days and poor air quality alerts for 11 days. It distributed more than 5,000 protective masks, and operated numerous drop-in sites and cooling sites through its heat advisory system.

Through the Sun-Up program 302,864 nutritious breakfasts and lunches were fed to kids during the school break.

This summer, Newark brought its yearly tree planting total to 576, representing 67 different species, and added 43,741 square feet of green space. It also launched its Cool Roofs Newark initiative, with five building rooftop installations totaling 20,100 square feet of reflective white coating, to lower building temperatures. Additionally, Newark’s website launched its new dynamic Heat Data Dashboard to help residents track weather’s impact on city life in real time.

The Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) received a record number of applicants this year. 1,627 participants between the ages of 14 and 24 were placed with employers and attended training in leadership, communication, financial literacy, professionalism, and workplace expectations. 92% of SYEP Next Gen participants opened bank accounts through the program. 48% of participants were new to SYEP.

Mayor Baraka and his city department directors held 10 “Mayor’s Community Walks” in all five wards, spending a more than 15 hours on neighborhood streets, gathering input from residents, and addressing quality of life issues. The Department of Public Works and the People’s Assembly coordinated 20 “Brick City Cleanups” rotating through the wards on weekend mornings and enlisting nearly 1,000 volunteers along the way.

Newark’s Arts & Education District partnered with more than 50 programs and events this summer, including the Newark Fan Village, Latin Festival, and the Newark Caribbean Festival. Pop-up Playstreets, movie nights and other neighborhood leisure activities drew 3,581 residents outside for Safe Summer events.

There are many projects and initiatives planned in Newark in the coming months to finish the year strong, but this weekend, the city is taking time to celebrate its best summer yet.