Join us for a plein air (French for open air) style art session with local artist Sebastian Deregibus. Our event will begin with a discussion about our plants in bloom, led by Horticulturist Alex Kuchta followed by a guided art session, with McGolrick Park as your muse.

Please RSVP in advance as supplies are limited.

Additional information:

Schedule (3hrs approx)

9am, group meet, pep talk, garden tour
9:30am, disperse to paint or draw, individual coaching
12Pm, regroup, share artwork & experience, disband

suggested Materials

Prepared art panels, small scale (4” x 6” & 5” x 7” approx), sketchbooks, or mixed media pads
Any medium; dry or water based recommended, watercolor/acrylics/color pencils/pastels/gouache/casein

Notes

bring water, to drink & to clean brushes as you work
bring a hat
plan to stand (if you have a portable easel) or sit (on a portable stool or park bench)
the light will change, the wind will blow and the insects will buzz, these are the hallmarks of Plein Air, embrace and enjoy :)

*you must complete the cart check out to secure your spot!*

Greet the first spring migrants, including sparrows and warblers at this bird migration outing led by Local Nature Lab, an organization committed to promoting a love for nature and conservation through education.

Learn the basics of birding and search for the hundreds of species that visit McGolrick Park throughout the year.

Participants will receive a Bird Explorers Guide, to draw birds seen during the outing. All levels and ages are welcome. A limited supply of binoculars are available to borrow.

Join Friends of McGolrick and Greenpoint Library for a talk with local historian, author, and neighbor, Tom Gilbert who will discuss how baseball's origins are intertwined with the history of New York City and Brooklyn.

Tom is the author of many books, including Playing First, which tells the stories of dozens of 19th-century baseball men who are buried in Brooklyn's Green-Wood cemetery, and How Baseball Happened, a divergent take on the game's origins and spread that won the 2020 Casey Award for best baseball book of the year.

April 4th from 5:30-7:30 at Greenpoint Library.

Register here.

Sunday, November 12th, join us for a Nature Walk with Arborist John Kilcullen

Learn more about how McGolrick Park’s trees connect, communicate, and adapt to the environment around them during a tour with John Kilcullen, NYC Department of Parks & Recreation Arborist and Director of the Conference House Park on Staten Island. Kilcullen will discuss the history of the park’s amazing trees including the ash tree and the London plane trees, which make up the park’s beautiful tree canopy.

The tour begins at 11 am. Meet up at the Driggs and Russell Street Entrance inside the park.

McGolrick Nature Walks are brought to you by friends of mcgolrick with support from City Parks Foundation and Partnerships for Parks through the NYC Green Fund

Celebrate the changing season with arts and crafts, daffodil bulb planting, a book exchange, storytelling, and more.

A full list of the day’s activities includes:

9 AM Garden Walk 
Learn more about the wonders hidden within the McGolrick flower beds on a Nature Walk through the park with our gardeners Lauren Clark and Alex Kutcha, joined by Lisa Bloodgood, Director of Horticulture for North Brooklyn Parks Alliance. 

10 AM – 12PM 
Daffodil Bulb Planting  
Roll up your sleeves and help get daffodil bulbs in the ground for spring! Come dressed for planting. Tools and bulbs will be provided by NBPA. All ages are welcome! No sign up required.

Book Exchange 
Take a book, leave a book! Peruse our collection of gently used books or drop off any you're ready to part with. Please limit any donations to one bag. 

Plant & Seed Swap
Bring propagated cuttings and healthy potted plants to our swap. Plus, take home new plants and seeds for your home provided by McCarren Demo Garden.

Yarn Swap and Circle

Craft with Greenpoint Art Circle

See yourself in cartoon form. Get drawn up by Cartoons by Hilary

Free soil testing with North Brooklyn Neighbors 
Bring a sample of your backyard soil (about two cups) in a clear, plastic sandwich bag to be tested for heavy metal (lead). The results will be available immediately.

11 AM Story Time 
Lisons ensemble!  Przeczytajmy razem!  Gather for story time in English, French, and Polish. Brought to you in part by the French committee of the PS 110 PTA.

11:30 AM Breathwork and Meditation 
This calming meditation is designed to help introduce children to mindfulness through focused breath work. Led by Bea Wolert. 

