Families can cool off for free this weekend as the Merrimack Valley YMCA opens its pools for a community Splash Bash in honor of World Drowning Prevention Day.

The event runs Saturday, July 25, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Andover/North Andover YMCA, 165 Haverhill St., and features all three indoor pools, water slides, bounce houses and water games. Advance registration is required.

The free afternoon also highlights the importance of water safety. Drowning is the leading cause of preventable death for children ages 1 to 4 and the second-leading cause of unintentional injury death for children ages 5 to 14, according to the World Health Organization.

"Safety around water is a vital part of our work at Y," Merrimack Valley YMCA President and CEO Francis J. Kenneally III said. "We're proud to be the place where many children in our communities learn to swim and we will continue to make swim lessons accessible to all."

The YMCA taught more than 3,600 people to swim in 2025 and will have information available Saturday about year-round lessons and financial assistance.

The event also marks one of the first opportunities for families to enjoy all three indoor pools since the Andover branch completed its roof renovation earlier this year.

Splash Bash is free and open to the public. Registration is available through the Merrimack Valley YMCA.