c. Obed Obwoge

Lefferts Ribbon Cutting

June 6, 2023

Prospect Park Alliance President Morgan Monaco and NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue joined elected officials, civic leaders and other community members to celebrate the restoration and reopening of Lefferts Historic House, Prospect Park’s 18th-century Flatbush farmhouse museum, which is jointly operated by the Alliance, the nonprofit that sustains the park, and the Historic House Trust.

Through $2.5 million in funding from the Speaker and Brooklyn Delegation of the New York City Council, Prospect Park Alliance undertook a major restoration of Lefferts Historic House. In timing with the restoration, the Alliance launched ReImagine Lefferts, an initiative funded through a Humanities in Place grant from the Mellon Foundation that is re-envisioning the mission and programming of the museum to explore the stories of resistance and resilience by the Indigenous people of Lenapehoking, whose unceded ancestral lands the park and house rests upon, and the Africans who were enslaved by the Lefferts family.

Lefferts Historic House is one of the most visited historic house museums in New York City, and features a working garden, historic artifacts, and indoor and outdoor exhibits.

Pinkster Celebration in Prospect Park at the Lefferts Historic House. c. Obed Obwoge

“Prospect Park Alliance is grateful to the City and the Mellon Foundation for providing us with the funding to restore and reinvent our historic house museum,” said Morgan Monaco, Prospect Park Alliance President and Park Administrator. “Through ReImagine Lefferts, we are engaging the public around the ongoing legacies of dispossession and enslavement in Brooklyn and beyond, and I’m honored to be ushering in this new era of recognition and celebration of the narratives and histories that have been ignored for centuries. I am looking forward to working with our partners to make the museum a place for healing and a forum for thoughtful dialogue for our community.”

“By exploring the realities of expropriation and enslavement, the restoration of the Lefferts Historic House opens up avenues for dialogue, reflection, and a deeper understanding of the uncomfortable truths embedded within this site’s history. Prospect Park Alliance and the Historic House Trust’s unwavering dedication to the restoration and revitalization of this iconic landmark strengthens our connection to the past, enriches our present, and shapes a more inclusive and culturally vibrant future for Prospect Park and beyond,” said Comptroller Brad Lander, who helped to advocate for funding for the restoration while serving in the New York City Council.

“Thanks to our partners at Prospect Park Alliance and Historic House Trust, Lefferts Historic House has undergone a tremendous renovation, while honoring its historic past,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “New Yorkers will benefit immensely from this preserved site and its greater mission, which through ReImagine Lefferts, places the stories of those previously untold on center stage. Visitors have so much to learn from our historic sites and how their legacies continue to impact and resonate with our world today.”

“In order to meaningfully address the legacy of slavery, and its indelible impact on our society, we must invest in opportunities to learn about our history,” said New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. “I’m proud to have secured significant funding to restore the Lefferts Historic House in Prospect Park. New Yorkers will now be able to visit the historic house museum to learn about the history of the Indigenous people of Lenapehoking, whose ancestral land Prospect Park is sited on, and the people who were enslaved by the Lefferts family. Our progress as a society is contingent upon us knowing our history, and I look forward to our continued work with the Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks to create more educational opportunities for all.”

“As one of the most visited historic house museums in our City, the story Lefferts Historic House tells is important. Now, the museum will tell the full story of our borough’s ugly and painful underbelly. This truth-telling begins the process of restoring dignity to the communities our city has long glazed over— our Indigenous and Black sisters and brothers who have never received proper acknowledgement or apology for the deep injustices inflicted upon them,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “I’m happy that the Lefferts Historic House is beginning this retelling of history and hope it will spark conversation over how we as a borough can continue to account for our past. Thank you to the Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks for making this reimagining possible.”

“Today, as we gather beneath the historic roof of Lefferts House, we celebrate the power of preservation and community,” said Council Member Rita Joseph. In this moment of restoration’s completion, let us honor the rich heritage of our past, embrace the beauty of our present, and build a future that cherishes our shared history and diverse traditions. Together, we create a tapestry of unity, resilience, and joy that will continue to inspire generations to come.”

“As Executive Director of the Historic House Trust of New York City and Director of Historic Houses at NYC Parks, I have the great privilege of working with community partners like Prospect Park Alliance who are doing groundbreaking work to shed light on previously undertold stories and accurately reflect the history and culture of our diverse city,” said Meredith Sorin Horsford, Executive Director, Historic House Trust. “The Historic House Trust and our 23 partner historic sites have an opportunity to focus on deepening our collective understanding of history. ReImagine Lefferts is an initiative that exemplifies the strength of community dialogue, and the impact of listening, engaging, and responding.”