12 PM Pie Eating Contest with Pie Corps
Show off your competitive eating skills at our very first Pie Eating Competition sponsored by our neighbors at Pie Corps!  Enter the competition here.

Join Friends of McGolrick and McGolrick Dog Run for McGhoulrick Halloween 2023!

10/31

4-7pm

RSVP HERE!

4pm Children's parade

6pm Dog parade

----

Photo booth by @mondlockmoments

Polarioids by @picturemanbob

Dog treat buffet by @leosleashes

Dog treats by @bakedwithlovebynicole

Bulk candy giveaways by @maisonjar.nyc

Dog and human tarot readings

Painting scavenger hunt by @stevewasterval

games, & prizes from @varietycoffee, @districtdogbk, @greta.brooklyn, @parachutebrooklyn, @sitstillkidsnyc, @lastplacebk, @dramaclub.us, @twinkleplayspace, @katt.jones.design, @exhibitsalon & more

Little Red’s Hood is a fresh retelling of the classic ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ tale updated with a modern sensibility that appeals to kids. In this story, Little Red is a smart, young city dweller who is obsessed with her smartphone. Wulfric, a misunderstood wolf with a sweet tooth, crosses paths with Little Red on her travels to deliver her Grandma cupcakes and the trouble begins. This story offers a comical lesson on the importance to disconnect from our digital lives and enjoy real life moment with friends and family.

Join us for shows at 10 and 11 AM in McGolrick Park!

Halloween Costume Swap 

10 AM – NOON

Back by PUP-ular demand! Need a new look for Halloween? Donate or swap gently worn or outgrown children's and pets' Halloween costumes and accessories. 

McGolrick Garden Club and Plant Giveaway 

9 AM – NOON

North Brooklyn Parks Alliance Plant Swap and Garden Club

Join us Sunday at 9am for a big park-planting day! North Brooklyn Parks Alliance will be planting an array of pollinators that prefer full sun. Varieties include Great Blue Lobelia, Rattlesnake Master, Pale Purple Coneflower, and Mountain Mint, all sourced from Citywide Nursery. We’ll be focusing on the garden beds adjacent to the Russell and N. Henry St. entrances. RSVP here! 

NBPA will also be giving away a variety of plants for your home garden as well. These include Purple Coneflower, Virginia Strawberry, Wild Bergamot / Wild Bee Balm, and Foxglove Beardtongue among many others. These plants were all grown in NBK Parks Native Nursery at Under the K Bridge Park using seeds donated by Greenbelt Native Plant Center. Volunteers helped plant these seeds in early January and they are finally ready for distribution to neighbors, parks, and community gardens! 

Find us at our market table on Sunday, October 1 for a visioning session about improving safety for the streets around McGolrick Park.

+ Join us and the PS110 PTA for the first clean-up of fall! The person to bring us the heaviest haul of found litter will win a piece of PS110 merch of their choosing!

Greenpoint Baby and Kids' Back-to-School Clothing Swap
10 AM–12 PM

Exchange clean, gently used clothing and accessories for the new school year at this back-to-school clothing swap. Gently worn clothing for babies and children will be sorted by size for ease. Please bring clean, folded, buttoned, and zipped clothes with no stains or holes. Fall and winter clothes are appreciated. 

Nature Reflection and Journaling at McGolrick Park 
1–2 PM 

Join the Urban Park Rangers in a meditative walk through McGolrick Park. Guests are invited to make a nature journal while practicing being present through creative endeavors. Meet up by the lawn area at Monitor Street and Driggs Avenue. For more info, visit nycgovparks.org.

Celebrate summer at McGolrick Nights: Wednesday evenings 6-10 pm

Created by guitarist and Greenpointer, Kaki King

All family-friendly events will take place on silent disco-style headphones.

OPENING NIGHT LINEUP
Wednesday, June 28

6 PM KIDS DANCE PARTY
Sick and tired of adults trying to convince you that their music is cool? Come listen to the fresh beats that kids love and adults can't stand! DJ Coop will hook you up with the best of the bops-that-slap and viral Tiktok jams.

7 PM WORD OF MOUTH
---VAULTING---
In order to leave a burning planet and survive in space you have to alter your genome and grow into a body capable of photosynthesis. This brilliant experience by @thisyearning guides you through the process of becoming something entirely new, as long as you accept the side effects of the "medicine."

