Join Prospect Park Alliance and Molière in the Park for a free full production of Tartuffe or The Hypocrite at LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park.
Presenting a never seen before “Tartuffe” seems unimaginable. Yet, that’s what you’ll get a chance to see in Prospect Park this May.
Molière in the Park is offering a full production of Molière’s original “Tartuffe”, which was immediately banned by the King of France and lost to history, until now, 359 years later. This original play was reconstructed by Georges Forestier, a renowned French Historian, through a process of historical genetics, and premiered at La Comédie Française in Paris in 2022. It will be presented in English for the first time ever, on the Molière in the Park stage.
About Molière in the Park:
Molière in the Park’s (MIP) mission is to promote empathy and unity within the diverse communities in Brooklyn through the arts. MIP offers free opportunities for all to come together in Prospect Park and experience the benefits of theater. MIP’s vision is of a Brooklyn where all communities can benefit equally from access to theater and the Arts.
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.
2023 Winter Checklist
January 19, 2023
As we kick off 2023, enjoy all the fun that winter has to offer in Prospect Park! From sledding, skating, winter walks and more, we’ve put together 6 activities in a Prospect Park Winter Checklist for you to check off your list this season for a winter well-spent. Take a look and we’ll see you in the park.
Gain a new perspective of your park this season! While winter may seem like a quiet time in Brooklyn’s Backyard, there is a bustling ecosystem of sound and movement happening just below the soil’s surface all year long! Beginning at a trailhead by Dog Beach, explore the deep resonant sounds of the insides of trees, the roots of plants, shifting soil, waterways and more through Nikki Lindt’s The Underground Sound Project.
Both through nature and by design, Prospect Park’s landscape is dotted with rolling hills, which makes it prime territory for winter sledding on a snowy winter day. When conditions are right, make sure to check out the top sledding destinations in Brooklyn’s Backyard. Tip: make sure to get there early, spots on the slopes of Prospect Park fill up early on snowy days, and don’t forget to #BeAParkChampion and carry any broken sledding materials with you out of the park!
Get to know the plants and animals that call Brooklyn’s Backyard home in the winter with family friendly programming at the Prospect Park Audubon Center! Enjoy seasonal discovery stations and investigate pond samples at 12 pm, learn from the Alliance’s Naturalists about the animals in the Audubon Center’s collection, and set out on a winter wilderness walk at 3 pm and search for woodpeckers, chickadees, nuthatches and more.
Prospect Park’s two open-air ice skating rinks are not to be missed this winter. Enjoy hours of winter fun gliding through Brooklyn’s Backyard, and even try your hand at hockey or brush-up on your skating technique at skate school. Plus, after your hours out on the ice, don’t forget to fuel-up with a treat from Bluestone Cafe.
Prospect Park is scenic in all seasons, but wintertime provides a sense of serenity unlike all else. Enjoy the season in Brooklyn’s Backyard by exploring the many walking trails and stunning vistas in our urban oasis. Have a favorite winter walking route? Share it with us by tagging us in your winter walking photos @prospect_park!
Start your month off with some chirp and cheer and join the Brooklyn Bird Club and Prospect Park Alliance on the first Sunday of each month in search of the many bird species that visit and live in the park. Keep your eyes open for exciting winter species-sightings and learn about the different habitats in Prospect Park and why they are important for all types of birds. Please bring your own binoculars.
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.
Nature Exploration Thursdays + Fridays 12–4 pm Prospect Park Audubon Center, Free
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: Come explore nature on your own with our Discovery Packs, a backpack filled with nature activities and exploration tools, perfect for families and kids 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.
Nature Exploration Saturdays + Sundays, 10 am–1 pm Prospect Park Audubon Center, Free
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: Come explore nature on your own with our Discovery Packs, a backpack filled with nature activities and exploration tools, perfect for families and kids 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.
c. Elizabeth Keegin Colley
The Last Stand: An Experimental Opera for Trees
August 12, 2021
Prospect Park Alliance and NYC Parks Art in the Parks is partnering with Creative Time to present artist Kamala Sankaram’s first public artwork, The Last Stand, in Brooklyn’s Backyard.
