Click here for a printable calendar PDF.
Tara O’Grady & The Black Velvet Band
SATURDAY, MARCH 10 – 7:00 TO 11:00 PM
SPECIAL EVENT IN GREEN-WOOD’S HISTORIC CHAPEL
“Danny Boy” don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing! Join us for a fabulous pre-St. Patrick’s Saturday night of dancing, drinks and the sophisticated swing of Tara O’Grady & The Black Velvet Band in a stunning historic setting.
O’Grady and her band perform an irresistible mix of traditional Irish songs and jazz standards set to a swing jazz beat. Honored by the Irish Voice as one of the “Most Influential Women of 2010,” O’Grady has a voice that’s been compared to divas of days gone by and a look that conjures the Golden Age of Hollywood. O’Grady and her band perform regularly at Swing 46 Jazz and Supper Club, The Astor Room and Radegast Hall.
Tickets are $90 per couple or $50 per person for members of the Green-Wood Historic Fund and $100 per couple or $60 per person for non-members. Tickets include drinks and light hor d’oeuvres. Advance reservations required. Proceeds from this event support the Green-Wood Historic Fund.
To purchase tickets, call 718-210-3080 or order click here to order online.
Green-Wood at the Met Day Trip & Tour
THURSDAY, MARCH 15 – 9:30 AM TO 5:00 PM
A very special day at The Metropolitan Museum, exploring the world-class art of Green-Wood’s permanent residents.
Our trolley leaves Green-Wood at 9:30 a.m. for the drive to The Met. (You’re also welcome to meet us there.) We will then go on a private tour of the wonderful new exhibition Duncan Phyfe: Master Cabinetmaker in New York, with co-curator Peter Kenny (who has spent years researching Phyfe). Lunch in The Petrie Court Café, overlooking Central Park, follows.
Then we are off to the just-reopened American Wing for a tour, led by Green-Wood’s historian Jeff Richman, of stained glass windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany and John La Farge; silver, jewelry and presentation vases by Tiffany & Co.; paintings by Asher B. Durand, William Merritt Chase and Eastman Johnson; sculpture by Thomas Crawford, and much more. We will return to Green-Wood by trolley, hopefully by about 5:00 p.m.
Tickets are $100 for members of the Green-Wood Historic Fund and $125 for non-members. Includes trolley ride, admission, tours and lunch.
LIMITED TO 25 ATTENDEES ONLY—RESERVE NOW!
To purchase tickets, call 718-210-3080 or click here to order online.
The Eminent Irish of Green-Wood Walking Tour
SUNDAY, MARCH 18 – 1:00 TO 3:00 PM
The Irish immigration contributed immeasurably to the rich tapestry of American culture. Green-Wood has its share of the illustrious sons and daughters of Eire, as well as many of the unsung everyday men and women.
Join Historic Fund guide Ruth Edebohls as she visits notable Irish at Green-Wood, including copper magnate Marcus Daly; India Ink manufacturer and American patriot Charles Higgins; one-armed Civil War General Thomas Sweeney (who retired from the U.S. military but went on to lead the Fenian invasion of Canada); Irish patriot Wolfe Tone’s widow and son; actress and mistress of the mighty, Lola Montez (Eliza Gilbert), and much more.
Enjoy the magnificent landscaping and vistas of Green-Wood and its fascinating history. Walk may be hilly and strenuous — wear good walking shoes.
Tickets are $10 for members of the Green-Wood Historic Fund and $15 for non-members. Reservations recommended.
To purchase tickets, call 718-210-3080 or click here to order online.
‘Clara and Mr. Tiffany’ with Author Susan Vreeland Talk &Tour
SATURDAY, MARCH 24 – 1:00 TO 3:00 PM
“Not just for art lovers; read it if you enjoy love, human drama, and American cultural history.” — Library Journal
The latest novel of bestselling author Susan Vreeland was inspired by the story of the real artist behind the iconic lamps of Green-Wood resident Louis Comfort Tiffany. Hundreds of personal letters brought to the attention of art historians in 2005 led to the electrifying discovery that it was a woman, Clara Driscoll, who invented and designed world-famous stained-glass lamps. Set against the Gilded Age world of formal balls and opera as well as the immigrant poverty of the Lower East Side, Vreeland’s novel imagines the life of the artistic and progressive Driscoll.