8 PM LIVE MUSIC
---CHEST HIGH FIRES---
Greenpoint locals @chesthighfires present a special acoustic set for McGolrick Nights, featuring @samkogon . Soothing songwriter tunes sprinkled with just enough cowgirl boot dust to remind us that you can take @carrieashleyh out of Texas but she will never forget the Alamo.

9 PM PLAYLIST
---SLO-MO---
Slow jams by homos made for public consumption. Let Sam Smith, MUNA, Frank Ocean, and contemporaries gently guide you into a beautiful summer evening. HAPPY PRIDE EVERYONE!
🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

Center of McGolrick, rain or shine. Please bring id or cc in return for headphones. Suggested donation is $10 per hour or per experience.

🚲 Greenpoint Community Bike Ride and Picnic
Celebrate Bike Month with your neighbors with a park-to-park ride! All ages are welcome! 

May 13th, 10AM
with Friends of Cooper Park and Friends of McGolrick Park

📍10 AM Meet at Cooper Park, light bicycle tune-ups offered and giveaways courtesy of Transportation Alternatives
10:15 AM Community ride takeoff to McGolrick Park - experienced guides will lead the way

Bring your own picnic to enjoy with your neighbors post-ride!

Join us for our monthly Sunday McGolrick Park Cleanup this Sunday, May 7th from 10am-noon.

Trash bags, trash pickers, and gloves will be provided. All ages are welcome! Meet up location at our table in the market.

Our monthly McGolrick Park Cleanup is March 5 from 10am-noon! Trash bags, trash pickers, and gloves will be provided. All ages are welcome! Meet up location at the park pavilion.

Does your plant need a new home? Bring healthy plants, cuttings, or seeds to swap with your neighbors at our farmers market booth. Please ensure items are easily transportable and labeled.

Drop off any gently-used books you’re ready to part with and take home some new ones at our book swap table. Please limit donations to one bag. 

Join us for our monthly McGolrick Park Cleanup this Sunday from 10am-noon! Trash bags, trash pickers, and gloves will be provided. All ages are welcome! Meet up location at the park pavilion. Hope to see you there.

Join us for our monthly Second Sunday McGolrick Park Cleanup this Sunday from 10am-noon. Trash bags, trash pickers, and gloves will be provided. All ages are welcome! Meet up location at the park pavilion. Hope to see you there.

Join us for our December McGolrick Park cleanup this Sunday from 10am-noon. Trash bags, trash pickers, and gloves will be provided. All ages are welcome!

Please help us spread some holiday cheer in our community! We will also be organizing a toy drive, along with council member Lincoln Rester, to provide gifts to local children in need. Drop off unwrapped new and unused toys and books for kids of all ages to the Friends of McGolrick table at the Down to Earth Farmer's Market.  

Don’t throw away those pumpkins just yet. Join us for a family-friendly pumpkin smash, all part of a fun day of fall activities. Not only will we be out with our friends and partners, NBK Compost and NBK Mutual Aid, smashing some pumpkins, but we have a ton more events planned for the day.  The fun includes a park clean up, compost giveaway, pre-loved book swap, a coat and warm clothing drive, and a mending station for minor clothing repairs. A yarn swap and various children’s activities round out the fun activities for the day.
 
Light snacks and beverages will be provided. If you plan to volunteer to help with trash and litter removal around the park, we encourage you to bring gloves and come dressed for cleaning! 
 
Please find us at the Russell Side of the park in the grassy area behind the food scrap drop-off. All ages welcome! 
 
We will also have a Friends of McGolrick Park table at the Down to Earth Farmers Market on November 13. We'd love to meet you and talk all things park!

Join Friends of McGolrick for a daffodil planting party in the park. We will be out with our partners, the PS110 PTA, Council Member Lincoln Restler's office, and the North Brooklyn Parks Alliance getting bulbs in the ground for an extra beautiful springtime. The Department of Parks and Recreation will provide all tools. Please come dressed for digging. Please find us at the center of the pavilion. All ages welcome! 

We will also have a Friends of McGolrick Park table at the Down to Earth Farmer's Market on October 16. We'd love to meet you and talk all things park!