In June, the Alliance will host Caribbean-American Heritage Month and Juneteenth celebrations, and will open for regular operating hours starting in July. Learn more about Lefferts events and programs.

Background on Restoration
Lefferts Historic House, which is almost 250 years old, was originally located just blocks from the Prospect Park on Flatbush Avenue (near Maple Street), and moved to its current site in 1918. After three centuries, and much wear and tear, the 1783 Dutch-American-style house was in need of critical restoration. Peeling paint and poor drainage had contributed to damage of the exterior wood shingles, windows, trim, columns and ornamental details. Gutters and rainwater leaders were displaced and not functionally draining. The cedar shingle roof was damaged and covered in moss, and the house’s three chimneys were crumbling. Structural elements of the porch and first floor were no longer able to support the load of visitors. Restoration included replacing the historic cedar-shingled roof, a meticulous process of craftsmanship due to the steep eaves of the roof (Lefferts is one of last remaining examples of an h-frame house with a gambrel roof); renovating the wood-shingled exterior, making structural improvements to the interior, replacing the house’s mechanical systems, and improving surrounding lighting and paths. The Alliance was recognized with a 2023 Lucy G. Moses Preservation Award for this restoration project, the New York Landmarks Conservancy’s highest honor for outstanding preservation.

“I want to congratulate Prospect Park Alliance on their work to restore the Lefferts Historic House not only as a point of important history, but also to ensure we tell the stories of Brooklyn’s – and America’s – indigenous and enslaved people more accurately and more completely,” said Congressman Dan Goldman. “Black and Indigenous history is American history, and they are Brooklyn’s history as well. I was excited to get a preview of this historic restoration last month and I look forward to visiting the site now that it is fully open to the public. Prospect Park is a national treasure and I am grateful for the important work of the Prospect Park Alliance.”

“The reopening of Lefferts Historic House marks a significant milestone and paves the way for dialogue, reflection, and a more inclusive future for Prospect Park and beyond,” said Senator Zellnor Y. Myrie. “The restoration efforts, coupled with the ReImagine Lefferts initiative, demonstrate Prospect Park Alliance’s commitment to honoring the stories of resistance and resilience of the Indigenous people and the enslaved Africans who called this part of Brooklyn home. I’m honored to represent Brooklyn’s Backyard in Albany and am proud of this collaboration that reflects the diversity and strength of our community.”

Work will continue on the house in the coming years thanks to Assembly Members Bobby Carroll and Brian Cunningham, who have allocated funding to restore the Lefferts grounds and make critical structural improvements to the house’s second floor.

“I am proud to dedicate $500,000 in capital funding from the New York State Assembly to help complete the restoration of the grounds at Lefferts Historic House Museum,” said Assembly Member Robert Carroll. “This vital restoration is critical to preserving an important part of Brooklyn’s history and to help tell the complete story of the Lefferts Historic House. That story unfortunately includes previously untold stories of dispossession and enslavement.”

“Prospect Park is the premiere outdoor space of Brooklyn, and the Lefferts Historic House is one of its defining features,” said Assembly Member Brian A. Cunningham. “The re-opening of this historical landmark in partnership with the launch of ReImagine Lefferts ensures a more accurate historical accounting of the Lefferts family legacy and illuminates untold stories of the relationship between the Lenapehoking people and early European Settlers. This project is a testament to the power of public-private partnerships that not only restore a piece of American history, but ensure it tells a more truthful, accurate story about our past, so that we may all learn how to create a more just, equitable future.”

Prospect Park Alliance has launched ReImagine Lefferts through a prestigious Humanities in Place grant from the Mellon Foundation. ReImagine Lefferts will re-envision the mission and programming of the museum to explore the stories of resistance and resilience by the Indigenous people of Lenapehoking, whose unceded ancestral lands the park and house rests upon, and the Africans who were enslaved by the Lefferts family. Through this initiative, the Alliance seeks to engage the public in thoughtful dialogue about the ongoing legacies of dispossession and enslavement in Brooklyn and beyond.

c. Mary Keehbauch

Sun Power for Parks

Walking through Brooklyn’s Backyard on any given day, it’s clear that creativity is key for the Prospect Park Alliance Landscape Management team. Their essential work to sustain the park’s natural areas has included an array of unlikely, environmentally friendly techniques that make use of everything from cardboard and piles of leaves to even sheets of plastic. In one technique called solarization, dedicated Alliance staff and volunteers use plastic and the power of the sun to ward off invasive plants that can outcompete native species that park wildlife depend upon.

