Since 1985, America has celebrated July as the nation's official Park and Recreation Month. The 2019 theme for NRPA's Park and Recreation Month is Game On, so start lacing up your fun shoes!

You can celebrate by heading out to your favorite local park, recreation center, or pool during July and sharing photos via social media using #GameOnJuly.

Created by NRPA, Park and Recreation Month specifically highlights the vital and powerful role local parks and recreation play in conservation, health and wellness, and social equity efforts in communities all across the country.

This year, it's all about highlighting the fun, games, and exciting offerings at your local parks and recreation centers. From providing special events to exciting sports leagues and everything in between, these parks and recreation centers have a wide variety of programs that are not only fun, they also bring the community together.

NRPA and NAA are encouraging everyone to get out there and get in the game in their own way at their local parks and recreation centers. July is the perfect time to highlight all the benefits parks and recreation provides, such as directly contributing to reduced obesity rates, an improved ecosystem, and increased property values.

NRPA also encourages everyone that supports parks and recreation to share how they are Game On for parks and recreation with the hashtag #GameOnJuly.

For more information about Park and Recreation month, visit NRPA.

Photo courtesy of NRPA.