The first official day of summer may be marked on the calendar as June 20, but a big celebration to welcome its arrival is happening tomorrow evening at ACT Park.

The City of Swift Current's third annual Kickoff to Summer event gets underway at 5:30 p.m. and runs for two hours. 

Krista Caswell, community recreation coordinator, is excited to introduce community members to the City's summer team members and answer any questions that residents might have. 

"We want to connect with families before we officially kick off our summer programs," she said. "It's just a great way for parents to meet the leaders who are going to be interacting with their kids in the summer."

A free barbecue courtesy of the ACT Club will be provided as they partner with the City again for the event.

Summer programs officially begin on July 2, with some community favourites returning.

Families in the Park runs Monday through Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., aimed for newborns to five-year-olds and their families.

Kids aged six to 11 can enjoy Parks Play on Mondays at Highland Park, Tuesdays and Thursdays at Saulteaux and ACT Parks, and on Wednesdays and Fridays at Riverside and Westside Parks. 

Multi-sport programs have undergone a few changes, including an expansion of ages. Different sports are played each week and require a pre-registration for each week. Age groups that can take advantage of this program are seven to 10, and 11 to 14. 

Youth aged 12 to 14 can look forward to The Zone, which takes place at The Center Mondays through Thursdays with Field Trip Fridays. 

"All of our programs are absolutely free; we want all the kids to get out and have some fun and be safe," Caswell added. "There's lots to do ... definitely no time to be bored in the City of Swift Current in the summer."

For more details on the upcoming summer programs, or to register now, head to the City of Swift Current website.