Community Writing Workshop: Mapping Black History in Brooklyn
February 3, 2025
Calling all writers and artists! This Black History month, join Prospect Park Alliance partners Voices of LeffertsandGrowHouse for a series of free writing workshops to record and map Black history in Brooklyn to create a collective archive. All genres of writing, as well as visual art, are welcome. Those selected will learn about the history of Black Brooklyn with local experts, work with a writing coach, and have their work published!
These free community workshops will take place every other Saturday from February 22 through May 31 from 3-5 pm at sites throughout Brooklyn, including Lefferts Historic House in Prospect Park.
Space is limited! Sign up by February 14. Participants will be selected and notified by February 18. Questions? Contact info@voicesoflefferts.org
Mapping Black History in Brooklyn marks the 400th anniversary of New York’s founding as “New Amsterdam,” which also marked the occupation of Lenapehoking, the native land of the Lenape, and the enslavement of Africans by the Dutch. This project builds on a Black History and Heritage Corridor established last year by GrowHouse.
In addition to Lefferts, the workshops will delve into history at the Flatbush African Burial Ground, Center for Brooklyn History and Weeksville Heritage Center. Participants will explore a trove of archives, artifacts and research with experts and public historians, and selected writers will also work with a dedicated writing coach. This community effort will produce new interpretive signage at Black historic and contemporary sites, and will include publishing two special issues of Voices of Lefferts and producing a podcast series.
Writers and artists from across the borough with of all levels of experience are invited to share their stories, reflect on where we’re headed as a nation and to build an archive to combat the erasure of history by those aiming to turn back the clock on the study of history, civil rights, voting rights, reproductive rights and more. Organizers are also looking for community members to conduct oral histories, and volunteers who are willing to share their time, talents and skills on this timely and important project.
Plus, Calling Young Brooklyn Visual Artists!
GrowHouse’s second annual Youth Design Competition for visual artists ages 15-24 kicks off on Monday, February 10! This is a chance for emerging creatives to showcase their work on signs all over Brooklyn, gain mentorship from professional artists and designers, and compete for a $1,000 cash prize.
Keep an eye out for more details to come in the coming weeks for passionate young artists who want to make an impact through design. Interested? Sign up for updates from GrowHouse to stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks!
Join Prospect Park Alliance and the 67th Precinct Clergy Council for an afternoon of painting, history, food and community at Lefferts Historic House. This unique spin on the traditional “sip and paint” invites our community to contribute to a collective artwork, blending creativity and community-building, while standing against hate and recognizing Black history.
Join Prospect Park Alliance, the Shirley Chisholm Cultural Institute and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene’s Center for Health Equity & Community Wellness at Lefferts Historic House for a family-friendly event for all ages to create and showcase superhero capes inspired by the legacy of Shirley Chisholm and participate in an all-ages workshop beginning at 2 pm on Cultivating Resilience Through Self-Compassion.
Brooklyn trailblazer Shirley Chisholm was a superhero and so are you! Bring scraps of fabric or use of fabric provided to decorate your own superhero cape, inspired by Chisholm and her legacy as a beacon of perseverance and dedication in Brooklyn and far beyond. As a leader and an advocate for residents of Brooklyn and the country at large, Chisholm made a profound impact fighting for equality for all.
At 2 pm, join the interactive all-ages community workshop, Cultivating Resilience Through Self-Compassion, designed to help you navigate fear and uncertainty. Through guided activities tailored for all age groups, you will map the physiological signs of stress and joy in your body, identifying what triggers these feelings and what restores balance. By recognizing these cues, you’ll learn how to “breathe life” into the practices that bring peace and resilience. This workshop starts at 2 pm and lasts 90 minutes.
These events are part of the Alliance’s ReImagine Lefferts initiative to re-envision the mission and programming of the Lefferts Historic House Museum in Prospect Park to focus 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. By focusing on stories of resistance, resilience, empowerment and joy, while also recognizing the legacies of dispossession, enslavement and oppression, the Alliance seeks to create a safe space for engaging with our collective past as well as contemporary issues affecting our communities today.