The crew experimented with this approach this winter: tailoring their methods on an as needs basis, determining the plastic’s color and thickness through careful consideration of the location, terrain and targeted plants. “Solarization trials in full sun locations have been the most successful—particularly with two sections in the Vale Woodlands, an area restored by Prospect Park Alliance following Superstorm Sandy,” says Landscape Management Deputy Director Mary Keehbauch. “The biggest take away is that no one rule applies to every situation. Everything we do is site specific, and being creative and willing to try different methods is essential. Not all trials are successful, but we are committed to getting the best results possible.”

Before and After of a solarized area in the Prospect Park Vale, where the target species, Goutweed, is almost entirely gone thanks to the team’s implementation of this technique. Courtesy of Mary Keehbauch, Prospect Park Alliance

Each plastic has its specific use. Black plastic blocks light and heats the roots of an invasive plant once it has been cut down, and remains in place for at least full year; while clear plastic is used in shorter increments, in areas of direct sunlight to stop the plant’s growth, heat up the soil to destroy the roots, and rid the soil of any remaining seeds. The end result is soil that is ready to be planted with native, pollinator-friendly plants that will help Prospect Park’s ecosystem thrive. The solarization of a given area can span anywhere from two months to two or more years, and the team plans to build on its progress by assessing which approach is most successful in what conditions, implementing the technique in new areas of the park, assessing progress and monitoring results as this work continues.

The type of terrain, access to sun, and target species are all major factors in the Alliance’s work to refine its solarization technique for varying areas. Courtesy of Mary Keehbauch, Prospect Park Alliance.

Building on the successes seen in the Vale and beyond, the team has plans to use solarization to eradicate dense Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei) near the Golden Stairs–located between 10th Avenue and 16th Street park entrance–with thick black plastic and to knock-out Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria) near the 3rd Street Entrance with thin clear plastic. Following successful solarization, the Alliance will restore the areas with a wide range of native species, from beautiful spring ephemerals to strong healthy trees that will provide a haven in the park for generations to come. Asked how park goers can help the Alliance in these efforts to keep Brooklyn’s Backyard green, vibrant and healthy, Keehbauch shares a reminder that while these projects are eye-catching, and openings in the woodlands are tempting for discovery, it is important that everyone in the park respects the work being done and stays on the paved or wood chipped trails to keep the park healthy.

Learn more about Prospect Park Alliance’s work to sustain the environment and how you can Be a Park Champion to support the natural landscapes of Brooklyn’s Backyard.

c. Ken Brown

Margaret Ring: Mayor of Prospect Park

If you’ve taken a ride on Prospect Park’s carousel, rented a paddle boat, or visited the Parade Ground or former Wollman Rink in the past 26 years, you’ve likely come across–and befriended–Margaret Ring. Margaret is Prospect Park Alliance’s former Carousel Manager and a staff member for over two-and-a-half decades, who has just celebrated her retirement after a storied tenure in Brooklyn’s Backyard. Prospect Park Alliance celebrated her send-off with a carousel horse dedicated to her legacy in the park.

A native Brooklynite, Margaret is a familiar and beloved face to thousands of regular park goers who think of her fondly as “The Mayor of Prospect Park.” A local celebrity, Margaret has made generations of families feel welcome in the park, often greeting old friends and new faces in her golf cart alongside her Shih Tzu, Percy.

Reflecting on her tenure at so many distinct sites across the park, it is clear that the community, connections, and friendships Margaret established at each park location are at the heart of her work. “I have a favorite memory at each site. From place-to-place, I saw and got to know the same people: the same people visited the carousel and rode the paddle boats. People playing soccer at the Parade Ground always came to the skating rink, so it was really just wonderful to experience each of those places.” The wide network of friends and community that Margaret has built in her role at the Alliance spans far beyond the park. “Something I’ll miss the most is walking down the street, or heading out on the train,” she says. “People know me, and I’ll hear ‘Prospect Park is in the house!’ That makes you feel good. If I, or the park, made them feel even a little bit better or happier, it means I’ve made their day–the whole park has.”

