Author: Ellie Watts

c. Prospect Park Alliance

Get to Know the New Carousel Manager

April 2, 2024

Have you met the friendly new face at Prospect Park’s beloved Carousel? Longtime Brooklynite, David Rabig, is Prospect Park Alliance’s new Carousel Manager. The Carousel season has kicked off and park goers can stop by the historic park destination from 12 – 5 pm on Thursdays – Sundays to take a spin and say hello to David. As the season kicks off, get to know David and hear about his passion for the power of imagination and excitement for the season ahead.

With a lifelong passion for hospitality, imagination and working with kids, David has lived near Prospect Park for many years and wondered if there was a place for him in the park and what that might look like. “When I saw the Carousel Manager job description–it hit so many points that I felt were really well suited for me and merged my experiences working with kids, maintenance handiwork and hospitality. I’m just so thrilled to be a part of it.” 

Previously, David worked at a theater education company called Child’s Play New York which hosts afterschool programs for elementary school aged kids. In his search for this role, David shares, “It’s important to me to be in a role where I can be around kids and embrace imaginative play, laughter and joy.” 

David shares his awe in the craftsmanship behind the carousel “It’s remarkable just how unbelievably solid it is. It reminds me a lot of The Cyclone on Coney Island, which works incredibly well and is really cool since it’s been around for more than 100 years.” The Carousel’s unique and storied carving style is also a highlight, “I feel like the horses may look a little scary at first and then you start looking at more details and they become more beautiful the more you look at them. The Coney Island style that the Carousel’s artist, Charles Carmel, used shows the horses in-action huffing and puffing and bearing their teeth in a really unique way.” 

In the season ahead, David most looks forward to crafting an environment where kids are smiling and laughing. “Kids show up waiting at the gate for the Carousel to open and the wonder that you see in their eyes is just fantastic.” David says his main goal in the role is simple: to make everyone feel like they belong at the Carousel; that they are welcome there and that it’s a place for kids to be themselves. For the few minutes that the ride is on, David hopes that kids can feel like that’s their horse, and can experience the feeling of excitement and specialness that comes with that.

Stop by and see the beloved Carousel horses and say hello to David this season from from 12 – 5 pm on Thursday – Sunday and holidays.

c. Martin Seck

What’s Blooming in Prospect Park?

April is National Native Plant Month and spring is in full bloom here in Prospect Park! You may have already spotted some early-blooming flowers like native ephemerals and ornamental perennial bulbs peeking through, and the change in season means even more flowers, vines, shrubs and trees will make our green oasis a spring wonderland in the coming weeks. Prospect Park Alliance’s Landscape Management team has been diligently preparing the park’s landscapes and natural areas for the season ahead and caring for the park’s countless plant species to make Brooklyn’s Backyard haven for wildlife such as pollinators and people alike during this vibrant season.

Take a look at where to find Prospect Park Alliance’s top spots for Spring blooms, from little-known park destinations to classic landscapes. While you explore the park’s blossoming meadows, forests, and more, remember to help your park thrive by admiring blooms from afar and leaving leaves, petals and berries on trees for the wildlife who depend on them to thrive. These plants help contribute to our healthy park ecosystem, ensuring that our beloved green space can flourish for generations to come for our community of people, plants and animals to enjoy.

Pink cherry blossoms above Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch c. Martin Seck + Cherry Plum flowers in Grand Army Plaza c. Bianca Nelson

Grand Army Plaza

Grand Army Plaza is Prospect Park’s formal entrance, and features some of the park’s most ornamental flowers and trees. Among them, early-blooming cherry trees and daffodils are the first to arrive. April welcomes Eastern redbud and pink-flowering cherry trees that give way to the white Silverbells in May. As summer approaches, watch for the clustered bottlebrush buckeye flowers.