On view September 18–October 10, this public sound installation and experimental opera for and about trees invites audiences to consider the complex and expansive life cycle of one of our most vital natural resources.
Prospect Park is home to Brooklyn’s last remaining forest with more than 30,000 trees and many species of native flora that are an integral habitat to the hundreds of species of birds and wildlife.
“Since our founding in 1987, Prospect Park Alliance has played a critical role in revitalizing the park’s 250 acres of core woodlands,” said Sue Donoghue, President of Prospect Park Alliance and Park Administrator. “The park’s 30,000 trees are the ‘lungs’ of Brooklyn and are vital to our community’s health and well-being. We are so pleased to be hosting The Last Stand, and drawing attention to the importance of trees to our environment and future.”
The Last Stand chronicles the lifespan of a 300-year-old Northern Red Oak—the “Mother Tree”—from the years 1750–2050. The rich soundscape tells the story of the Mother Tree in Black Rock Forest, a nearly 4,000-acre diverse ecosystem in upstate New York with tree species tracing back 14,000 years. Sankaram personally created field recordings of the environment to develop sounds for the installation, which will be experienced through rhythms, looped sounds, and the physical vibrations they generate.
“In the wake of this year’s catastrophic heat, storms, and floods, the immediacy of the climate emergency has only become clearer. We can no longer hold ourselves separate from the world around us. Rather, to stave off the most devastating effects of climate change, we must recognize the interconnectedness of humankind with our delicate world and all the living beings that inhabit it. It is my hope that by allowing ourselves to try and step inside the perspective of a tree, to experience its different intelligence and sense of time, we can rekindle this sense of connection,” said Kamala Sankaram.
Over the course of 10 hours, the opera spans the Mother Tree’s life from acorn to its “last stand,” the final burst of life-giving energy a tree gives to its vast forest life network before it dies. Trees and visitors will experience sounds native to the natural environment, including animal and tree canopy noises, as well as sounds that mimic moments of life-altering tragedy, including invasions from non-native insects to human-induced threats such as excess rain, logging, and fire. Finally, the narrative carries the audience into the future with sounds that hint at the catastrophic effects of climate change, calling attention to the symbiotic and sometimes negative relationships within ecosystems.
The Last Stand is the winner of Creative Time’s 2021 Emerging Artist Open Call, which offers the opportunity for an artist to create their first-ever public artwork. Lead Project Support for The Last Stand is generously provided by Costa Brazil.
This year, the series dives into nostalgic classics and feel-good fan favorites for all ages. The month-long series lineup includes The Goonies, Jumanji: The Next Level,Black Panther and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The themes throughout deal with connectivity, perseverance, friendship, self-empowerment, creativity and fantasy—exactly what everyone needs right now.
“We are thrilled to welcome Brooklynites from across the borough back to our ‘Summer Movie Under the Stars’ event at Prospect Park. This year’s amazing lineup of films offers fun for the whole family. I thank the Prospect Park Alliance, SHOWTIME, and Brooklyn Magazine for partnering with our office to put on this event, and hope you all can join us to enjoy some free cinema in Brooklyn’s communal backyard,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.
“What better sign that summer is back in Prospect Park than the return of our beloved annual movie series,” said Prospect Park Alliance President Sue Donoghue. “We are so appreciative of SHOWTIME, Brooklyn Magazine, and the Brooklyn Borough President for bringing this series to Prospect 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.
NOTE: Due to predicted storms, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, originally scheduled for July 29, has been rescheduled to August 26.
The full lineup:
The Goonies (1985) August 5 A group of young misfits discover an ancient map and set out on an adventure to find a legendary pirate’s long-lost treasure in this Richard Donner and Steven Spielberg classic.
Jumanji: The Next Level (2019) August 12 The crew is back, but the game has changed. As they return to rescue one of their own, the Jumanji players will have to brave parts unknown from arid deserts to snowy mountains, to escape the world’s most dangerous game.
Black Panther (2018) August 19 T’Challa, heir to the advanced yet hidden kingdom of Wakanda, must step forward to lead his people into a new future and must confront a challenger from the past.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) August 26 Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales suddenly develops mysterious powers after a radioactive spider bite. Miles transforms into Spider-Man, but there’s an interdimensional twist when he learns that he is not alone with his otherworldly gifts.