While her work with the Alliance dates back nearly 26 years, Margaret’s story in Prospect Park begins well before that. Margaret’s father ran track through Prospect Park, her parents got engaged here, and Margaret herself has carved her own legacy as a beloved presence and representative of all that our community holds dear about their park. “I’ve seen this park at its best, and I’ve seen this park at its worst, so I can be that true Brooklynite to say that if it weren’t for the Alliance, we wouldn’t have this beautiful park. I was that kid who saw Prospect Park first as a beautiful park, and then later as it was in disrepair before the Alliance, and when Prospect Park Alliance first made this park come back to life. The people of Brooklyn really did and do appreciate this—this is Brooklyn’s Backyard. It is the garden of Eden. It’s the jewel.”

Alliance staff, friends and family gather to celebrate Margaret’s lasting impact in Brooklyn’s Backyard. c. Ken Brown

Prospect Park Alliance President Morgan Monaco shares, “Margaret has been the steward of so many magical moments in the childhoods of people who now come back with their own kids. Margaret is behind what makes that magic happen: it’s the attention to detail, knowing how to go that extra mile for customer service and being that welcoming presence.” Without question, Margaret is one of the quintessential characters that makes Prospect Park Brooklyn’s Backyard.

When asked to reflect on her time in the park, Margaret’s response is enthusiastic. “You can’t beat this!” she says, in reference to the carousel. “It brings happiness to everyone, whether you’re 3 or 65 years old, everyone loves to come to the carousel. Now that I’m retiring, I’m not going to be here, but my horse will be. I feel very honored and privileged to have this. My little nephew really wanted this—and he’ll always come back knowing that this is Margaret’s horse!”

June is Health + Wellness Month!

May 31, 2023

Did you know that time in nature can reduce stress, improve your mood and boost your physical health?

Prospect Park Alliance is kicking off our Summer of Stewardship with exciting opportunities to Be a Park Champion and care for your park, while making the most of the health and wellness benefits offered by nature.

Show friends and family that you care for them and your park: send a loved one an Rx For Nature and enjoy the health benefits of nature together with one of these fun activities:

June 3 is National Trails Day: explore the park’s extensive network of woodland trails. Check out Prospect Park Track Club’s tips for running and walking the trails in Brooklyn’s Backyard.
Rediscover your favorite Prospect Park destinations and boost your fitness, strength and endurance with a virtual training with coach Marlon Jude and our partner I AM CARIBBEING.
Want to find your flow, clear your mind, or break a sweat? Join free yoga and high-intensity interval training classes offered in locations across Prospect Park all summer long.
Take a meditative mobile audio tour of the Park with our friends at Gesso, which explores the history and ecology of the park.
Enjoy a family bird walk with our Pop-Up Audubon nature program, which is popping up on Saturdays + Sundays in June at the Prospect Park Vale.

While enjoying nature, don’t forget to Be a Park Champion by carrying out everything you bring into the park, staying on paved or wood-chipped trails, and admiring the wildlife from a safe distance.

Learn more at prospectpark.org/champion and send an Rx for Nature today!

Movie Nights in Prospect Park Return for 2023

Spend your summer nights in Prospect Park with Paramount+ Movie Nights in Brooklyn, the free, outdoor movie series presented by Paramount+ and Brooklyn Magazine, in partnership with Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Prospect Park Alliance.

The series will take place on Prospect Park’s Long Meadow on four consecutive Wednesdays starting July 26, and continues the longstanding summer movie series offered in Prospect Park for many years through the support of the Borough President. This year, join us on the north end of the Long Meadow for Top Gun: Maverick, Bring It On, The Nutty Professor (1996), and Guardians of the Galaxy.

Learn more and RSVP:

Paramount+ Movie Nights in Brooklyn will offer nostalgic classics and feel-good fan favorites for all ages. The themes throughout are connectivity, perseverance, friendship, family, self-empowerment, creativity, fantasy, and fun — just what we could all use this summer.

“There’s nothing better than Brooklyn in the summertime, especially the memories of summer as a kid. We’re in luck that nostalgia is the theme of our “Paramount+ Movie Nights in Brooklyn” series this summer,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “I’m thrilled to bring a selection of classic movies, and films we know will become classics, to Fort Greene Park, Prospect Park, and McCarren Park throughout the summer. I look forward to getting this program started and want to extend my deep thanks to the Prospect Park Alliance and the Fort Greene Park Conservancy for their partnership.”

“We are thankful to Borough President Reynoso for continuing this long-cherished tradition of bringing our community together for free movie nights under the stars in Brooklyn’s Backyard, and to Paramount+ and Brooklyn Magazine for their support of this series,” adds Morgan Monaco, President, Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that sustains, restores and advances Prospect Park. “We also are delighted to partner with the Fort Greene Park Conservancy to expand the series to our sister park for an even better season of outdoor fun.”

In addition to the movie nights in Prospect Park, the series will kick off with four consecutive Thursday evenings beginning Thursday, June 29, in Fort Greene Park, in partnership with the Fort Greene Park Conservancy, and end with four final evenings starting Sunday, August 20, in McCarren Park.

Prospect Park Movie Lineup:

Top Gun: Maverick
July 26
After thirty years, Maverick is still pushing the envelope as a top naval aviator, but must confront ghosts of his past when he leads TOP GUN’s elite graduates on a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it.

Bring It On
August 2
A champion high school cheerleading squad discovers its previous captain stole all their best routines from another school and must scramble to compete at this year’s championships.

The Nutty Professor (1996)
August 9
Good-hearted professor Sherman Klump takes a special chemical that turns him into the obnoxious Buddy Love.

Guardians of the Galaxy
August 16
A group of intergalactic criminals must pull together to stop a fanatical warrior with plans to purge the universe.

RSVP now to let us know you’re attending the summer film series at Prospect Park. This event is free and open to the public, and RSVPs are not required for entry.

The films will begin shortly after sundown at the north end of the Prospect Park Long Meadow, located nearest to the Grand Army Plaza entrance. The closest subway stations are the Grand Army Plaza and the Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum stops on the 2, 3 lines or the B41 bus lines. Please note that the movie may be cancelled in the case of inclement weather. Please visit prospectpark.org and Prospect Park Alliance’s social media channels for up-to-date information.

National Trails Day in Prospect Park

Be a Park Champion this National Trails Day in Prospect Park! Saturday, June 3, is the 31st annual National Trails Day, a day to celebrate your local trails alongside community members and pledge to leave your trail better than you found it every day of the year.

Prospect Park’s 585 acres are home to Brooklyn’s last remaining forest. These 250 acres of scenic woodlands, sustained by Prospect Park Alliance, are not only essential to the health of the park and the wildlife that call it home, but are also a source of wellness for our community.

Time in nature can reduce stress, improve your mood and boost your physical health, and getting out on the trails in Brooklyn’s Backyard is a wonderful way to reap these benefits. To make the most of all these trails have to offer, Prospect Park Track Club (PPTC) members share some of their favorite routes and tips for walkers and runners of all levels.

To join the National Trails Day movement, boost your health by taking a walk or run through one of Prospect Park’s scenic trails, and lend a hand to keep these woodland areas pristine and healthy. Be a Park Champion while enjoying the park’s natural beauty, by staying on paved or wood chip paths, keeping dogs leashed in woodland areas, admiring wildlife from a safe distance, and taking nothing from the park with you.

“What makes running or walking on Prospect Park’s trails so special are the unexpected delights—finding little waterfalls, coming upon a familiar part of the park from a different angle and taking a moment before you quite realize where you are,” said Lisa Knauer, one of PPTC’s Race Directors. “One of my favorite routes is climbing up Lookout Hill on a clear day and catching a glimpse of Coney Island.”

Another must-see walking or running route begins starting from Grand Army Plaza. Take the eastern pathway to the Endale Arch into the Long Meadow and follow along the hex-block path on the east side of the Long Meadow. Follow the path until it forks at a tall oak tree, and take the path on the left into the woodlands. Follow the trail until you reach another fork, and take the wide stone steps on your left and then turn right down another set of steps. At the bottom you’ll find the little-known Boulder Bridge, a historic bridge that was recreated by the Alliance in the 1990s as part of the larger restoration of the Ravine. The view from this bridge is one of the most scenic in the park. After enjoying the view, return to the path and continue to the right of Boulder Bridge, down a few more steps. At the bottom you will find a small octagonal footprint of a structure where an old rustic shelter once stood. Take in the view of the gorge below, and then continue down the steps until you reach Rock Arch Bridge and Ambergill Falls, one of several waterfalls that were designed by park creators Olmsted and Vaux. Continue down the path until it forks, and then turn right and head up the sloping path back toward the Long Meadow and enjoy the towering trees and wildlife sightings along the way.

You also won’t want to miss recent scenic additions in the heart of Prospect Park’s woodlands—including a rustic trail just off Center Drive thanks to the 2021 summer cohort of the Prospect Park Alliance Woodlands Youth Crew, whose vital restoration work transformed this part of the park. This trail now offers park goers a chance to see the top of the Lullwater, a view of Brooklyn’s Backyard that was previously inaccessible to park visitors.

As part of the Prospect Park Alliance’s woodland restoration work in the Vale, the team also installed a new rustic rail trail, which leads visitors to two sites that are currently being restored: the Rose Garden to the Children’s Pool, inviting visitors to take a meandering route through the woods while staying on path.

“Right in Brooklyn’s Backyard, exploring the trails in Prospect Park can make you feel a world away from the busy city,” said PPTC Board member Katie Claiborne. By making the most of your time in nature, staying active and practicing good stewardship this National Trails Day and every day, you are helping Brooklyn’s wildlife and community thrive.

Ready to get out on the trail and #BeAParkChampion? Learn more about programs offered by Prospect Park Track Club in Brooklyn’s Backyard. Plus, enjoy family-friendly nature walks at the Prospect Park Audubon Center.

Free Health + Wellness Events in Prospect Park

May 24, 2023

Did you know that spending just 20 minutes in nature can decrease stress and promote wellbeing? This June, Prospect Park Alliance is kicking off another Summer of Stewardship by celebrating the many ways you can help care for your park and the wonderful things your park can do for you!

RSVP today for these free health and wellness events, and stay tuned for more ways to Be a Park Champion this summer in Prospect Park:

Prospect Park Yoga with Brooklyn Flow
Thursdays, June 1- August 24, 7 pm – 8 pm
Prospect Park Long Meadow (Enter at Grand Army Plaza)
Learn More + RSVP

Brooklyn’s most beloved outdoor yoga series is back in Prospect Park! Brooklyn Flow and Prospect Park Alliance present free, outdoor yoga on the Long Meadow. Brooklyn’s finest yoga teachers from different studios around the park lead free, outdoor group yoga classes in a low-pressure, beautiful environment. Join hundreds of Brooklynites each week to celebrate yoga and wellness in our treasured Prospect Park. Bring your own mat or towel, a bottle of water and friends. All levels are welcome. Please sign the waiver prior to your first class. Prospect Park Yoga is made possible in part through support from NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.

AMP’d Interval Training with Chelsea Piers Fitness
Tuesdays, June 6 – September 26, 6 pm – 7 pm
Prospect Park Long Meadow (Enter at Grand Army Plaza)
Learn More + RSVP

Join Chelsea Piers Fitness and Prospect Park Alliance to hit the grass and push your body to new limits in this high-intensity interval training class that combines bodyweight strength and cardio on the Prospect Park Long Meadow. You will move through a range of movements from running and jumping to lunges and crunches to keep you motivated and energized. All levels are welcome.

Upbeat Pop! Dance Fitness at the Boathouse
Saturdays, August 19 – February 24
Join Prospect Park Alliance and Shape-up NYC for a 45-minute dance fitness class! Come prepared to shake, roll, grapevine, and clap to your favorite upbeat pop songs. We will use this time to cultivate joy and silliness while getting a great workout and reaping the benefits of cardiovascular fitness. All levels are welcomed and encouraged. Whether you want to learn some new choreography or need a space to step-touch and sing, this class is for you!
Learn More

Nature Exploration Family Bird Walks
Thursdays + Fridays, 3 pm – 4 pm + Saturdays + Sundays, 12 pm – 1 pm
Learn More
Calling all families and children! Join Prospect Park Alliance for a Nature Exploration Family Bird Walk as we search for the hundreds of bird species that stop in Prospect Park each year, while exploring nature and stretching our legs. Binoculars and bird guides are provided.

Want Be a Park Champion? Visit prospectpark.org/champion to learn more about caring for Brooklyn’s Backyard.

Celebrate Caribbean-American Heritage Month and Juneteenth at Lefferts Historic House

May 23, 2023

Join Prospect Park Alliance and partners to celebrate Caribbean-American Heritage Month and Juneteenth at Lefferts Historic House in Prospect Park. Brooklyn’s Backyard will be home to a month of celebrations of Black and Caribbean cultures. Enjoy music, dance, storytelling, drumming and much more for Brooklynites of all ages.

Legendary Traditional Characters of J’Ouvert
Sunday, June 11, 2 – 5 pm, Free
Lefferts Historic House
Learn More + RSVP
Join Prospect Park Alliance and JouvayFest Collective, Bush Wo/man Conversations Project, and 2J & Friends at the Lefferts Historic House for a fun and informative family-friendly event about the legendary traditional characters of J’Ouvert. J’ouvert (pronounced Jew-vay) translates as ‘I Open.’ It marks the beginning of the annual Carnival celebrations in many Caribbean islands. J’Ouvert was started by formerly enslaved Africans in the predominantly French speaking colonies, when they began participating in the pre-Lenten festivities of the ruling class. In Trinidad and Tobago, the tradition was further solidified through the Canboulay riots in 1881. J’Ouvert remains a potent living tradition and symbol of the power of history and culture in the Caribbean, Brooklyn, and beyond. This event will be held rain or shine.

Juneteenth + One Love Little Caribbean Day
Sunday, June 18, 12 – 5 pm, Free
Lefferts Historic House
Learn More + RSVP
Prospect Park Alliance invites you to pull up to Juneteenth, I AM CARIBBEING style, with DJ sets and games presented by Fun With Friends and Little Caribbean artisans.

Steelpan Day
Sunday, June 25th, 5 pm – 7 pm, Free
Lefferts Historic House
Learn More + RSVP
Prospect Park Alliance and I AM CARIBBEING invite you to celebrate Brooklyn’s Steelpan Day with live performances by Hearts of Steel alongside steelpan musicians from Little Caribbean and beyond.

Rise in Spirit: A Juneteenth Celebration
Sunday, July 2, 1 – 6 pm, Free
Lefferts Historic House
Learn More + RSVP
Join Prospect Park Alliance for a Juneteenth Celebration produced by the Brooklyn-based Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation. The family-friendly event will take visitors on a journey of the African Diaspora that celebrates the rich cultural heritage of the people of Africa and African descendant cultures. The theme for this Juneteenth celebration at Lefferts Historic House is “Rise in Spirit.”

Enjoy performances by African dancers and drummers from the Asase Yaa Youth Ensemble, IET Band jazz quartet, tap dancer Joseph Webb, the St. Paul’s Baptist Church gospel choir and theatrical readings by Sharon Gordon. Alliance educators will also provide cooking demonstrations, historic games and more.

The Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to its core tenets to enrich, educate and entertain. They aspire to empower and strengthen youth by offering them an opportunity to learn, study and experience the history, movement and beauty of African Diaspora dance, music and culture at its highest level. They are entering their third decade, and oversee a School of the Arts, the Asase Yaa African American Dance Theater, an award-winning professional dance ensemble, a Children’s Summer Art Camps, and an Arts Outreach program that services public and charter schools throughout the greater New York area. Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation also curates original programming and produces an array of special events and concerts

The Juneteenth celebration is part of ReImagine Lefferts, an initiative funded through a Humanities in Place grant from the Mellon Foundation that is re-envisioning the mission and programming of the museum to explore the stories of resistance and resilience by the Indigenous people of Lenapehoking, whose unceded ancestral lands the park and house rests upon, and the Africans who were enslaved by the Lefferts family. The event is also funded in part through support by NYU Brooklyn.

I AM CARIBBEING is supported by NYC Department of Small Business Services, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council for the Arts, Con Edison, TD Bank and KeySpan.

c. Radka Osickova

Spot the Park’s Newest Species: The Devil Bird

May 11, 2023

For the past few weeks, an unusual visitor has been perched in the treetops high above Prospect Park’s lake. The Anhinga, also known as the Devil Bird, is a large waterbird with a snake-like neck that is typically found in the swampy southeastern corner of the country. But, for the first time since 1992, the bird has been spotted in New York—right here in Brooklyn’s Backyard.

Located along the Atlantic Flyway, with more than 250 migratory and resident bird species spotted each year, Prospect Park is a long beloved birdwatching haven. “The park’s 585 acres are a critical life-saving space for birds. Prospect Park is a rest stop full of food and water thanks, in part, to Prospect Park’s lake and watercourse,” says Peter Dorosh, a Prospect Park Alliance Eco Zone Gardener and avid birder who recently spotted the Anhinga himself. “Prospect Park was the lucky beneficiary of such an awesome sighting: Brooklyn’s only lake caught the Anhinga’s eye.”

For members of the birdwatching community, this is an exceptional spotting outside its usual migratory path (which for the Anhinga historically reaches as far north as the Carolinas). The bird’s arrival was so unexpected, it was even featured in The New York Times.