Imagination Playground Flower Field

Near Prospect Park’s Imagination Playground, a park destination beloved by kids and families for inspiring wonder and whimsy, you’ll find a native flower field complete with complimentary vibrant sights. Budding yellow Ovate Golden Ragwort is a must-stop for the park’s many pollinators. Eastern Red Columbine’s red and yellow tubular petals can be spotted. Plus, purple wood violets will be sprouting in mid-April along with the cheery bundles of Golden Alexander.

LeFrak Center at Lakeside

At Lakeside, the spring blooms attract park visitors and wildlife alike! Park goers who visit the greenroof at Lakeside in early spring will be able to catch the vibrant yellows, oranges and reds of Witch Hazel. As April advances, Lakeside receives a fresh coating of delicate white blossoms from the many Serviceberry, Chokeberry, Cherry laurels, and Foxglove Beardtongue that are buzzing with activity, as well as blooms of yellow from the Fragrant Sumac and Spicebush. Late spring brings with it a crescendo of flowering dogwoods and dewberries, and those with a keen eye might just spot a few of the subtle, deep purple blossoms of Lakeside’s paw paw trees!

Eastern Redbud tree c. Martin Seck (left) + a bed of perennial ornamental bulb flowers in full bloom in Carmen’s Garden. c. Prospect Park Alliance (right)

Litchfield Villa

The historic Litchfield Villa is a well-known destination for flower lovers. In April, tulips and Juneberries electrify Carmen’s Garden, located directly in front of the pre-Civil War-era mansion, heralding the arrival of warm weather. In May, blossoming crabapple and hawthorn trees paint the landscape in pinks and whites, while native perennials like Joe-pye-weed replace the fading ornamental tulips. Plus, don’t forget to head around to the back of the Litchfield Villa to spot the cream-colored flowering dogwood trees.

Light purple Creeping Phlox blooms in Prospect Park c. John Suhar + Magnolia blossoms by the Long Meadow c. Martin Seck

Long Meadow

Passing through the Meadowport or Endale Arch in mid-April, visitors are welcomed by the peach and white bouquet of magnolia and dogwood trees that line the Long Meadow’s north end. The warmer weather brings out lilacs, as well as the hanging flowers of the yellowwood tree. Later in the season, enjoy the view under the shade of a flowering linden tree, and take in the sweet scent of the oakleaf hydrangea near the Picnic House.

Spring Pollination Beauty Shot-Close Up

Pollinators making the most of spring in Brooklyn’s Backyard. c. Jabari Taylor

Ravine

Prospect Park’s bustling natural areas provide a plentiful stop on any bloom-focused tour of the park. Head across Binnen Bridge, past the Nethermead and into the forest to find spicebush with its clusters of yellow flowers and small red fruits that are rich in nutrients for small birds that depend on this native plant. Pond edges are home to chokeberry, and American elderberry – which are native shrubs that will later feature berries that attract a variety of wildlife, making them instrumental in the health and diversity of Prospect Park’s thriving natural habitats. 

Plus, keep your eyes peeled for the native bulbs of White baneberry, also known as “doll’s eyes,” and the airy flowers of False Solomon’s Seal in the lower midwood area of Prospect Park’s forest, along with flowering raspberry plants, and the rare and lively Pinxter azalea which will add a vibrant pop of color to the evergreening woodland areas. As you admire the forest blooms, remember to stay on mulched paths at all times to Be a Park Champion and help your park thrive with every visit. 

Bartel-Pritchard Square

Prospect Park is home to a few dedicated pollinator habitat gardens. In addition to Grand Army Plaza and Carmen’s Garden, Bartel-Pritchard Square features a variety of springtime blooms beloved by the birds, bees and butterflies that can be seen this time of year. Admire these buzzing beings from afar as they pollinate and take a look at the arching Carolina allspice – complete with unique maroon flowers that smell of strawberry anchor the native pollinator friendly beds. Plus, don’t miss the old-fashioned weigela, an ornamental shrub with beautiful trumpet-shaped lavender flowers.