New Year’s Eve Celebration Prospect Park
December 23, 2024
Ring in 2025 with live music a grand light display in Brooklyn’s Backyard! Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Prospect Park Alliance, in partnership with NYU Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Public Library, will present Brooklyn’s most spectacular New Year’s Eve Celebration at Grand Army Plaza in Prospect Park. This free event will take place on Tuesday, December 31, from 10 pm until 12 am, with live music and a grand light display.
In light of the unprecedented drought conditions and recent fire, for the first time this year, this 44-year tradition will pivot from fireworks to a light show celebration in Brooklyn’s Backyard. The event will include live entertainment by Quintessential Playlist starting at 10 pm. A festive light show display will begin at midnight in the skies above Brooklyn’s Backyard, featuring beloved iconography including the Brooklyn Bridge, the Big Apple, the Statue of Liberty and more.
“Prospect Park is the best place to be on New Year’s Eve,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “It is a pleasure to team up with Prospect Park Alliance and NYU Brooklyn to ring in the new year with a time-honored Brooklyn tradition. Bring your friends and family to enjoy the colorful and exciting show that we have in store thanks to our partners’ hard work. As we welcome in 2025, I wish all Brooklynites health, happiness, and tons of fun!”
“Every year, Brooklynites look forward to ringing in the New Year with their neighbors in Prospect Park, and this year is no exception! We’re grateful to the Prospect Park Alliance for reimagining this tradition with a unique and inventive light show, and to Borough President Antonio Reynoso for his sponsorship and support,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “Come on down and celebrate the beginning of 2025 with a tribute to Brooklyn’s vibrancy and creativity, right in Brooklyn’s backyard!”
“New Year’s Eve in Prospect Park is a beloved, decades-long tradition and celebration near to the hearts of so many Brooklynites,” said Prospect Park Alliance President, Morgan Monaco. “We thank the Borough President, NYU Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Public Library for their generous support of this spectacular event. It is a special moment for our Brooklyn community to gather together in Brooklyn’s Backyard and ring in the new year with vibrant local entertainment and a gorgeous light display.”
“The Office of Community Engagement is proud to support the long-standing tradition of New Year’s Eve celebrations in Prospect Park,” said NYU Vice President of Government Relations and Community Engagement, Kyle Kimball. “We’re excited to join Borough President Reynoso and the Prospect Park Alliance in making this unforgettable event a reality for our community.”
“We can’t think of a better place to start the new year than with our next door neighbors in Prospect Park. We wish all Brooklynites a year filled with good health, good cheer and of course, good books,” said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library.
*Please note the light show is pending FCC approvals and weather dependent. In the event of extreme weather, please check prosepctpark.org for updates.
Check out Prospect Park Alliance’s favorite walking route for fall foliage destinations this autumn. From vibrant vistas at the Peninsula, colorful hues on Lookout Hill, tall maples and London Planes along the Nethermead and Lullwater, and much more. Don’t miss the peak of fall foliage right around the corner, near the end of October!
Fall bird migration is in full swing, and Prospect Park is the place to be. Located along the Atlantic Flyway, Prospect Park is a haven for birds in all seasons, with 200+ species of resident and migratory birds. Autumn is an especially notable time for bird sightings as countless feathered friends embark on their lengthy journey to warmer climates. The park is a crucial rest stop for these species providing a critical haven for migratory birds to fuel up on seeds, berries and insects and find valuable protection as they venture south. Join the Brooklyn Bird Club and Prospect Park Alliance for Prospect Park Fall Migration Walks on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in October.
Fall also presents an amazing time to deepen your commitment to Brooklyn’s Backyard by becoming a volunteer. From one-day Park Pitch-in, Fall Fix Up and Junior Volunteer Corps events, to more committed opportunities to work alongside Prospect Park Alliance gardeners with our EcoZone Volunteer Crew, there are many ways to get involved, stay active and enjoy the park in peak fall foliage season.