This event has two parts, with separate tickets for each part:
- A free book talk by Susan Vreeland in the historic Green-Wood chapel, ending with a book signing (just released in paperback).
- A trolley tour immediately following the talk, led by Green-Wood’s historian Jeff Richman, to the graves of the Tiffany family, plus many contemporary designers and leading figures of the day. Tickets are $15 for members of the Green-Wood Historic Fund and $20 for non-members.
Seating is limited for both the talk and the trolley tour, and reservations are recommended.
To purchase tickets, call 718-210-3080 or click here to order online.
Eternal Beauty: Green-Wood Through the Lens Talk & Tour
SATURDAY, MARCH 31 – 1:00 TO 3:00 PM
WITH A SPECIAL PRESENTATION ON VICTORIAN MOURNING
Photographer John Thomas Grant inspires us with images from his extraordinary book Final Thoughts on the “landscaped paradises” that are cemeteries in America. Viewed as a unique art form, the headstones and memorials that are found in America’s cemeteries are captured in Grant’s inspiring photographs. Complementing the presentation, Lisa Lewis will speak briefly on Victorian-era mourning rituals, including 19th-century society’s expectations that widows wear full black attire and a weeping veil for an entire year.
This event has two parts, with separate tickets for each part:
- The free book talk/presentation in the historic Green-Wood chapel, ending with a book signing.
- A guided trolley tour immediately following the talk. BRING YOUR CAMERA! Grant will show you his favorite spots in Green-Wood and give hands-on tips and advice on photographing at Green-Wood. Tickets are $15 for members of the Green-Wood Historic Fund and $20 for non-members.
Seating is limited for both the talk and the trolley tour, and reservations are recommended.
To purchase tickets, call 718-210-3080 or click here to order online.
RMS Titanic and Green-Wood: 100 Years Later Trolley Tour
SATURDAY, APRIL 7 – 1:00 TO 3:00 PM
One hundred years ago, on April 15, 1912, the world experienced one of the most devastating maritime disasters of all time when the RMS Titanic sank- on her maiden voyage. This trolley tour will visit the final resting places of those who were among the passengers aboard this “Ship of Dreams” who became permanent residents of Green-Wood. Dr. J. Joseph Edgette, professor emeritus and folklorist emeritus at Widener University, will share the stories of the lost and surviving passengers interred here at Green-Wood. Dr. Edgette, who has carried out extensive research on the Titanic’s passengers and crew, has lectured and written extensively on the topic. He is a member of the Titanic Historical Society and the Titanic International Society.
Tickets are $15 for members of the Green-Wood Historic Fund and $20 for non-members. Reservations recommended.
To purchase tickets, call 718-210-3080 or click here to order online.
Written in Stone Walking Tour
SUNDAY, APRIL 22 – 1:00 TO 3:00 PM
The monuments and mausoleums of Green-Wood have many fascinating stories to tell, and some of the most interesting are not about the most famous.
Join Green-Wood tour guide Ruth Edebohls to visit the final resting places and hear the stories of the Indian Princess, the girl who died on her 17th birthday, the heartbroken husband who waved good-bye to his wife in the morning never to see her again, the man who built “The Funny Place,” an inventor and his dog, and many more.
A tourist attraction 150 years ago, Green-Wood today still has the power to draw us and keep us coming back with its beauty, grandeur and history. Walk may be hilly and strenuous — wear good walking shoes.
Tickets are $10 for members of the Green-Wood Historic Fund and $15 for non-members. Reservations recommended.
To purchase tickets, call 718-210-3080 or click here to order online.
