Special Event

What is cremation? How long have we been doing it, and how does it work? Is it the right choice for you or your family? Amy Cunningham leads this tour of cremation’s history and its impact on the present and future of funerals. In Green-Wood’s Modern Chapel, you’ll learn about the earliest known cremation in Australia 32 thousand years ago, the pagan cremations in ancient Rome, and how Judaism’s consistent objection to cremation led to 1,500 years of Christian burial. Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, Madame Helena Blavatsky, Jessica Mitford, Ann Landers and Reverend Billy Graham will all make appearances in this engaging, sometimes jolly talk. You’ll also learn how to choose an end-of-life mode of disposition that expresses your own beliefs and values. After the talk, you will tour Green-Wood’s crematory with a member of the crematory staff, and enjoy the chance for discussions and questions at a short reception.

This popular event is back for 2016 and better than ever! Imagine an outdoor pleasure dome, strung with lights, adorned with fountains and featuring the top musicians, dancers and entertainers of the time. That was the scene at Niblo’s Garden – the premier entertainment house of the 19th century. Niblo himself had a habit of turning his Green-Wood mausoleum – built years before his death – into a pleasure garden of its own, with friends, picnics, and entertainment. Rumor has it he even stocked the nearby Crescent Water with goldfish.

Green-Wood’s tranquil landscape provides a bucolic setting for this guided meditation, led by Bhante Suddhāso, a Western Buddhist monk and co-founder of Buddhist Insights. Whether you’re a card-carrying Buddhist or just someone looking to gain a little peace of mind, this unpretentious outdoor session will guide you through meditations that encourage peace, insight, and calm.

Join the Green-Wood Historic Fund as it presents the ninth annual De Witt Clinton Award for Excellence. The award honors the legacy of 19th-century New York Governor De Witt Clinton (who also served as mayor of New York City, state senator, assemblyman and United States senator), now a venerated permanent resident at Green-Wood. Enjoy cocktails and dinner as we honor Geoffrey Ward, Emmy Award-Winning script writer and author.

Are we ever really ready for the time when the bell tolls? If we’re open to talking about it, we might be a least a little more prepared. This panel – an official 2016 Brooklyn Book Festival Event – will explore the complex relationship between death, dying, and the hereafter, and how any such understanding is shaped by the meaning we give to our own lives. It’s heavy stuff, but our guest presenters will guide you through with wisdom, direction and even a sense of humor. Presenters include Dale Allison (Night Comes, published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company), Amy Cunningham (blogger at The Inspired Funeral and founder of Fitting Tribute Funeral Services), and Benjamin Mitchell-Yellin (Near-Death Experiences: Understanding Visions of the Afterlife, published by Oxford University Press).