Learn more about nature with your little ones during free fall nature activities at the Audubon Center at the Boathouse Saturdays and Sundays through November. Make art out of fallen leaves, introduce your child to animals in the Audubon Center’s collection and explore on a fall nature walk to learn more about how the park’s insect and plant life prepare for seasonal changes. Plus, enjoy Friday Wellness Walks starting from the Boathouse and strolling through fall park beauty including scenic trails along the Lullwater, Peninsula, Midwood or Waterfall. Want to bring your little, little ones along? Join for Stroller Walks past park waterways and through fall foliage on Thursdays through November.
Take an autumn ride on Prospect Park’s beloved 1912 Carousel. Open Thursdays–Sundays, and holidays, 12–5 pm, this treasured historic attraction features magnificent carved horses, lions, giraffes and deer. Plus, don’t be scared when you see the Carousel haunted on October 22, 23 and 31! Take a spin on the spooky ride to your favorite Halloween jams at the beloved, magical landmark in the Children’s Corner.
Visit the Long Live J’ouvert Pop Up Installation, on-view at the tollbooth outside of Lefferts Historic House through Sunday, November 3 celebrating the powerful traditions of the Caribbean diaspora and Carnival season. Plus, don’t miss ReImagine Artist in Residence, Adama Delphine Fawundu’s site specific installation Ancestral Whispers. The collection is informed by Prospect Park Alliance’s research into the lives of Africans enslaved by the Lefferts family. View the exterior installation daily + view the interior installation during open hours from 12–4 pm on Saturdays + Sundays through December 1.
Join Prospect Park Alliance and Heights and Hills for Free Fitness Walks in Prospect Park for Adults Ages 60+ this fall on Thursdays from October 17 through November 7. Led by Matt Abrams, Director of the Park Slope Center for Successful Aging, these group walks are a great way to explore the park and get tips on how to stay active—especially for those with arthritis.
Prefer an indoor activity this fall? The indoor tennis season kicks off Monday, October 21 at the Prospect Park Tennis Center. Register little ones of any age and any level of experience for intensive group instruction through the Junior Development Program. Or work on your tennis skills on your own or with friends through the Adult Beginner Classes or the more advanced Adult Tennis Program. Sign up for a seasonal court or lessons today.
c. Martin Seck
Halloween Fun in Brooklyn’s Backyard
Prospect Park Alliance is gearing up for Halloween fun in Brooklyn’s Backyard with Creepy Crawly Halloween at the Audubon Center and the Haunted Carousel at the beloved Children’s Corner in Prospect Park! Don’t miss these fun filled festive events.
Ghostbusters vs Beetlejuice Halloween Dreamland Roller Disco LeFrak Center at Lakeside, Starting at $28.45 Friday, October 25, 7–10pm
Roller skate season will continue through Monday, October 28. Enjoy the last weekend of roller skating in Prospect Park with a spooky twist! Lola Star’s Dreamland Roller Disco as part of Lakeside Roller Dance Night Series in Prospect Park is a themed, dress up, immersive roller skating experience that will transport you into a fabulous retro roller disco “dreamland.”
Halloween Fest 2024 LeFrak Center at Lakeside, Admissison: $25.24 Saturday, October 27, 11:30 am–6 pm
Join for the second annual Lakeside Halloween Fest featuring rolling skating, bumper cars, game zone, arts & crafts and cookie decorating.
Hoot and Howloween Prospect Park Audubon Center, Free Saturday, October 27, 10 am–1 pm
Take a second look at the creatures that crawl around and fly in the park, you may find you like them! Participate in fun activities and experiments that will make your spine tingle at Prospect Park Alliance Natureween!
Owl Pellet Dissection 10–1 pm
Participants will have the opportunity to pick apart owl pellets, masses of undigested parts of food that owl species occasionally regurgitate!
