Mayor Ras J. Baraka will host the annual 24 Hours of Peace event, starting Friday, August 28, at 6 p.m., and continuing to Saturday, August 29, at 6 p.m., on Halsey and Market Streets in downtown Newark.
The free event is sponsored by the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery (OVPTR) and the Brick City Peace Collective (BCPC).
The festival uses hip-hop culture to engage the community and foster meaningful dialogue centered on nonviolence and conflict resolution. This year’s gathering comes as Newark continues to record significant public safety gains. According to data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association, Newark recorded a 64.7% decline in homicides during the first half of 2026, dropping from 17 to six—the steepest decline among 66 major U.S. law enforcement agencies surveyed.
“This is the 16th year of a transformational tradition in Newark that places hip hop as a fulcrum to raise honesty, free communication, non-violent advocacy, healing, and peace,” said Mayor Baraka. “Music unites us and becomes an even deeper part of our city’s identity with this event each year.”
Empowering Local Talent and National Stars
Mayor Baraka founded 24 Hrs. of Peace 16 years ago while serving as South Ward Council Member, expanding it into a citywide event after his election as mayor in 2014. Beginning with a small stage towed into an open space with lights powered by a car battery, the festival now attracts thousands of residents and features dozens of local retail and food vendors.
Over the years, the event has helped launch local talent to national prominence, including singer and actress Leah Jene, K’Lynn Jackman (Broadway’s The Lion King), and child motivational speaker King Nahh. Past headliners include Newark’s Queen Latifah, Faith Evans, Rah Digga, Ghostface Killah, Mýa, DaBaby, Fat Joe, Savion Glover, Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, and Treach from Naughty by Nature.
This year’s talent lineup features 30 local acts selected from hundreds of auditions to highlight homegrown talent alongside national performers. Newark Chief of Staff Amiri Baraka, Jr. and hip-hop artist Hakim Green, co-founders of the event, return as co-hosts to lead a roster of local spoken word poets, performing ensembles, and DJs.
A Holistic Approach to Public Safety
The festival serves as the finale of Newark’s Peace Week, providing a direct channel for city departments to distribute information about critical community resources. As part of the week’s activities, OVPTR will also host “Love, Newark Movie Night — OVPTR Connection,” an outdoor 21+ event at 35 Treat Place on Friday at 7 p.m., featuring a screening of Love Jones, food, and interactive experiences.
Since 2014, the Baraka administration has treated crime reduction as a public health issue. Key initiatives include the establishment of Community Street Teams, the Newark Anti-Violence Coalition, My Brother’s Keeper, the Shani Baraka Women’s Center, and OVPTR, which provides trauma-informed care addressing education, family dynamics, and addiction.
“24 Hrs. of Peace is more than a festival—it is a movement that brings people together from Newark and across the country around a shared message of love, peace, purpose, and unity,” said Deputy Mayor of Public Safety LaKeesha Eure.
BCPC Director Jessiah Paul emphasized that the event reflects year-round community strategy. “It represents the daily work happening across Newark to prevent violence, support healing, and strengthen public safety,” Paul said. “Newark continues to stand as a model city for violence prevention through an ecosystem of community partners, credible messengers, service providers, law enforcement, residents, and City leadership working together.”
OVPTR Director Kyleesha Wingfield-Hill added, “The Office of Violence Prevention & Trauma Recovery is proud to continue our tradition of co-sponsoring 24 Hrs. of Peace—a space where our residents can celebrate, connect, and feel safe, seen, and supported.”
