Here’s a listing of what’s on tap at Prospect Park, Brooklyn’s favorite greenspace, this month:
Special Events
Animal Adoption Festival, August 2, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bartel-Pritchard Circle: Looking for a new furry friend? FIDO (Fellowship in the Interest of Dogs and their Owners) is organizing this adoption festival in honor of its 10th anniversary. In addition to adorable, adoptable cats, dogs, kittens, and puppies, this event features Ask the Veterinarian, Ask the Trainer, and Ask the Groomer booths. Sponsored by the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals.
Early Bird Walk: Early Migrants, August 3, 8 a.m., Prospect Park Audubon Center: Join the Brooklyn Bird Club in search of the early migrants along the Park’s waterways and in the woodlands. Led by the Brooklyn Bird Club. Audubon Center. Free.
Celebrate Brooklyn!, now to August 9, check www.prospectpark.org for times, Prospect Park Bandshell, Ninth Street & Prospect Park West: A program of BRIC Arts
Media
Bklyn, Celebrate Brooklyn! enjoys its 30th summer of music, dance, theater, and film at the Prospect Park Bandshell. Performances are held most Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. For more, visit www.briconline.org/cb.
Summer at the Green, now to August 15 (Mondays – Fridays), 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Youth Resource Center at Bowling Green Cottage: Back for its second year, Summer at the Green activities will be bigger, better, more educational and fun! Prospect Park staff and Youth Council members will be on hand to supervise children of all ages as they participate in arts & crafts, team-building workshops, conflict resolution workshops, gardening, drama, nature tours and explorations, and more. All participants must be accompanied by an adult caregiver. Free.
Youth Council Harvest & Open House, August 16, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Youth Resource Center at Bowling Green Cottage: Join the members of the Prospect Park Alliance Youth Council as they harvest their home grown produce, including pumpkin squash, carrots, broccoli, peas, and cucumbers.
These are crops that were planted at the Youth Resource Center’s vegetable garden during Earth Day in April. For information, call 718-854-4901. Open House continues until 4 p.m. Free.
Twilight Tours, now to August 28 (Running most Thursdays in July & August; please call beforehand to confirm.), 6:30 p.m., Prospect Park Audubon Center: Enjoy a romantic evening of wine and cheese on the charming Audubon Center balcony; then tour the Park’s majestic Lullwater on our electric boat “Independence.”
After your ride, go on an Audubon naturalist-guided exploration of the Park's nature trails. Reservations required; seats are limited: call 718-287-3400 extension 114. Boat tour leaves at 7 p.m., $25 per person.
Ongoing Events
Ezra Jack Keats Story Hour, now to August 30 (Saturdays in July & August), 2-3 p.m., Imagination Playground: Gather ‘round Peter & Willy, the statue of two beloved Keats characters, for storytelling adventures at Imagination Playground. Sponsored by the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation. Free.
Summer Songs & Stories, now to August 31 (Sundays in July & August), 2 & 3 p.m., Lefferts Historic House: Settle under the big tree at Lefferts Historic House and remember why the art of telling stories never gets old. Hear Tammy Hall and other guest artists tell tales and sing songs from different cultures that have enchanted audiences for generations. Free.
Prospect Park Historic Carousel, Thursdays through Sundays, and school holidays, 12-6 p.m., Prospect Park Children’s Corner: Now to Labor Day, the Carousel is open Thursdays through Sundays and school holidays, 12-6 p.m. The price is $1.50 per ride; $8 for a book of six tickets.
Special thanks to Astoria Federal Savings for providing free rides to kids 12 and under at the Carousel every Thursday in August.
Electric Boat Tours, every Saturday and Sunday, 12:30-4:30 p.m., Prospect Park Audubon Center at the Boathouse: Take an enchanting guided tour aboard the whisper-quiet electric boat “Independence.” Tour the Lullwater, one of Prospect Park’s most scenic habitats for flora and fauna, and Brooklyn’s only freshwater Lake. Tours last 20 minutes and start every half-hour. The price is $6 for ages 13 and up and $3 for ages three through 12. Children under three ride free.
Sewing Club, every Friday, 1:30-3:30 p.m., Lefferts Historic House: Learn basic sewing techniques by starting a patchwork quilt at this intergenerational drop-in program. All skill levels welcome. Free.
Introduction to Birdwatching, every Saturday, 12-1:30 p.m., Prospect Park Audubon Center: Prospect Park has more than 200 species of birds. Take a guided tour and find out why the National Audubon Society has designated Prospect Park an Important Bird Area. Free.
Early American Crafts, every Saturday and Sunday, 2:30-3:30 p.m., Lefferts Historic House: Make arts and crafts the old fashioned way. Free.
General Information
Enter the park at Lincoln Road and Ocean Avenue, Parkside & Ocean avenues, or Flatbush Avenue & Empire Boulevard (Willink entrance) and follow the directional signs.
For more, call 718-965-8999, or 718-965-8960 for directions to all volunteering destinations, or go to www.prospectpark.org.