For Dorosh and Prospect Park Alliance’s crew of Eco Zone Gardeners and Forest Ecologist, which works to restore and sustain the park’s natural areas, the Anhinga’s arrival highlights an important aspect of their job: ensuring the park’s landscape is a healthy breeding and foraging habitat for birds and other wildlife—both expected and unexpected.

“Birds stop in, refuel, rest and then continue onward for the greater breeding territories in the northern United States and Canada,” explains Dorosh. To Dorosh and Prospect Park Alliance, the priority is ensuring the birds find what they need to thrive in the park. “It’s important to plant native trees and shrub species because these plants attract insects—particularly moths and caterpillars, as they are the soft food needed to feed baby birds and fledglings,” he says.

The Alliance also focuses largely on mitigating habitat loss. “We do our part to remove the invasive plants and replace them with native plants,” says Dorosh. “This greatly benefits natural habitats and restores food webs that include the pollinating wildflowers, grasses and fruiting shrubs that are essential for insects.”

The team strives to create and maintain habitats that send the right signals to any new bird species that may unexpectedly arrive due to the changing climate. “Birds know if a breeding territory will ensure the survival of their species,” Dorosh says. “If we have enough native trees, birds will coexist with other birds and become specialized in what they eat—that’s how evolution intended it.”

As anyone familiar with the variety and abundance of species in Prospect Park knows, there’s plenty to go around. “Warblers and flycatchers eat insects. Cardinals and Blue Jays eat berries and nuts. Sparrows eat grass seeds, and Hawks are carnivores who help keep the rodent population at bay,” explains Dorosh. “We have it all in Prospect Park, as long as we maintain the habitats to become and stay healthy and native.”

Interested in catching a glimpse of the Devil Bird? Learn about bird watching opportunities in Prospect Park.

Learn more about Prospect Park Alliance’s work to sustain the environment and how you can help support the plants, wildlife and community of Brooklyn’s Backyard.

c. BRIC

BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Announces 2023 Lineup

Summer is just around the corner, which means it’s time to get ready for a season of music, dance and more at the Lena Horne Bandshell! The 2023 BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!, kicks off on Wednesday, June 7 for a season of 20+ free shows, benefit concerts, dance performances, film screenings, discussions, special activations and more. The festival, presented in partnership with Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks, is back for its 45th annual season of bringing communities together for summer fun in Brooklyn’s Backyard.

“BRIC is about community, art and culture and there is no greater example of that than BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!,” said BRIC President Wes Jackson. “For 45 years our team has brought free and affordable programming to Prospect Park, and low-cost media education to the people of Brooklyn. We’re honored to serve our neighborhoods in this way every summer, and we look forward to 45 more years at the Bandshell and beyond. Thank you to our friends and partners at the Prospect Park Alliance and the Parks Department. I’ll see you out there.”

“BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! at the Lena Horne Bandshell in Prospect Park is a beloved flagship event, and a clear sign of summer for our community,” said Morgan Monaco, President of Prospect Park Alliance, the non-profit organization that operates the park in partnership with the City. “Music and performing arts are what help keep us thriving in good times and in bad, and I’m grateful that the park serves as an important inspiration for artists of all kinds. The festival has brought a wide range of free music, performances and family programming to Brooklyn’s Backyard and we look forward to coming together this season with the many diverse communities of Brooklyn.”

Tickets are available for many of this season’s benefit shows, and the majority of the festival’s performances are free to the public. For more information, check out our BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! page, and for the full line-up, scroll down!

Wednesday, June 7, 2023 Opening Night: Taj Mahal | Corinne Bailey Rae | The Harlem Gospel Travelers

Saturday, June 10, Family Day: Soul Science Lab | Olivia K and The Parkers

Thursday, June 15, Jake Wesley Rogers | Kara Jackson | Bright Light Bright Light

Saturday, June 17, Juneteenth UNITYFEST 2023

Friday, June 23, Antonio Sanchez: Birdman Live | Takuya Kuroda

Saturday, June 24, Benefit Concert: NxWorries (Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge) | Robert Glasper with Lalah Hathaway & Bilal | BJ The Chicago Kid

Saturday, July 1, Ibrahim Maalouf | Hermanos Gutiérrez | 2023 Tiny Desk Contest Winner

Saturday, July 8, Kelela | Liv.e

Thursday, July 13, Rennie Harris | Decora

Friday, July 14, Oumou Sangare | Vox Sambou

Saturday, July 15, Marcia Griffiths | Brown Rice Family | Dj Miss Hap Selam

Friday, July 21, The Chelsea Symphony feat. Lady Jess | Lucrecia Dalt