Tu-mulchuous and Tree-mendous Special Event
SUNDAY, APRIL 29 – 10:00 AM TO 12:00 PM
Free mulch! Free tree! You bring us a bag, we’ll give you the mulch. (Or come early and we’ll give you a free Green-Wood tote bag, too!)
Green-Wood salutes—and supports—gardeners from near and far!
Come to Green-Wood to pick up free mulch for your garden (and ours is top-grade!), free advice from our horticulture experts, and even bring home a free tree in collaboration with the New York Restoration Project and MillionTreesNYC. Whether you garden in your backyard or in a community garden, come to Green-Wood for this great afternoon and help us make New York an even greener city. Please note: if you’re interested in one of the free trees, you’re encouraged to come as early as possible to fill out a reservation form. Trees weigh approximately 30 lbs. Please be sure you’re able to bring it home on your own. For free trees, you must be a resident of New York City.
FREE EVENT! So we can gauge response, please register online here in advance.
The Azaleas and Dogwoods of Green-Wood Trolley Tour
SUNDAY, MAY 6 – 1:00 TO 3:00 PM
WITH GREEN-WOOD’S SUPERINTENDENT OF GROUNDS ART PRESSON
You won’t want to miss this tour. Green-Wood’s superintendent of grounds and resident expert in all things green (and pink, yellow, white and purple), Art Presson will dazzle you with the extraordinary beauty of the spring blooms at Green-Wood. Whether you’re the kind of person who sees white blooms and says “that’s a Cornus florida flowering dogwood!” or you’re more the “that’s pretty—I wonder what it’s called” kind of person, this tour will be a visual extravaganza. With over 8,000 trees across 478 acres, Green-Wood is one of the most beautiful places in all of New York City.
Tickets are $15 for members of the Green-Wood Historic Fund and $20 for non-members. Reservations recommended.
To purchase tickets, call 718-210-3080 or click here to order online.
Green-Wood’s Great Women: Mother’s Day Walking Tour
SUNDAY, MAY 13 – 1:00 TO 3:00 PM
Join us on Mother’s Day to celebrate some of the most colorful and influential women of the 19th and early 20th centuries who are buried here. Matilda Tone, wife of the Irish patriot; pioneering doctors Susan McKinney Steward and Mary Jacobi; abolitionist Abigail Hopper Gibbons; and actresses Laura Keene and Kate Claxton rest here along with the more notorious Lola Montez and Elizabeth Tilton.
We’ll also enjoy the visual delights of Green-Wood, its trees and ponds and its sculpture and buildings by the leading artists and architects of their time, all in a setting of remarkable springtime beauty. Tour is led by veteran Green-Wood tour guide Ruth Edebohls. Walk may be hilly and strenuous — wear good walking shoes.
Tickets are $10 for members of the Green-Wood Historic Fund and $15 for non-members. Reservations recommended.
To purchase tickets, call 718-210-3080 or click here to order online.
Green-Wood’s Great Birds: Birdwatching Walking Tour
SUNDAY, MAY 20 – 11:00 AM TO 1:00 PM
Enjoy a lovely spring day birdwatching with Green-Wood tour guide Marge Raymond. Many birds migrate through Green-Wood on their long journey from as far as South America to their breeding grounds in Canada. Raymond has been birding in Green-Wood for 30 years and will take you to the best hot spots.
Birds that may be spotted include Yellow and Black-throated Blue Warbler, Scarlet and Summer Tanager, Baltimore Oriole, American Redstart and Great Egret, as well as Green-Wood’s resident Red-tailed Hawks and Monk Parakeets.
Along the way, enjoy Green-Wood’s magnificent spring blooms and Raymond’s fascinating stories about our famous permanent residents. Wear good walking shoes; bring your binoculars and cameras. You don’t have to be a birdwatcher to enjoy this tour — it’ s for everyone!
Tickets are $10 for members of the Green-Wood Historic Fund and $15 for non-members. Reservations recommended.
To purchase tickets, call 718-210-3080 or click here to order online.
