Friday Night Nets is a youth violence prevention and engagement initiative sponsored by the City of Newport News and Newport News Parks & Recreation. Held every Friday from May 16 to August 22, 2025, this summer program creates a safe, welcoming environment for youth and young adults (elementary school through age 25) to connect, play, and thrive.

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Each event features:

Athletic activities like basketball and tennis
Video games, free food, and barbershop-style haircuts
Mentorship, games, music, and community-building fun

The results speak for themselves: the city has recorded a measurable decrease in youth violence on the nights Friday Night Nets is held.