Outdoor Dinner Party In Prospect Park Returns After COVID Hiatus

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — A beloved dinner party under the stars will return to Brooklyn's backyard on June 25th for the first time since the onset of the pandemic, the Prospect Park Alliance announced.

Tickets for this year's "Prospect Park Soiree," which raise funds for the Alliance, go on sale at 9 a.m. Thursday for $50 per-person and increase by $5 on May 2nd (though the event routinely sells out).

A limited number of 10-ticket packs, which come with two bottles of wine, will also go on sale this week, organizers said.

In years past the event has drawn thousands of neighbors to the park for a night of dancing and potluck-style dining — the Alliance sets up 8-foot-long tables with chairs, and guests bring their own food, table décor, trash bags, and dinnerware (the park recommends reusable products to minimize waste and keep the park clean).

Festive table setups and attire is recommended. The Alliance encourages guests to decorate their tables in celebration of the "beautiful surroundings" (flowers and local produce are décor mainstays), and wear a "fabulous hat or headpiece of their choosing" (which in years past have been judged for prizes).

On the day of the event, which happens rain or shine, the gates open at 5 p.m. and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

There will be enough room for everyone, the Alliance promised, but small groups are encouraged to share table space since each table seats 10 people.

The night's live entertainment kicks off at 6 p.m., with a DJ taking to the stage two hours later, at which point the dance party begins.

At 10 p.m. the soiree will wrap up, and all guests need to clean up their trash before leaving, organizers said.

The community event is only open to people ages 21-and-older, since guests are allowed to bring wine and beer (but no hard liquor), and everyone who attends this year needs to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, organizers said.

Find out more about the Prospect Park Soiree here.