Park Drive Alert: Please be advised that due to paving work in the park, the outermost lane on the Prospect Park Drive will be closed starting Saturday, October 24 from 3rd Street to 15th Street for approximately 6 weeks to accommodate park vehicles.
Tag: Kids
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.
Prospect Park Alliance is gearing up for Halloween fun in Brooklyn’s Backyard with Creepy Crawly Halloween at the Audubon Center, Haunted Carousel at the beloved Children’s Corner in Prospect Park and the final weekend of J’ouvert Genesis Immersive Experience at the Lefferts Historic House! Don’t miss these fun filled festive events.
Halloween Fest at Lakeside Sunday, October 22, 11 – 2 pm + 2:30 – 5:30 pm LeFrak Center at Lakeside, $22
Celebrate Halloween with spooky festivities at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside! Enjoy roller skating, bumper cars, a game zone, arts and crafts, and cookie decorating. Families can skate in costume and enjoy a festive goody bag with halloween treats.
Creepy Crawly Halloween Saturday, October 28, 11 am-4 pm Prospect Park Audubon Center, Free
Join Prospect Park Alliance at the Audubon Center for a special Halloween celebration. Take a second look at the creatures that give you the creeps, you may find you like them! Participate in fun activities and experiments that will make your spine tingle!
Nature Chef’s Surprise, 1 – 3 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.
Discovery Boxes, 12 – 3 pm
What’s inside? Put your hand in and find out with a fun sensory activity with just the right amount of scary!
Creepy Crawly Walk, 3-4 pm
Participants will search for Prospect Park’s creepy residents and explore hidden areas of the park.
Spookysburg Trick or Eat Extravaganza Sunday, October 29, 12 — 6 pm Breeze Hill, Prices Vary
Smorgasburg turns into Spookysburg, a family-friendly fall fest marking the last day of the season, and here’s what we’ve got lined up! Festivities include a Halloween Hunt and Prize BOO-nanza, a pet costume contest, KidZone nad much more!
J’ouvert Genesis Immersive Experience Saturdays + Sundays in October, 12 – 4 pm Lefferts Historic House, Free
While it’s not halloween-themed, the vibrant costumes of J’ouvert Genesis Immersive experience are not to be missed this October! Join Prospect Park Alliance, JouvayFest Collective and City Lore for the J’ouvert Genesis Immersive Experience — an exploration of the rich and colorful history of J’ouvert in Trinidad & Tobago and its important role in Brooklyn today through life-sized traditional J’ouvert character costumes, signature percussive instruments, large-format photography, virtual reality and more. The exhibit closes Sunday, November 19 – don’t miss it!
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!
Nature Exploration
June 6, 2023
Join Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation.
Nature Around Us, 12–3 pm: Enjoy different seasonal discovery stations and nature themed activities that will introduce you to the plants, insects and animals that call the park home.
June: Discover how nature recycles by learning about the fascinating cycle of decomposition in our urban forest.
July: Get to know pollinators and find out why they are so important and why they need our help.
August – Labor Day: The Lake and Lullwater are home to many plants and animals. Help us to test the water quality and investigate pond samples that are filled with living organisms.
Animal Encounter, 2–3 pm: Join Alliance Naturalists in learning more about the animals in the Audubon Center’s collection. This program starts promptly at 2 pm.
Family Bird Walk, 3–4 pm: Prospect Park is a stopping point for hundreds of bird species each year! Join us as we search for these amazing creatures and other nature around the park. Binoculars and bird guides are provided. This program departs from the Audubon Center promptly at 3 pm.
Movie Nights in Prospect Park Return for 2023
May 31, 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.
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.
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.
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.
Martin Seck
Nature Exploration
May 18, 2023
Join Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation.
Nature Around Us, 12–3 pm: Enjoy different seasonal discovery stations and nature themed activities that will introduce you to the plants, insects and animals that call the park home.
June: Discover how nature recycles by learning about the fascinating cycle of decomposition in our urban forest.
July: Get to know pollinators and find out why they are so important and why they need our help.
August – Labor Day: The Lake and Lullwater are home to many plants and animals. Help us to test the water quality and investigate pond samples that are filled with living organisms.
Animal Encounter, 2–3 pm: Join Alliance Naturalists in learning more about the animals in the Audubon Center’s collection. This program starts promptly at 2 pm.
Family Bird Walk, 3–4 pm: Prospect Park is a stopping point for hundreds of bird species each year! Join us as we search for these amazing creatures and other nature around the park. Binoculars and bird guides are provided. This program departs from the Audubon Center promptly at 3 pm.
Martin Seck
Nature Exploration
April 19, 2023
Join the Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation.
Discovery Pack, 10 am–12 pm: Explore nature on your own with Discovery Packs, backpacks filled with nature activities and exploration tools that are perfect for families and kids who want to interact with the park in a whole new way!
Animal Encounter, 11 am–12 pm: Join Alliance Naturalists in learning more about the animals in the Audubon Center’s collection. This program starts promptly at 11 am.
