“Free 4 the Weekend” is offering students a safe, sober and free alternative to the party scene this weekend. Teens who sign the pledge form at their schools will receive an official wristband good for offers of free food, parties and merchandise from local businesses.

Santa Barbara will be “Fighting Back” against drugs and alcohol from Friday, April 17, through Sunday, April 19. More than 7,000 junior and high school students from Carpinteria to Goleta are expected to participate, according to organization officials.

Local community organizations have joined in to encourage teens to be drug, alcohol and tobacco-free by providing free events and opportunities. The Santa Barbara Public Library will kick off the weekend by showing a free movie at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Each school will also have its own set of celebratory, free events for the students who pledge to be free of drugs for the weekend.

Participating businesses include: Starbucks, McDonald’s, Cold Stone Creamery, Zodo’s Bowling and Beyond, California Pizza Kitchen, Los Banos Pool, YMCA, Isla Vista Teen Center, Carp Sports, Ben and Jerry’s, Foster’s Freeze, Giovanni’s Pizza, Mesa Pizza, Petcetera, PJ’s Hallmark, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara Public Library, Carpinteria Museum of History, Aikido Kenkyukai, Ty Warner Sea Center, Wheel Fun Rentals, Yoga Soup, Metropolitan Transit District, Baskin Robbins, Wahoo’s Tacos, Sephora, Art From Scrap, Trader Joes, Lazy Acres Market, Fairview Gardens, Santa Barbara Zoo, Shepard Place Pharmacy, Great American Baseball Cards, The Chocolate Gallery, The Spot and Woodstock’s Pizza.