Nature Chef’s Surprise! 11 am–12 pm
Our nature chef has some tasty treats for you to try that are delicious, nutritious, and crunchy! Take a nibble and earn a special certificate and boasting button. Learn how this mystery treat is a sustainable alternative protein source that has nutritional benefits.
Bug Explorations 12–1 pm
Participants will explore under logs, leaves and branches and you may come eye to eye with Prospect Park nature’s creepy insect residents!
Prospect Park Murder Mystery Audio Tour Gesso App, Free
Enjoy a thrilling murder mystery audio-tour, set in Prospect Park. When a key player goes missing at the marriage ceremony of the summer, reluctant wedding columnist Bobbi Rossetti transforms into an ad hoc investigative reporter on the case. Follow Bobbi through a fictional version of 1920s Prospect Park as she decodes the clues and uncovers a stunning secret in this immersive audio mystery. All you need are headphones and the Gesso mobile app to get started!
NewYork-Presbyterian + Alliance Offer Mobile Health Services
September 4, 2024
As part of our commitment to addressing health disparities in our community, Prospect Park Alliance is collaborating with NewYork-Presbyterian to offer mobile sexual health services in Brooklyn’s Backyard at Grand Army Plaza every Thursday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Recent months have shown increases in some sexually transmitted infections, throughout the country including New York City. This rise of rates in our city makes it all the more essential for our community to be knowledgeable on their sexual health and have access to resources availablein our community.
The full-service Sexual Health Mobile Medical Unit offers comprehensive sexual health care with a focus on addressing HIV, hepatitis C and sexual health disparities in our community, including those who are at risk for sexually transmitted infections and are not connected to services or face significant barriers to engaging in care in traditional medical settings.
Staffed by a team of NewYork-Presbyterian healthcare providers, the mobile unit has a fully equipped exam room, and offers the following services: gender-affirming and LGBTQ+ care, family planning services, routine laboratory testing, sexual health vaccinations, health education and hepatitis C screening. Patients are also offered the opportunity to be connected to social services, benefits enrollment and local healthcare providers.
“In recent years it has become more clear than ever before how essential Prospect Park is for the health and well-being of the diverse communities that call Brooklyn home,” said Prospect Park Alliance President, Morgan Monaco. “Prospect Park is a place of comfort and healing to so many, and the pandemic illustrated how important access to quality health care is and how far we have to go to ensure everyone has access. Being able to offer direct and accessible healthcare in Brooklyn’s Backyard is crucial to help our community go from surviving to thriving. Teaming up with NewYork-Presbyterian’s Sexual Health Mobile Medical Unit was a perfect match to strengthen connections to much needed social, health and wellness services.”
The Sexual Health mobile medical unit is made possible through funding from the Dalio Center for Health Justice and the Division of Community and Population Health at NewYork-Presbyterian, and a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Where do New York City’s top DJs, most vibrant fashion, family-friendly activities, fitness workshops and health and wellness resources come together? Right in the heart of Brooklyn’s Backyard at the Community Health Awareness and Family Reunion Day of Fun on Sunday, August 18, at Lefferts Historic House.
The event is the brainchild of Brooklynites James Frazier and DJ T-Groove who established the Family Reunion Initiative when they saw firsthand how coming out of the pandemic that many fell out of traditional primary care and health screenings. The initiative engages the Brooklyn community in the importance of health and wellness by leveraging family-friendly community events with music, fashion and more. The event includes a celebration of the 30th anniversary of iconic Moshood Fashions; a book signing with the legendary Harold Dow of The Dow Twins for their new book “50 Years of Disco Reflection: The Dow Twins Legacy”; free health screenings, Zumba and aerobics with instructor LyneLuvDance; music by DJ T-Groove, DJ ADAPTA and DJ Debonair, hosted by Sherwin XL; and much more.
From producing television shows to managing musicians, Frazier is immersed in the ways entertainment can bring people together. “I was looking at the data in our community about high blood pressure and diabetes and knew we needed to do our part. It’s powerful to bring people together in a party type of setting, and to have that celebratory space be a place for health education and resources. There is really a need for this.”
