What: A celebration of Earth Day
Where: Prospect Park, Central Brooklyn
When: April 28th, 1-4PM
Why: There aren’t too many opportunities for green-minded New Yorkers to let out their inner eco-feelings and learn how to preserve the environment, whilst enjoying a pristine Parisian park-like setting—undisturbed by the usual gaggle of joggers, bikers, and tourists one might find in Central Park.
Prospect Park is a 140-year-old oasis covering 585 acres and bordering three distinct neighborhoods. Envisioned and designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the master planners behind Central Park, the Brooklyn landmark was intended as a respite from the rigors of urban life that could be enjoyed by members of all social classes.
The legacy of that ideology remains strong today, and on any given weekend one can see individuals, couples and families of every stripe walking, sunning, picnicking and playing volleyball on the park’s many inviting lawns and meadows. Long Meadow, at 90 acres, is thought to be the largest meadow in any U.S. park, so there is plenty of room for everyone. Visitors cannot fit every cultural activity into one day of sightseeing, not even those with a vigorous, up-at-dawn, carpe diem mentality. offMetro, in previous coverage, has mentioned some of the park’s adjacent hot spots, including the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Museum, Prospect Park Zoo, and Brooklyn Public Library. Prospect Park’s sponsors host an impressive list of amusements, including an ice skating rink, carousel, tennis courts, horseback riding, and a full schedule of free summer concerts from June through August in its annual “Celebrate Brooklyn” series.
Earth Day events on the 28th will include tours, activities, workshops, and a green market. Start your day with a walking tours highlighting the park’s flora and fauna, paying homage to the great naturalist John James Audubon. Children will love the free fishing and the raptors tour with a wildlife specialist. Or get your hands “dirty” with a group clean-up of lakeshore where you’ll not only be collecting litter but helping to record the findings for the Audubon Society.
Visit the Prospect Park website for a complete schedule of Earth Day 2019.
Cost: Free
How to get there: Prospect Park is easily accessible by mass transit: Take the F, 2, 3, Q, S or B trains, or the B41, B71, B69, B75 and B68 bus lines. (95 Prospect Park West, Brooklyn, 718.965.8951, prospectpark.org)
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram