Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery is transforming its green space for a wide array of events, concerts and tours.
“We look forward to welcoming thousands to experience Green-Wood over the next six months through performances and tours you can’t get anywhere else in the city," said Harry Weil, vice president of education and public programs at Green-Wood. "We have some exciting new events in store, alongside old favorites."
The season includes:
- Phantom Waves, a music series crafted for the distinctive acoustic spaces of Green-Wood’s Historic Chapel and Catacombs and curated by acclaimed performer Gelsey Bell. The series features musicians with experimental approaches to voice, instrumentation, and composition: Amir ElSaffar (April 24th and 25th); Gelsey Bell and Erin Rogers (May 15th and 16th); Odeya Nini (June 4th and 5th); and a performance of Darius Jones’s Samesoul Maker (July 24th and 25th).
- Latin Beats in Bloom, a springtime celebration featuring rhythms from the Caribbean, Mexico, and beyond, presented in partnership with Belongó on April 27th. Visitors can move between several stages set amid the Cemetery’s landscape coming into full bloom.
- Stone I is the first installment of a new interdisciplinary collaboration between internationally acclaimed performers, Eiko Otake and Margaret Leng Tan. Set in the Historic Chapel, the artists present a contemplation on the immensity of time, tension, and density that stone holds.
- Exit Strategy, a site-specific installation by Green-Wood’s 2023-2024 artist in residence Adam Tendler, on view June 1st through August 25th. Located in the Fort Hamilton Gatehouse, the installation is a meditation on grief and personal identity through music, text, visuals, and found objects, including material sourced from the local Green-Wood community. Visitors are welcome to participate in Community Days on March 30th, April 27th, and May 11th.
Guided tours, include:
- A trolley ride to Discover Green-Wood every Saturday, to delve into the storied past of spirits in Brooklyn with Revolutionary Spirits (in partnership with Fort Hamilton Distillery), or attend a thematic tour.
- Take an early morning nature walk with Birding in Peace, explore the grounds under the cover of night with Green-Wood After Hours, or visit the Cemetery’s most fascinating permanent residents with Green-Wood’s Greatest Hits.
Engaging death education programs, including:
- Pride & Performance: Soul Showcase (May 4th), an open-mic style variety showcase about grief and loss centering voices of the LGBTQ+ community.
- Grieving & Weaving (April 9th, May 8th), an ongoing series which explores the healing effects of knitting and crocheting.
- The Future of the Funeral (May 8th), an examination of the impact of evolving cultural landscapes on funeral and memorialization practices.
Program highlights April through August include:
- Memorial Day Concert: (Monday, May 27th) Green-Wood’s annual Memorial Day Concert returns for its 24th year. Bring a picnic, sit back, and enjoy the music by composers who are interred at Green-Wood, including James Weldon Johnson, Fred Ebb, and Leonard Bernstein. Performed by high-school musicians of the ISO Symphonic Band at Third Street, led by music director Paul Corn and hosted by guest conductor Brian P. Worsdale.
- The Moth Mainstage: (June 12th) The much-beloved (and always sold out!) Moth Mainstages returns to Green-Wood featuring five tellers. Celebrate the ability of stories to honor both the diversity and commonality of human experience, and to satisfy a vital human need for connection.
- Juneteenth Family Day: (Saturday, June 15th) Celebrate this important holiday marking the end of slavery in the U.S. by delving deep in Black history at Green-Wood! This free event will include family-friendly tours and art activities inspired by the Black lives that are forever memorialized at Green-Wood.
- A Night at Niblo’s Garden: (Thursday and Friday, July 18th and 19th) A Victorian extravaganza like none other! Set around beautiful Crescent Water this evening features a dazzling array of nineteenth-century showmanship under the starry summer skies. Bring a blanket and a picnic!
- And Then, Now: (Saturday, Sunday, and Monday May 4th, 5th, and 6th) An immersive performative walk exploring the significance of reliance—be it on each other, the environment, or our collective humanity. Choreographed by Jody Oberfelder, participants will traverse Green-Wood to experience reflective moments of music, dance, and conversation.
- The Battle of Brooklyn Commemoration and Family Day: (Sunday, August 25th) The largest battle of the Revolutionary War—fought in August 1776—included a significant engagement on Green-Wood’s Battle Hill. Attendees can enjoy a family-friendly afternoon of activities to honor those who fought in the battle and learn more about the diverse world of revolutionary New York.
All programs can be found on Green-Wood’s website at green-wood.com/calendar. Green-Wood members also enjoy discounts year-round.
