Urban parks are more than just grassy knolls for
picnics, strolls and the occasional Frisbee toss. They host neighborhood events,
classes and concerts throughout the year. Brooklyn’s Prospect Park is no exception!
Truly a family-friendly destination, with its Carousel and stables, this lush
586-acre paradise from the pavement (designed by the same landscape architects
who designed Central Park), has
its own lake and BK’s only forest. —
Here’s a quick guide to upcoming summer fun:
ALL SUMMER
The
Greenmarket at Grand Army Plaza (Saturdays): Prospect Park’s
farmer’s market offers an abundance of fresh produce, local wine and honey.
Take your children on a tour of the fruit and veggie stands (and get a move on
for cultivating a foodie kid).
Birdwatching
Tours (Saturdays): Stroll on over to the Audubon Center, the park’s
wildlife preservation and nature center, for an Introduction to Birdwatching, a
free, hour-and-a-half walking tour where participants can learn about the 250
species of birds that inhabit the Park.
Lefferts
Historic House Second Floor Tour (Saturdays & Sundays): This
free tour allows families to view antiques from the 19th Century and walk into
a fully furnished bedroom from the 1820’s. Visitors can also play with
traditional toys and games.
Nature
Crafts for Kids (Saturdays & Sundays): Little ones can create
beautiful works of art from all-natural, recyclable materials at the Boathouse.
Coffee
Bark (First Saturday of every month): FIDO (Fellowship in the
Interest of Dogs and their Owners), invites dog owners and their four-legged
friends to meet in the park for free goodies.
JULY AND AUGUST ONLY
Macy’s
Fishing Clinics (Saturdays): Kids ages 15 years and under can
learn about the recreational sport of fishing, fish safety, and the proper
fishing techniques during these free clinics.
Ezra
Jack Keats Story Hour (Saturdays): Children can listen to Brooklyn native
Ezra Jack Keats’ tales in the park. Prepare to be spellbound!
Summer
Songs and Stories (Sundays): Storyteller and musician, Tammy
Hall, will enchant kids with ancient tales, folklore and music from around the
globe.
Free
Carousel Rides (Every Thursday in August): Little ones ages 12 and
under can ride Prospect Park’s
Carousel for free every Thursday in August. The Carousel, located in the park’s
Children’s Corner, features 51 wonderfully carved horses, a lion, a giraffe and
even two dragon-pulled chariots.
SPECIALTY
EVENTS
Celebrate
Brooklyn! (July 16 & 21): Celebrate
Brooklyn! is New
York’s longest-running, free, outdoor summer
concert series. On Saturday, July 16, Dan
Zanes and the Brooklyn Youth Orchestra will headline the annual Ezra Jack
Keats Family Concert. And on Thursday, July 21, come out to the Bandshell for a
West Side Story Dance & Sing-Along.
Twilight
Tour (Select Summer Thursdays): Looking for a romantic evening sans
the kiddos? Twilight Tours commence
with a wine-and-cheese reception followed by a tour of the park’s river,
Lullwater, in their electric boat, “Independence.” After
the boat ride, an Audubon Center
naturalist will lead a nighttime Bat Walk. Reservations required; limited
availability.
Food
Truck Rally (Third Sundays from June-October): The NYC
Food Truck Association and Prospect Park Alliance are bringing good eats (like
the Red Hook Lobster Pound and Kimchi Taco) to the park during their Food Truck
Rally, where some of the City’s best food trucks will gather to offer
scrumptious street food.
Brooklyn Loves Michael Jackson (Saturday, August
27): Come to the great green space in celebration of the King of Pop’s
birthday. The free event will be filmed by Spike Lee for an upcoming project
documenting Michael Jackson’s birthday celebration.
For a few other reasons of why we love the park,
see our top 15 list that we culled last year. And for more information about Prospect Park please
click here.