It is also Frazier’s music industry connections that first introduced him to the Alliance. “I learned about Lefferts Historic House from my longtime collaborator DJ Vic Black of the Gangstarr group. I came out to the Lefferts Historic House, met the Prospect Park Alliance team and learned about the work happening here and thought, ‘This is a gem!’ I knew we had to collaborate,” shares Frazier. “My partners and I are already on the ground doing this work out in the community, so it was truly a no-brainer to connect with Prospect Park Alliance. The work happening with the Alliance’s ReImagine Leffertsinitiative is a natural fit alongside our work to engage our community while addressing the clear need for health resources.”
“Prospect Park is a place of comfort and healing to so many – whether through the wellness benefits of spending time in nature, finding community at public programs, and making memories with loved ones, the park is truly where life happens.” shares Prospect Park Alliance President, Morgan Monaco. “Teaming up with the Family Reunion initiative to offer park-goers essential wellness support and education here in Brooklyn’s Backyard while fostering joy and celebrating with loved ones is core to what our open green spaces are all about, and what make them so essential to our community.”
“The goal is to unite the community as a whole, regardless of race, gender, and class, to foster a real nurturing environment without fear, and to support our youth with the correct tools so they can in turn empower their peers,” says DJ T-Groove. The Family Reunion team launched their first Prospect Park-based event at Lefferts Historic House in 2023, inspired by the work of Noel Hankin, a giant in the ’70s and ’80s in disco clubs in New York City, who catapulted the disco industry worldwide. Back for a second year with many new community collaborators, this can’t-miss event will bring the community together through community partners, local businesses and nonprofit organizations, all with a shared vision or a thriving Brooklyn community.
Celebrate Pride with Prospect Park Alliance at the Lefferts Historic House on Thursday, June 13, for Elevating Black Queer Ancestors: a meaningful history-packed evening presented through the Alliance’s ReImagine Lefferts initiative. The event will be hosted by Lefferts Historic House Public Programs Manager Riah Kinsey, who brings a colorful background and interest in Black queer history. Learn more about Riah’s work to delve into the histories of Black queer ancestors and get a sneak peak at the stories that will be shared at the event.
Riah Kinsey pictured outside of Lefferts Historic House in Prospect Park c. Obed Obwoge
Riah started their journey into the history field through a passion for recovering the stories of marginalized people. While issues of race, gender and sexuality always formed the core of their scholarship, it was not until he began to consider their own identity that the focus of their work truly began to shift to center on Black queer lives. Their interest in Black queer history was sparked in their university studies of historical archaeology. When tasked with searching through documents in preparation for an upcoming excavation, Kinsey encountered a will that forbade the sale or hire of an enslaved woman by her enslaver’s widow, which ensured her freedom upon the widow’s death.
“I realized that if there are historical documents that speak to the intimate lives and experiences of even the most marginalized inhabitants of the property we were excavating, then there could be documents that do the same for my own ancestors. And if there is this kind of documentation for my biological ancestors, then what about my spiritual ancestors: the Black, queer people who came before me?” Kinsey recalls. “I quickly found that there is a necessity to think outside the box, both about where to look for information and about how to interpret findings. This need for creativity isn’t due to a comparative lack of information, or even a lack of quality information, but because the current frameworks for research and analysis were never designed to tell our stories.”
This desire to think creatively when tracing Black people’s lives through history, even when there are dead-ends in records, is exactly what interested Kinsey in the Alliance’s ReImagine Lefferts initiative, which seeks to explore the lives, resistance and resilience of the Indigenous people of Lenapehoking, whose unceded ancestral lands Prospect Park and Lefferts House rests upon, and the Africans enslaved by the Lefferts family. Kinsey is excited about instilling in others the range of careers, knowledge and meaning-making that are possible in the field of history, especially through events like Elevating Black Queer Ancestors.
