Spring In Prospect Park: Carousel, Boating, Roller Skating Return

PROSPECT PARK, BROOKLYN — One more (hopefully last) polar vortex on its way to the city this weekend won't stop Brooklyn's Backyard from celebrating the start of spring.

The Prospect Park Alliance is gearing up for the season with a line-up of warm weather activities set to begin in April.

Aside from regular favorites — like the beloved Prospect Park Carousel and boating, roller skating and biking returning to the park — spring 2022 will mark a special year for Brooklyn's Backyard.

On April 23, the park will celebrate the Prospect Park Audubon Center's 20th anniversary, Earth Day and the birthday of both naturalist John James Audubon and Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape architect for both Prospect and Central Park.

Here's a look at all the activities lined up for spring:

April:

Spring Has Sprung
Saturday, April 9, 1–4 pm
Prospect Park Audubon Center, Free: prospectpark.org/audubon
Families and children can learn about bird migration through interactive games, join Prospect Park Alliance's teen naturalists for a story hour, and stay to see a screening of The Lorax. Limited seating is available for the movie on a first come first served basis.

Olmsted 200: Parks in Conversation–Virtual Tour of Central Park and Prospect Park
Tuesday, April 12, 12:30–1:15 pm
$10, Registration Required: prospectpark.org/olmsted200
Join Prospect Park Alliance and Turnstile Tours for a virtual tour in celebration of Frederick Law Olmsted’s 200th birthday that explores two of his New York City masterpieces—Central Park and Prospect Park.

Opening Day at the Carousel
Thursday, April 14, 12–5 pm
Children’s Corner, $3 per ride, $13 for a book of 5 tickets, Free with Prospect Park Alliance Family Supporter membership or higher: prospectpark.org/carousel
Take your first ride of spring on Prospect Park Alliance's historic Carousel! Featuring magnificent carved horses, lions, giraffes, and deer, this much loved attraction will be open for the season on April 14.

Roller Skating, Boating + Biking Begin at Lakeside
Friday, April 15
LeFrak Center at Lakeside, Prices Vary: prospectpark.org/lakeside
Brooklyn's favorite warm-weather pastimes are back in Prospect Park! Head to the LeFrak Center at Lakeside for roller skating, bike and boat rentals, and food from the Bluestone Cafe.

Spring Break in Prospect Park
April 15–April 22, Times Vary
Prospect Park Audubon Center, Prospect Park Carousel, Prices Vary
Enjoy your Spring Break with Prospect Park Alliance. Visit Prospect Park for family-friendly activities at Prospect Park Audubon Center, including nature exploration programs, park clean-ups, and animal encounters, and while you are in the park, take a spin on the Prospect Park Carousel.

New Volunteer Orientation
Tuesday, April 19, 6:30–7:30 pm
Virtual, Free, Registration Required: prospectpark.org/volunteer
Interested in learning how you can volunteer to help keep Prospect Park clean, green and healthy? Join Prospect Park Alliance for a New Volunteer Orientation! Learn what type of work you’ll do, who you’ll work with, and take a guided tour of our webpage where you can sign up for events and take an opportunity for questions and answers with Volunteer Services Staff members.

B’Earthday Bash
Saturday, April 23, 1–4 pm
Prospect Park Audubon Center, Free, Registration Required: prospectpark.org/olmsted200
Join Prospect Park Alliance on Saturday, April 23—we’ve got a lot to celebrate! It’s Earth Day, the Prospect Park Audubon Center's 20th Anniversary, and the birthday of two legends: naturalist John James Audubon, and landscape architect and Prospect Park's creator, Frederick Law Olmsted! Celebrate with activities for all ages, nature walks and a special exhibit on the 200th Anniversary of Olmsted’s birthday.

University Open Air
Saturday, April 23, 10 am–3 pm
Lawn Surrounding the Boathouse, Free, Registration Required: prospectpark.org/UOA
Prospect Park Alliance, in collaboration with Brooklyn Public Library, presents a special one-day session of our popular University Open Air series, with sustainability-focused courses and workshops. University Open Air provides immigrant teachers and professors an opportunity to share their knowledge with the public by welcoming students to enjoy free classes under the trees.

Park Pitch In: Earth Day
Saturday, April 23, 11 am–2 pm
Parkside & Ocean Avenue Entrance, Free, Registration Required:prospectpark.org/pitch-in
This Earth Day, give back to Brooklyn’s Backyard by caring for Prospect Park’s trees. Volunteers with Prospect Park Alliance will support our urban oasis by caring for street trees alongside the park perimeter—cultivate soil, lay down mulch, and remove litter from the tree beds along Parkside + Ocean Avenue.

