After a two-year haitus, The Green-Wood Cemetery held its annual fundraising Gala on June 1 to raise essential funds for the site's year-round programming.
More than 300 guests joined for the majestic night, a celebration that overlooked the cemetery's historic landscape.
“The past few years have been tumultuous due to the pandemic and our staff and partners have been put to the test in ways I never could have imagined," said Richard J. Moylan, president of Green-Wood.
This year’s gala began with cocktails and conversation beside Green-Wood’s 1913 Gothic Revival Historic Chapel, surrounded by early-summer blossoms of the nearby meadows.
The Firas Zreik Quartet serenaded guests with the sounds of the Palestinian kanun. As dusk fell, everyone settled down for a scrumptious outdoor dinner and remarks from Green-Wood friends, including Board Chair Peter W. Davidson.
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus performers including a silhouette artist, a mentalist, a poet, and even a writer with a vintage typewriter who drafted imaginative personal obituaries on the spot. Meanwhile, attendees also were dazzled by a live performance from the eight-piece brass band Brass Queens.
"I am proud of our resilience, innovative spirit and commitment to excellence as we continue to make Green-Wood one of the very best, and unquestionably most interesting and beautiful, institutions in all of New York City," Moylan said.
All Photos: Supplied/ Maike Schulz for Green-Wood Cemetery
