A Night at Niblo's Garden

Looking for the perfect place for a picnic in Brooklyn? It might sound crazy, but as of right now, my top suggestion is Green-Wood Cemetery in Greenwood Heights, New York.

Hear me out. Picnicking in a cemetery might be controversial, but Green-Wood Cemetery isn’t an ordinary cemetery -- it’s a historic landmark, and one of the first open green spaces in New York City -- in fact serving as the inspiration for the creation of both Prospect and Central Park. But I, too, was skeptical -- until I visited the cemetery for one of it’s annual events: “A Night at Niblo’s Garden.”

Held in honor of William Niblo, the owner of legendary New York Theatre, Niblo’s Garden, The event celebrates Niblo’s theatrical Victorian sensibilities, with fire eaters, contortionists, and musicians from the Bindlestiff Family Circus.

In addition to the Victorian entertainment, guests were able to take a guided tour of William Niblo’s famed mausoleum with author Ben Feldman, who committed to the role by dressing up as Niblo himself.

Still, if Victorian era games, flying doves, and picnics by the gorgeous Crescent Lake aren’t your thing, there are many other events hosted by and in Greenwood Cemetery, including historic trolley tours, twilight tours of the grounds, even specialized dance performances.

For more information about Greenwood Cemetery and to keep an eye out for next years Night at Niblo’s Garden event, check out https://www.green-wood.com/, or follow their instagram, @historicgreenwood