Want to see these blooms and more in Brooklyn’s Backyard? Make the most of the season and plan your visit to Prospect Park.

c. Grace Jeon / Smorgasburg

Smorgasburg Announces New 2024 Vendors

March 28, 2024

Everyone’s favorite outdoor food market is back in Prospect Park! Kicking off its 14th season on Sunday April 7, Smorgasburg Prospect Park is back on Breeze Hill every Sunday through October. Presented in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance, this year’s Smorgasburg Prospect Park features over 60 new and returning vendors ranging from first-generation, immigrant-owned businesses and family-operated eateries to market debuts and long-time NYC-established and loved spots.

We hope you have worked up an appetite this winter because highlights include fragrant Ethiopian stews with fresh 100% teff-flour injera from Emeye Ethiopian cuisine, Hawaii-style street comforts like octopus poke tacos and garlic soy chicken sandos by Mama Guava at Kalihi, Jamaican favorites from Tosh’s Patties complete with top ingredients, Lisbonata’s Portuguese custard tarts, pastéis de nata, and so much more. This year’s Smorgasburg season opens with a remarkable breadth and depth of new vendors. The full, mouth-watering lineup of new vendors coming to Prospect Park is below:

Double(s) or Nothin’ Flatbush born-and-raised registered nurse turned chef Renee Davis emphasizes the iconic street food’s “importance within the Trinidadian cuisine panel.” Doubles, or curried chickpeas between barra, gets dressed up with curry goat, shrimp curry, callaloo and more. The business name not only plays on this iconic food, but nods to Davis’s mother’s resilience and commitment making a way for her family in New York as a first-generation immigrant.

Emeye Ethiopian Cuisine Meaning “mother” in Amharic, Emeye serves traditional dishes like meser wet (red lentils with the spice blend berbere) and sega wet (slow cooked beef with berbere and caramelized onions), all served with fresh, 100% teff–flour injera, the fermented flatbread that chef Ferehiwot Sheffield describes as “the backbone of Ethiopian food.” After years of working in other Ethiopian spots, she launched Emeye to introduce a wider audience to the beauty of Ethiopian food and culture—and of perfect injera.

Je T’aime Patisserie French pastry with self-described “Black girl spin,” Jatee Kearsley’s Je T’aime Patisserie is “made from love, made in love, and made to extend love to our community” in Bed Stuy. A self-taught baker known for her neighborhood bake sales as a teenager in Queens, Kearsley brings classic viennoiserie to the people plus weekend specials like a churro-inspired croissant filled with spicy chocolate or a matcha croissant, each layer laminated with matcha butter, stuffed with pineapple cream.

Kalihi Monique Cadavona aka Mama Guava aims to share “real Hawaii food” with New York: food influenced by a range of Asian, Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian ingredients and techniques, interpreted through her private events and catering business, Guava Story, and now her new street food offshoot, Kalihi. Flavors of Cadavona’s Hawaii are showcased at Kalihi through dishes like octopus poke tacos and garlic soy chicken sandos piled with cucumber kimchi and mac salad.

Perro Slang Food Upending the New York street dog conventions, Perro Slang Food’s Colombian-style hot dogs feature melted cheese on each one plus lots of fixings and homemade sauces “that give our ‘perros’ a tasty and comfy touch.” Come for the perros, stay for the corn skillet: corn kernels, chicken, bacon and mushrooms, smothered in cheese and served with garlic bread.

Lisbonata Founded by George Kaya, a trained pastry chef with roots in Turkey most recently living in Poland, Lisbonata launched last year centered on a single item, pastéis de nata: Portugal’s signature sweet, flaky pastry with a custardy middle and leopard-spotted top. Lisbonata’s modern take emphasizes its all-butter crust and unorthodox flavors like pistachio cream and raspberry.

Poutine Dauphine A new concept from Antony Nassif, the shawarma mastermind behind Smorg-stand-turned-brick-and-mortar East Village runaway hit Hen House; inspired by the chef’s Montreal roots, this “fun and playful” poutine concept lays potato puffs (pomme dauphine) as the poutine foundation instead of fries.Toppings include classic cheese curds and gravy, Montreal smoked meat, even truffle and foie.

