Suffolk Parks and Recreation is gearing up to celebrate the 15th annual nationwide Lights on Afterschool event for the first time this year.

Lights on Afterschool is the only event celebrating after-school programs across America and how they enrich the lives of children, families and communities.

From 3 to 7 p.m. next Thursday, the celebration will involve events and activities at Suffolk’s various joint-use recreation centers and East Suffolk Recreation Center.

Antonio Hill, supervisor at Mack Benn Jr. Recreation Center, said he has organized the program across the city together with Rebecca Skinner.

“This is our first year doing it here,” Hill said. “It’s important to bring the outside families in.

“We are not only a day care — we provide arts and crafts, we do field trips, we do different clubs, we have vendors come in.”

As well as Mack Benn, located at 1253 Nansemond Parkway, celebrations Thursday will happen at Booker T. Washington, 204 Walnut St.; Creekside, 1000 Bennetts Creek Park Road; Northern Shores, 6701 Respass Beach Road; Oakland, 5505 Godwin Blvd.; East Suffolk Recreation Center, 138 S. Sixth St. (3-6 p.m.); and King’s Fork Recreation Center, which will hold a youth-only event from 2 to 5 p.m. and activities for youth and families from 5 to 7 p.m.

As an example of what’s in store at the free celebration, Mack Benn will have displays and demonstrations by Dynamic Movements, the school’s parent-teacher association, Girl Scouts and East Suffolk Steppers.

There will also be face painting, soccer, cheering, arts and crafts, games and tours with Mack Benn staff.

The city wants to promote its after-school programs, Hill said.

“When the school doors are closed, we are here to provide those extra activities,” he said. “We are definitely going to shine a light on what we do to provide things to the community and families.”

Hill hopes for greater participation in before- and after-school programs, “especially in the area of Mack Benn and Booker T. Washington.”

“We closed the sites a year or two ago, and we are reopening them for this school year,” he said. “Our numbers are down a bit.”

During the school year, the centers operate from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. before school, and 3:30 to 6 p.m. after school.

Catering to ages 5 to 12, as well as 4-year-olds registered in preschool, the before-school program cost $90, and the after-school program costs $115. Both programs together are $190. In addition, registration costs $35.

A separate program operates during the summer.

Children currently in the program have been working on entries in a national poster competition as part of the celebrations, Hill said, which will be judged locally by staff at Suffolk Art Gallery.