In preparation, Kinsey has pulled from a variety of uncommon archives in tracing key figures to highlight and honor. This includes Mary Jones, a Black, trans sex worker and pickpocket in antebellum New York. Mary is one of the first recorded gender non-conforming or transgender persons in America. Her life can be pieced together through newspapers, court records and contemporary tabloid literature, which documents countless arrests and incarcerations, many of which were a direct result of her refusal to present as a man. In one famous police interview, Mary was asked “How do you identify? Why do you dress like this? What is your background?” Kinsey explains that her answer was something along the lines of “I always dress like this amongst people of my own color,” which speaks to the experience of queer people of color finding community with each other at that time.
“The Man-Monster, Peter Sewally, alias Mary Jones &c&c. Sentenced 18th June 1836 to 5 years imprisonment at hard labor at Sing Sing for Grand Larceny. Published by H.R. Robinson.” Image courtesy The Smithsonian Institute. Despite its salacious title, the lithograph portrays Jones as an elegant Black woman.
Many believe that Mary’s life story ends with her infamous 1836 incarceration for pickpocketing. Kinsey however dug deeper to find she was arrested an additional 12 times, and often imprisoned further following these arrests. While extremely tragic for Mary, each arrest created some form of documentation that helps to fill in the gaps of her extraordinary life.
These findings led Kinsey to ask the question, “Can we use the same methods of research as we did with Mary Jones to learn more about other queer Black people?” Utilizing free-to-use digital archives such as Internet Archive, HathiTrust, and Fulton History, Kinsey used their research experience with Jones to search keywords like effeminate, masculine, dressed in womens clothes, or masquerading as a man, and was amazed at how much there was to find. Through Elevating Queer Ancestors, he hopes to show that there is much, often buried, information to be sifted through to find the beginning threads of many Black queer ancestors’ stories in New York and throughout the world.
“Whether it’s talking about Mary Jones or uplifting the untold stories of the indigenous Lenape people or the Africans enslaved here in Flatbush, all of the work within the ReImagine Lefferts initiative points back to the question of which stories have been historically neglected and why, and how can we tell them now?” shares Kinsey. “While the work done through the initiative uncovers the names of people enslaved by the Lefferts family, the fact of the matter is that the records were always there, they just needed someone to look for them and interpret them appropriately. The same is true of the as-yet-unknown Black queer residents of early New York.”
Kinsey and the team at ReImagine Lefferts understand that many make the detrimental assumption that records on the histories of Black life and especially Black queer life do not exist. “This is just blatantly untrue. Though many historical archives have been designed to hide or silence a person’s or a group of people’s existence, there are always ways to look deeper and to expand and contextualize stories–which is exactly what the ReImagine Lefferts Initiative aims to do,” reflects Kinsey.
“The dire importance of championing research and building access to marginalized histories is incredibly clear, especially now. When people can see themselves in history, especially young people, that can help expand their hopes and dreams of what is possible in the world,” explained Kinsey, on their goals to develop regular programming on genealogy and historical research.
It is important to reflect on how far New York and our society have come in striving to secure equality, but also how marginalized people have always worked within our own communities to uplift and support each other, regardless of the oppressive forces at play. “Initiatives like ReImagine Lefferts do just this and more, encouraging us towards a better future for everyone – Black, trans and queer people included.”
Join Prospect Park Alliance and The Public Theater for a Musical Adaptation of Mobile Unit’s The Comedy of Errors in English and Spanish on June 27, 28 and 29! Plus, on June 29, enjoy music, food trucks and lawn games followed by a free outdoor screening of a live recording of The Public’s Free Shakespeare in the Park production of Much Ado About Nothing once the sun starts to set.
Join Prospect Park Alliance and The Public Theater for The Mobile Unit’s Bilingual Musical Adaptation of The Comedy of Errors in English and Spanish! The Comedy of Errors adaptation embraces contemporary music styles from Latin America in a tale of separation and reunion. Featuring live actor-musicians, this modern musical adaptation brings a vibrant energy to an age-old tale of two sets of twins separated by stormy seas as they overcome a baffling case of mistaken identity—and the mayhem and hilarious confusion that follows.