Twig’m Husband-and-wife duo draw on the Korean street food niche of “gangjung”. Try plump bites of chicken in spicy-sweet and soy-garlic glazes, mixed with chewy rice cakes; a glossy green pumpkin seed brittle; and yakgwa, a honeyed flower-shaped cookie recently repopularized in Korean pop culture. After years of working in the New York restaurant industry, this is chef Sean Lee’s first independent venture, alongside his life and business partner Jenny Yeo.

Tosh’s Patties Julian Tosh Chareton’s “high-quality hand-crafted Jamaican patties” are not your ordinary bodega patties. Seeing a gap in the market for a well-made option with good ingredients—as well as the general love of flaky, juicy, stuffed-dough foods among eaters—Chareton turned to his Jamaican heritage and lifelong “obsession with Jamaican foods, especially patties” as a response.

Virginia Smashburginia A passion project from restaurant chef turned recipe developer Tyler Thrift, Virginia Smashburginia—say that three times fast—is “inspired by the comfort of back porch gatherings and family cookouts,” drawing from Thrift’s Virginia upbringing and coast-to-coast smashburger research. Burgers on the menu reference everything from his hometown joint, Ettrick Deli, to more recent favorites from LA travels, all built around his custom beef blend, available as singles, doubles and even triples, with thinly sliced grilled onions pressed right into the meat, and a tangy “Thrifty” special sauce.

Wings by Chef Picky Osei “Chef Picky” Blackett is known for many things: Traveling the world espousing his “Everything Oxtail” platform (a hit Smorgasburg stand out the gate last season with oxtail empanadas, tacos and more); co-organizing community-centered events like the diasporic celebration Come For Curry; running his Flatbush Trinbagonian restaurant and rum shop, Ariapita. Wings by Chef Picky offers an array of turkey legs and duck and chicken wings featuring sauces inspired by the history of Asian influence in the Caribbean.

Learn more about Smorgasburg and plan your visit.

Black Cultural Sites in Prospect Park

February 9, 2024

February is Black History Month! Prospect Park Alliance is celebrating this important heritage month by celebrating Black cultural sites in Brooklyn’s Backyard and Black trailblazers in Brooklyn’s history.

The Drummer’s Grove—A Prospect Park Tradition

In the 1960s, an Afro-Caribbean community emerged just east of Prospect Park in the neighborhoods of Flatbush, East Flatbush and Crown Heights, now known as “Little Caribbean.” In 1968, some members of the community began to meet weekly at the southeastern corner of Prospect Park for a drum circle. Calling themselves the Congo Square Drummers, they came together in Prospect Park “to rehearse, and just to play and rejoice,” says Abiodun McCray, one of the group’s founders. Recalling African ancestors who brought their musical traditions to the Caribbean in the 17th century, this was a way for the Congo Square Drummers to celebrate community and remember home in the midst of the African Diaspora.

Over the years, the drum circle grew, and in 1997 Prospect Park Alliance added seating to the area and gave it the name of Drummer’s Grove, and the area was restored by the Alliance in 2021 as part of its ReNew Prospect Park initiative. Today the beat goes on in Drummer’s Grove, pictured above, and it continues to be a place where anyone can stop by on a Sunday during the warmer months to play, dance, or simply enjoy the music.

See a video of the Prospect Park Drummer’s Circle in full swing on YouTube, courtesy of Humberto Middleton.

Kids Sitting In Front of Face Structures

Archival image depicting two children sitting by the Bazile sculpted tree surrounded by drums and other Haitian artifacts. c. Prospect Park Alliance Archives

The Sacred History of Gran Bwa

Did you know that Gran Bwa, a sacred Haitian gathering spot, is located next to Prospect Park’s Lake?

