Park and Recreation Month 2024

Austin Parks and Recreation is celebrating Park and Recreation Month this July by highlighting all the ways parks and recreation builds belonging in communities across the country. This year’s Park and Recreation Month theme – “Where You Belong” – celebrates the many ways park and recreation professionals across the country foster a sense of belonging in their community by providing welcoming and inclusive programs, essential services for all ages and abilities, and safe, accessible spaces to build meaningful connection.

Since 1985, the United States has 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 – who maintain our country’s local, state and community parks.

Through efforts by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), the U.S. House of Representatives passed an official resolution for Park and Recreation Month in 2009 and introduced the resolution in 2017 and 2018. The services that park and recreation professionals provide are vital to our communities – from protecting open spaces and natural resources to helping fight obesity and providing activities and resources for all people. 

Park and Recreation Month encourages everyone to reflect on the exponential value park and recreation professionals bring to communities. It’s time to share why parks and recreation is Where You Belong! We  encourage Austinites to share how parks and recreation has improved their lives on social media using #WhereYouBelong. For more information on Park and Recreation Month, visit nrpa.org/july.