Concebida por la directora Rebecca Martínez y el compositor Julián Mesri, la adaptación de LA COMEDIA DE LOS ERRORES (THE COMEDY OF ERRORS) adopta estilos musicales contemporáneos de Latinoamérica en una historia de separación y reencuentro. Con actores y músicos en vivo, esta adaptación musical moderna aporta una energía vibrante a una historia antigua de dos pares de gemelos separados por mares tormentosos mientras superan un desconcertante caso de identidad equivocada, y el caos y la hilarante confusión que eso conlleva.
Join Prospect Park Alliance and The Public Theater for The Mobile Unit’s Bilingual Musical Adaptation of The Comedy of Errors in English and Spanish at 4:30 pm and enjoy contemporary music styles from Latin America in a tale of separation and reunion. Plus, enjoy music, food trucks and lawn games followed by a free outdoor screening of a live recording of The Public’s Free Shakespeare in the Park production of Much Ado About Nothing once the sun starts to set.
Free Health + Wellness Events in Brooklyn’s Backyard
May 23, 2024
Did you know that spending just 30 minutes in nature a day can decrease stress, lessen feelings of loneliness, lower blood pressure and promote wellbeing?
Whether admiring the trees from a park bench, enjoying a woodland stroll, yoga class or a high-intensity interval training session, there are countless ways that spending time in nature can help sustain your health.
If an Rx for Nature is just what the doctor ordered, join us for a range of health and wellness classes to make the most of your time in Prospect Park and be your healthiest self all summer long!
Prospect Park Yoga Thursdays, May 30–August 29, 7–8 pm
Long Meadow North (Enter at Third Street or Grand Army Plaza) Learn More + RSVP
Brooklyn’s most beloved outdoor yoga series is back in Prospect Park! Brooklyn Flow, Prospect Park Alliance and NewYork-Presbyterian 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.
Free Fitness Walks in Prospect Park for Adults Ages 60+
Tuesdays, June 4–June 25, 10–11 am
Locations Vary Learn More + RSVP
Join Prospect Park Alliance and Heights + Hills for free fitness group walks in Prospect Park for adults ages 60 and over. Explore the park while discussing the importance of exercise and movement, particularly for people experiencing arthritis. Participants will receive guidance on developing their own personal walking and exercise programs. Walks will be on the park’s paved walkways at a slow to moderate pace.
AMP’d Interval Training with Chelsea Piers Fitness
Tuesdays, June 11–July 30, 6–7 pm
Prospect Park Long Meadow (enter at Third Street or 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.
Energy Healing and Meditation Workshop
Mondays, June 10, 17, 24, July 15, 22 and Tuesday, July 23, 8:30–9 am
10th Avenue Lawn Learn More + RSVP
Join Tell Every Amazing Lady® and Prospect Park Alliance for a free 30-minute guided meditation moderated by Jane Weedon MSPT, MFA, of Integrated Physical Therapy and Healing Arts, to help you relax and focus on your wellness before kicking off your day!
Prospect Park Wellness Walks
Fridays through June 28, 10 am–12 pm
Prospect Park Audubon Center Learn More + RSVP
Join Prospect Park Alliance at the Prospect Park Audubon Center for an uplifting and energizing morning walk along the scenic trails of the Lullwater, Peninsula, Midwood and park waterfalls.
Prospect Park Stroller Walks
Thursdays through June 27, 10 am–12 pm
Prospect Park Audubon Center Learn More + RSVP
Calling all parents and caregivers with children! Join Prospect Park Alliance naturalists for a leisurely stroll along Prospect Park’s waterways. Embrace the sound of streams and songs of birds; enjoy fragrant flowers and explore the towering trees of Brooklyn’s Backyard.
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Love Prospect Park? Sign up for the Prospect Park Alliance eNews to be the first to learn about news and online events from Brooklyn's Backyard!