As a part of the 20th-century wave of Caribbean immigrants to Brooklyn, many Haitians settled in Little Caribbean, one of whom was Deenps Bazile. In the 1980’s, Bazile was walking through Prospect Park when he felt spirits instructing him to carve a tree trunk next to the Lake. Bazile sculpted a large human head, two small human faces, a lion and a legba (a Haitian Vodou spirit) in the tree stump. This sculpture sparked the use of the area by the Haitian community, and it came to be named after Gran Bwa, the Haitian Vodou spirit associated with trees, plants and herbs. Although the sculpture is no longer in the park, its site continues to be an important gathering spot for the Haitian community.

The largest celebration at Gran Bwa, called Bwa Kayiman, happens annually in August. At this ceremony, participants memorialize the Haitian revolution—which propelled it to become the first black nation to attain independence from their enslavers—and nourish Haitian Vodou spirits. Says Makini Armand, “Gran Bwa is a place to experience the healing power of nature and community, for us to restore ourselves through experiences that bond us with one another and with the natural community around us… it’s an important part of our cultural background to keep families together, and preserve the Haitian heritage and keep the culture alive.”

See a video of the annual celebration in Prospect Park, courtesy of CityLore on YouTube.

Photo of Shirley Chisolm Monument

Virtual rendering of Shirley Chisholm monument design at Parkside entrance. c. O. Jeyifous + A. Williams

Shirley Chisholm, Brooklyn Trailblazer

A local hero, Shirley Chisholm was born in Brooklyn to Barbadian parents. She spent her childhood in Barbados but returned to Brooklyn at age ten and lived much of her life in Bed Stuy, to the northeast of Prospect Park. Chisholm was the first Black Congresswoman in U.S. history, and both a leader and an advocate for residents of Brooklyn and the country at large. Her notable achievements in Congress included working to expand access to food stamps, helping to pass Title IX and extending minimum wage requirements to domestic workers. In 1972, Representative Chisholm became the first Black major-party candidate to run for President of the United States. True to her famous slogan, “unbought and unbossed,” Chisholm refused to abandon the interests of her constituents, no matter what establishment politicians did to intimidate her or mitigate her efforts.

Two tributes to Chisholm and her legacy are coming to Brooklyn’s Backyard! The design of the Shirley Chisholm monument at the Parkside and Ocean Avenue entrance to Prospect Park will pay homage to Chisholm. Additionally, the Shirley Chisholm Welcome Center, made possible by NYC Council funding, will transform a former maintenance building at the Parkside and Ocean Ave Entrance of the park into a space that complements the new Shirley Chisholm monument at this entrance to the park. Celebrate Shirley Chisholm’s impact this Black History Month and share your feedback on ways the new Welcome Center’s design can honor Chisholm’s legacy. Take Prospect Park Alliance’s online survey to help shape the design of the Welcome Center.

The newly restored Lefferts Historic House. c. Obed Obwoge

Lefferts Historic House

Prospect Park Alliance has launched the ReImagine Lefferts Initiative to re-envision the mission and programming of the Lefferts Historic House museum to focus its interpretation and programming on exploring the lives, resistance and resilience of the Indigenous people of Lenapehoking, whose unceded ancestral lands the park and house rests upon, and the Africans enslaved by the Lefferts family. The re-imagining of the museum has been accompanied by the restoration of the Lefferts Historic House itself, which can be seen in completion in the above image.

The Alliance seeks to engage the public in thoughtful dialogue about the legacy of enslavement and the exploitation of marginalized communities in Brooklyn and beyond. To accomplish this work, the Alliance has been collaborating with descendant and neighboring communities, culture bearers, scholars, artists, civic leaders and museum professionals to create content that will support the museum’s new focus and deepen our relationships with these communities through active conversation and collaboration.

By centering the narratives at the museum on these legacies of dispossession, enslavement and oppression in Brooklyn, while also highlighting stories of resistance, resilience and joy, we seek to create a safe space for engaging with our collective past as well as contemporary issues affecting our community today. Learn more and see upcoming programming at Lefferts Historic House: prospectpark.org/lefferts