In celebration of the start of restoration of Lefferts Historic House in Prospect Park, Prospect Park Alliance is proud to partner with Photoville to present a site-specific photo exhibition celebrating the work of legendary photographer Jamel Shabazz: Prospect Park: My Oasis in Brooklyn. Opening in timing with Juneteenth, the exhibit will bring the work of Shabazz to the Brooklyn community. The photographer, whose work is housed within the permanent collections of The Whitney Museum, The Studio Museum in Harlem, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, is best known for his iconic photographs of New York City in the 1980s.
Best Friends, Jamel Shabazz, 2006.
“At the early stage of my photographic development, I wanted to improve my skills as a photographer, and Prospect Park with its five hundred and eighty-five acres, became the ideal place for me to practice” Shabazz says. Forty-one years and thousands of Prospect Park photos later, Shabazz has captured reunion picnics, musicians, races, dog walks, and so much more in the beloved park he calls his “oasis in Brooklyn.” Exhibited along the construction fence surrounding Lefferts Historic House, the community of Brooklyn will be able to discover new stories and recognize old friends in Shabazz’s work.
“I have photographed a number of locations during my career as a photographer, but I can honestly say that my work centered on Prospect Park is both my largest and one of my very favorite series” says Shabazz.
The Art of Love, Jamel Shabazz, 1988.
Prospect Park: My Oasis in Brooklyn will be on display outside Lefferts Historic House in Prospect Park through Spring 2022.
Header Image: We Are One, Jamel Shabazz, 1998
Caribpolitan, Andrea Pippins for I AM CARIBBEING
Celebrate Caribbean-American Heritage in Prospect Park
Wellness Afternoon: Marlon Jude + Third Root
Sunday, June 6, 1-4pm Boathouse, Free
Learn to utilize the park to improve your fitness and wellness regimens. Pop-up wellness stations will be hosted by Flatbush-based performance coach, Marlon Jude and community health center, Third Root. In these guided workshops participants will be guided through body-weight workouts, yoga, meditation and sound healing. (Mats are not required for this workshop. If you’d like to use one, please bring your own).
Cooking: Peppa’s + Allan’s Bakery
Sunday, June 13, 1-4pm
Breeze Hill/Lincoln Rd BBQ Grills, Free
Learn safe grilling practices whilst exploring culinary traditions of Brooklyn’s Little Caribbean with a demonstration and tasting led by Flatbush’s Peppa’s, in addition to freshly baked goods from Allan’s Bakery, a third-generation family institution. Food and beverage will be first come first serve, while supplies last.
Long Live Our Flag Bearers Workshop
Sunday, June 13, 2-5pm
Boathouse, Suggested Donation – $10
In this workshop, JOUVAYFEST COLLECTIVE and BUSH WO/MAN Conversations Project with Prospect Park Alliance commemorates the Flag Bearers of the past and present with interviews, historical video and live demonstrations. Long Live Our Flag Bearers workshop hopes to encourage the younger generations in maintaining this cultural art form and have fun in the process.
Music: Paul Beauburn + Zing Experience
Sunday, June 20, 5-9pm
Boathouse, Free
Groove to the healing music of Paul Beaubrun scion of Haitian musical royalty and son of the Grammy nominated band Boukman Eksperyans. Inspired by his heritage, constantly aware of his roots, the struggle of an immigrant and the drive of New York life, Paul & Zing Experience forged a path where music, artistry and history meet.
Music: Steel Pan Day
Sunday, June 27, 1-3pm
Boathouse, Free
Did you know Brooklyn has its very own Steel Pan Day? Proclaimed by Borough President Eric Adams at Brooklyn Museum in June 2015— come celebrate the only instrument invented in the 20th century alongside local performance groups including Zane Rodolfo’s pan-jazz trio and Hearts of Steel.
These events are first come, first served—no registration required.
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As spring arrives, Prospect Park blooms once again. Become a monthly Sustainer by April 22, and Thigpen Hill Family Fund will give $20,000 to match your gift each month for a year—that’s 12 matches in a row!