Nature’s Helpers, 12–1 pm: Help do your part to keep Prospect Park healthy by cleaning up the lakeshore. In this citizen science activity, Audubon staff will guide groups to remove litter and record the findings. Fun for all ages and all materials are provided. This program departs from the Audubon Center promptly at 12 pm.
Martin Seck
Nature Exploration
Join Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation.
Discovery Pack, 12–3 pm: Explore nature on your own with Discovery Packs, backpacks filled with nature activities and exploration tools that are perfect for families and kids who want to interact with the park in a whole new way!
Animal Encounter, 2–3 pm: Join Alliance Naturalists in learning more about the animals in the Audubon Center’s collection. This program starts promptly at 2 pm.
Family Bird Walk, 3 – 4 pm: Prospect Park is a stopping point for hundreds of bird species each year! Join us as we search for these amazing creatures and other nature around the park. Binoculars and bird guides are provided. This program departs from the Audubon Center promptly at 3 pm.
c. Amanda Gentile
Halloween Fun in Brooklyn’s Backyard
September 30, 2022
Prospect Park Alliance is gearing up for Halloween fun in Brooklyn’s Backyard with Creepy Crawly Halloween at the Audubon Center, Haunted Carousel at the beloved Children’s Corner in Prospect Park, a haunted soul train themed roller disco night at LeFrak Center at Lakeside and Boo at the Zoo at the Prospect Park Zoo! Don’t miss these fun filled spooky events.
Lola’s Dreamland Roller Disco: Haunted Soul Train Friday, October 28, 7 pm–10 pm LeFrak Center at Lakeside, Ticket Prices Vary
Visit LeFrak Center at Lakeside for a spooky themed night at Lola’s Dreamland Roller Disco! The themed, dress up, immersive roller skating experience that will transport you into a haunted soul train.
Celebrate Halloween in Prospect Park at the beloved Carousel. Don’t be scared when you see the haunted horses! Don your best costume and take a spin on this spooky ride to your favorite Halloween jams.
Join Prospect Park Alliance at the Audubon Center for a special Halloween celebration. Take a second look at the creatures that give you the creeps, you may find you like them! Participate in fun activities and experiments that will make your spine tingle!
Owl Pellet Dissection 1-3 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 1 – 3pm 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.
Discovery Boxes 1 – 4pm What’s inside? Put your hand in and fine out! Fun sensory activity with just the right amount of scary!
Creepy Crawly Walk, 2-3 pm Participants will search for Prospect Park’s creepy residents and explore the hidden side of the park.
Animal Encounter, 3-4 pm Want to watch the snake gobble up a mouse? Join Alliance Naturalists in learning more about the animals in the Audubon Center’s collection and even assist in an actual feeding.
Halloween Fest Sunday, October 30, 2 pm–6 pm LeFrak Center at Lakeside, $20
Celebrate Halloween with spooky festivities at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside! Visit LeFrak Center at Lakeside for roller skating, a bounce house, game zone, arts and crafts, cookie decorating and more.
Boo at the Zoo Saturdays and Sundays in October, 11 am–4 pm Prospect Park Zoo, Free with Paid Admission, Prices Vary Prospect Park Zoo is going batty every weekend in October! Learn about bats around the world and visit the zoo’s African straw-colored bats in the Hall of Animals. Plus, check out educational graphics and activity carts!
Prospect Park Murder Mystery Audio Tour Saturday October 22 + Sunday October 23 Gesso App, Free Join Open House New York for a murder mystery, 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! The tour will be available on the Gesso App on Saturday, October 22 + Sunday, October 23.
Summer Movies Return for 2022 Season
July 6, 2022
Spend your summer nights in Prospect Park with SHOWTIME® In The Park, the free, outdoor movie series presented by SHOWTIME® in partnership with Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Brooklyn Magazine and Prospect Park Alliance. The series will take place on Wednesdays in August on Prospect Park’s Long Meadow, and continues the longstanding “Summer Movies Under the Stars” series offered in Prospect Park for many years through the support of the Borough President.
This year, the series extends to Fort Greene Park in July with partner Fort Greene Park Conservancy, offering nostalgic classics and feel-good fan favorites for all ages. The two-month series lineup will include the “West Side Story” remake by Steven Spielberg, “Crooklyn,” “Back to the Future,” “Spider-Man No Way Home,” and more. See below for the full lineup. The themes throughout deal with connectivity, perseverance, friendship, family (chosen and otherwise), self-empowerment, creativity and fantasy — just what we could all use this summer.
“SHOWTIME® in the Park has become one of the many summer events Brooklynites get excited for each year, and I’m looking forward to enjoying this year’s movie line-up in my new role as Borough President with my family. Supporting free and friendly community gatherings is critically important to me as the Chief-Promoter-of-Brooklyn and I hope more organizations emulate investing in such events so we can grow the number of activities around the year for families and individuals alike. Thank you again to Prospect Park Alliance and the Fort Greene Park Conservancy for your partnership,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso.
“We are thankful to the Borough President for continuing this long-cherished tradition of bringing our community together for free movie nights under the stars in Brooklyn’s Backyard, and to SHOWTIME® and Brooklyn Magazine for their support of this series,” said Deborah Kirschner, VP of Communications and External Relations for 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 another season of outdoor fun.”