Olmsted 200: Parks in Conversation–Prospect Park Walking Tour
Saturday, April 23, 11 am–12:30 pm + Sunday, April 24, 3 – 4:30 pm
Prospect Park, Prices Vary, Registration Required: prospectpark.org/olmsted200
Join Prospect Park Alliance and Turnstile Tours on Frederick Law Olmsted’s 200th birthday with a special tour celebrating his two New York City masterpieces—Prospect Park and Central Park. Prospect Park’s Turnstile Tours guides will be joined by guides from Central Park to explore Olmsted’s unique vision and legacy while comparing and contrasting the two parks and what they tell us about his evolution as a designer over the decade separating their construction.

Arbor Day at the Audubon Center
Friday, April 29, 12–4 pm
Prospect Park Audubon Center, Free: prospectpark.org/audubon
Join Prospect Park Alliance for Arbor Day fun with nature games and an exhibit in Brooklyn's last remaining forest, Prospect Park!

Park Pitch In: Arbor Day
Saturday, April 30, 11 am–2 pm
16th Street & Prospect Park Southwest, Free, Registration Required: prospectpark.org/pitch-in
Join Prospect Park Alliance as we celebrate our most important residents of the park—our trees! On Arbor Day weekend, volunteers are invited to help us care for street trees along the park perimeter.

May:

Eid al-Fitr in Prospect Park
Monday, May 2, 12–5 pm
Prospect Park Audubon Center, Prospect Park Carousel, Prices Vary
Join Prospect Park Alliance for family friendly programming on Eid al-Fitr at the Prospect Park Audubon Center and the Carousel.

Park Pitch In: I Love My Park Day 2022
Saturday, May 7, 11 am–2 pm
Picnic House, Free, Registration Required: prospectpark.org/pitch-in
Spruce up Prospect Park on this national day of service by taking part in a variety of Prospect Park Alliance volunteer activities, from painting benches, edging pathways, cleaning litter and more.

International Migratory Bird Day
Saturday, May 14, 10 am–1 pm
Prospect Park Audubon Center, Free: prospectpark.org/audubon
Did you know? Prospect Park is an essential stop-over location for migratory birds, and a haven for more than 250 species of birds. Join Prospect Park Alliance to celebrate International Migratory Bird Day with nature activities for the whole family.

New Volunteer Orientation
Tuesday, May 17, 11 am–12 pm
Virtual, Free, Registration Required: prospectpark.org/volunteer
Interested in learning how you can volunteer to help keep Prospect Park clean, green and healthy? Join Prospect Park Alliance for a New Volunteer Orientation! Learn what type of work you’ll do, who you’ll work with, and take a guided tour of our webpage where you can sign up for events and take an opportunity for questions and answers with Volunteer Services Staff members.

Party for the Park
Thursday, May 19, 6:30–11 pm
Prospect Park Boathouse, Prices Vary, Registration Required: prospectpark.org/party
Break out your best springtime attire for a taste of Brooklyn and a dance party as the sun sets on the historic Boathouse. All proceeds benefit Prospect Park Alliance’s mission to sustain, restore and advance Prospect Park.

Park Pitch In: World Biodiversity Day
Sunday, May 22, 11 am–2 pm
Children’s Corner, Free, Registration Required: prospectpark.org/pitch-in
World Biodiversity Day is a United Nations-sanctioned international day for the promotion of biodiversity issues. In Prospect Park, invasive plant species are a common threat to our urban ecosystem, outcompeting our native flora and impacting local fauna. Join Prospect Park Alliance as we focus our efforts on removing garlic mustard, a common invasive species that impacts park trees.

Olmsted 200: Lungs of the City– Olmsted’s Parks in Music
Saturday, May 28, 12 pm – 1 pm
Prospect Park Boathouse, Free, Registration Required: prospectpark.org/olmsted200
Join Prospect Park Alliance in partnership with NYC Parks Arts, Culture and Fun Division, and the American Wind Ensemble for Lungs of the City: Olmsted’s Parks in Music. American Wild Ensemble, a septet of winds, strings, and percussion, will perform eight new works inspired by Olmsted-designed parks commemorating the 2022 bicentennial of the birth of Frederick Law Olmsted.

Memorial Day in Prospect Park
Monday, May 30, 11–5 pm
Prospect Park Audubon Center, Prospect Park Carousel, Prices Vary
Join Prospect Park Alliance on Memorial Day for family-friendly nature education programs at Prospect Park Audubon Center, and while you are in the park, enjoy a spin on the Prospect Park Carousel.