14th Annual Memorial Day Concert (Followed by Trolley Tour)
MONDAY, MAY 28 – 2:30 TO 5:00 PM
Now in its 14th year, Green-Wood’s annual Memorial Day concert has become a true neighborhood favorite. The concert features the ISO Symphonic Band, founded in 1995 to sponsor talented students throughout New York City and led by ISO’s inimitable founder and conductor Brian P. Worsdale. Each year we feature the works of Green-Wood’s permanent residents Fred Ebb, Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Leonard Bernstein, and many others. Bring a blanket and enjoy this early summer performance. Food and refreshments will be on sale all day.
The concert is a free event, but please click here to register your group online so that we can gauge response.
A trolley “mini-tour” begins right after the concert, featuring highlights of Green-Wood, including De Witt Clinton’s bronze statue, Battle Hill and the Civil War Soldiers’ Lot.
The tour is $5 for members of The Green-Wood Historic Fund and $10 for non-members. Seating is limited. Reservations recommended. To purchase tickets, call 718-210-3080 or click here to order online.
1 p.m. Sunday and Wednesday Historic Trolley Tours
Green-Wood Trolley
(click image to expand)
Experience the most magnificent and historic 478 acres in New York City. Join our expert tour guide to hear fascinating stories of Green-Wood’s permanent residents, see breathtaking views of Manhattan, tread where George Washington and his troops fought the Battle of Brooklyn and much more.
Feb – May 2012 Winter/Spring Trolley Tour Schedule:
Wednesday, February 8: Tour C
Wednesday, February 15: Tour A
Wednesday, February 22: Tour B
Sunday, February 26: Tour A
Wednesday, March 7: Tour A
Sunday, March 11: Tour A
Wednesday, March 14: Tour B
Wednesday, March 21: Tour C
Sunday, March 25: Tour A
Wednesday, March 28: Tour A
Wednesday, April 4: Tour B
Wednesday, April 8: Tour A
Wednesday, April 11: Tour C
Wednesday, April 18: Tour A
Wednesday, April 25: Tour B
Sunday, April 29: Tour A
Wednesday, May 2: Tour C
Wednesday, May 9: Tour A
Sunday, May 13: Tour A
Wednesday, May 16: Tour B
Wednesday, May 23: Tour C
Sunday, May 27: Tour A
Wednesday, May 30: Tour A
Click here for more information on Green-Wood’s rotation of three different tours. Each boasts great views, beautiful monuments throughout, rolling hills, century-old trees and stories of the fascinating persons interred at Green-Wood, in addition to a visit to the Historic Chapel and to Battle Hill and several stops where visitors have the option to walk outside.
Our Historic Fund trolley tour guides:
Green-Wood’s trolley tour guide Marge Raymond fell in love with Green-Wood Cemetery 25 years ago as a birdwatcher and naturalist. She brings to her tours her enthusiasm and passion for Green-Wood’s famous residents, its history, trees and animals. Marge, a professional singer, has been a volunteer since 2002 with The Green-Wood Historic Fund’s Civil War Project and has helped to staff The Historic Fund’s information and sales cart since its inception. She has been known to break into an occasional song during her tours.
A Brooklyn native, Ruth Edebohls is a licensed New York City tour guide and urban historian with a special enthusiasm for Green-Wood Cemetery. After working for the Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment as its Coordinator of Urban Tours and as a tour guide for 15 years, Ruth became a tour guide for the Green-Wood Historic Fund several years ago. She has created and led a host of fascinating tours of Green-Wood.
After retiring from many years of teaching, Tom Russell became a volunteer at Green-Wood in 2003, greeting visitors and answering their questions. Tom long has been fascinated with the cemetery’s history, architecture, topography, natural beauty, and the stories of its permanent residents. His greatest interest is Green-Wood’s visitors who come from around the country and the world to see this great place.
Meeting Point: Inside Main Entrance at 25th Street and 5th Avenue
$10 for members of The Green-Wood Historic Fund / $15 for non-members. Seating is limited. Reservations strongly recommended.
To purchase tickets, call 718-210-3080 or click here to order online.