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.
Visit the SHOWTIME® table for a complimentary lawn chair while supplies last.
The following is the full lineup:
Fort Greene Park For more information and to RSVP, click here.
West Side Story (2021) July 7 An adaptation of the 1957 musical, West Side Story explores forbidden love and the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds.
Selena July 14 The true story of Selena, a Texas-born Tejano singer who rose from cult status to performing at the Astrodome, as well as having chart-topping albums on the Latin music charts.
Crooklyn July 21 Spike Lee’s vibrant semi-autobiographical portrait of a school teacher, her stubborn jazz musician husband and their five kids living in Brooklyn in 1973.
Clue July 28 Six guests are anonymously invited to a strange mansion for dinner, but after their host is killed, they must cooperate with the staff to identify the murderer as the bodies pile up.
Back to the Future August 3 Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent thirty years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the eccentric scientist Doc Brown.
Ghostbusters (1984) August 10 Three parapsychologists set up shop as a unique ghost removal service in New York City, attracting frightened yet skeptical customers.
Encanto August 17 A Colombian teenage girl has to face the frustration of being the only member of her family without magical powers.
Spider-Man: No Way Home August 24 With Spider-Man’s identity now revealed, Peter asks Doctor Strange for help. When a spell goes wrong, dangerous foes from other worlds start to appear, forcing Peter to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.
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.
Please note that events will 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. Any cancelled events will be rescheduled for the rain date of Wednesday, August 31.
About Prospect Park Alliance Prospect Park Alliance is the non-profit organization that sustains, restores and advances Prospect Park, Brooklyn’s Backyard, in partnership with the City of New York. The Alliance provides critical staff and resources that keep the Park green and vibrant for the diverse communities that call Brooklyn home. Learn more at prospectpark.org.
About TF Cornerstone Founded by Tom and Fred Elghanayan in 1970 with the renovation of a small brownstone in Lower Manhattan, TF Cornerstone (TFC) now owns and operates nearly 10,000 residential units in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Long Island City, and over 4 million square feet of commercial, office and retail space in NY, DC, VA and PA. With their rapid expansion into burgeoning Brooklyn markets and several momentous developments on the horizon, including 595 Dean St in Prospect Heights, TFC continues to build on its tradition of long-term investment and ownership by acquiring, developing and repositioning residential and commercial real estate. Learn more at tfc.com.
Prospect Park’s Carousel reopens for the 2022 season on April 14! The Carousel has been a beloved staple of the park since 1912, and while countless rides on the stately horses and creatures have left a mark, you won’t find any chipped paint this year. This is thanks to Architectural Conservator Assya Plavskina’s meticulous work conserving and refining the carousel’s trademark details and colors, and original design.
The horses of Prospect Park’s Carousel last went through a major restoration in the late 1980s-early 1990s and were lovingly maintained by Lucio Schiavone until 2014. Plavskina started her work by stripping the figures of old varnish, removing flaking paint, and filled in areas of missing or failing paint, being careful to exactly match the paint already on the figures. The difficult task of matching colors required Plavskina to use her background in chemistry as a historical conservator to get the hues just right.
Plavsinka’s work also pays homage to the original roots of the carousel. “The design of the figures is heavy in gilding, as is typical of the work of Charles Carmel, the famous early-20th century carousel figure carver responsible for these figures, so it was important to make sure that this element was visible and prominent.” Plavskina used a metal leafing to match the existing gold and silver leaf.
“My intention was to stabilize all of the existing paint and gilding, fill in any particularly large areas of loss to match exactly what was intended to be there, and to ensure that all of the artistic finishes are well-protected against the intense use that the Carousel gets.”
c. Assya Plavskina
A fun-fact from the conservation process: before the work could get started, the figures needed a cleaning with soap that would not damage the paint. It’s common for conservators to turn to other trades when selecting appropriate tools, and in this case, Plavskina turned to the horse-care trade—the soap with which the Carousel horses were cleaned was actually intended for the cleaning of real horses!
The Carousel is one of the park’s most cherished and time-honored attractions for many park-goers, including Plavskina herself: “One of my favorite things about working on the Carousel was seeing the constant stream of children eagerly holding on to the closed railings, pointing out their favorite horses, and expressing how eager they were to ride again. Of course, they do not know, or care, that the horses may look identical to how they did 100 years ago, or the exact perfect color match of each paint, or what work goes into making sure that that paint remains stable and the Carousel remains running. But what is important is that they recognize their favorite horse, and they can continue to come back to the Carousel and feel the same feeling year after year. My mother-in-law used to come to the carousel with her own mother when she was a child in the 60s and 70s, and this year, she will be taking my children, her grandkids, to the Carousel. It is that continuation of history and community that conserving and maintaining the Carousel allows that is so beautiful to me.”
Double your impact through December 31! Your gift to Prospect Park Alliance today will go twice as far thanks to a generous dollar-for-dollar match. Right now, a generous Alliance supporter is matching all gifts, dollar-for-dollar, up to the first $75,000.
Support the park that sustains you—and know that your gift will be put to work immediately to support the park you love.
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