Nearly a half-mile of track winds its way through the Haupt Conservatory come November, when a twinkling 24-year tradition of model trains and cityscapes in miniature returns to NYBG for another winter season. The Holiday Train Show has fast become New York City’s most beloved holiday pastime, a moment when children, parents, and train lovers alike flock to the Garden for a stroll through the nostalgic little world that we’ve dreamed up. And this year, we’re doing it bigger than ever.
Beginning November 21, the show brings along 3,000 square feet of additional exhibition space, making plenty of room for more trains, tracks, and bridges. Look for locomotives chugging along overhead and zipping between 150 landmarks crafted from bark, leaves, and other plant parts; among them, our brand-new Conservatory replica, reimagined just last year, is joined in 2015 by a jaw-dropping model of the New York Public Library building.
Don’t expect to go hungry while you’re here, either. Alongside our year-round offerings, like the casual dining of the Pine Tree Café and the full-service experience of the Hudson Garden Grill, stop for family-friendly seasonal treats from our new Gingerbread Café. And if you’re looking to warm up amid the snow flurries, head to the new Frosty’s Schnapps Haus in the Visitor Center, where fresh-made pretzels and hot spiked drinks are sure to hit the spot before you set off to explore our winter wonderland.
Time’s running out for FRIDA KAHLO: Art, Garden, Life, and there’s so much going on in the final weeks of October that you won’t want to let this one pass you by. Fall’s presence is undeniable as you walk through the Garden, tinging the trees with reds and yellows, and Halloween is fast approaching. More importantly, Día de los Muertos is just around the corner. It would be an understatement to say that we’re celebrating the holidays with style.
Alongside this weekend’s schedule of outdoor tours, music, food, and other exhibition programming, we’re preparing for the coming week of after-dark events and lively holiday fiestas that all begin with Frida for Families: A Spooky Nighttime Adventure. On Friday, October 23, grab tickets and bring your little ones (don’t forget their costumes!) for a night of trick-or-treating in the Garden, hands-on Halloween fun in the Adventure Garden, live costumed performers, giant puppets, and more. It’s a safe and exciting way to celebrate the holiday a little early.
It was a glitzy evening of dinner, dancing, and fall-blooming color that brought a crowd of well-dressed attendees to the Garden on Thursday, October 8, each person there to toast our guests of honor: the unmatched actress and rosarian, Julie Andrews, and NYBG‘s own Curator of the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, Stephen Scanniello.
The 25th anniversary of the Rose Garden Dinner saw guests enjoying cocktails and exclusive tours among the autumn blooms of the Rose Garden, followed by an elegant dinner served in the Garden Terrace Room. A special presentation by Scanniello on the sustainable gardening practices that support NYBG’s rose collection was matched with the unveiling of a new display of Andrews’ favorite rose cultivar, ‘Sally Holmes’.
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Guests closed out the night with mingling, drinks, and dancing, while the proceeds from the dinner went toward supporting the Fund for Horticulture and the continued preservation and development of the historic Rockefeller Rose Garden. Thanks goes out to everyone who joined us!
Happy Friday, and to all those who have Monday off for the holiday weekend—you’ve earned it! Enjoy your long weekend with a fall escape to NYBG, where we have three days of tours, live entertainment, film screenings, and all-new family programs surrounding FRIDA KAHLO: Art, Garden, Life.
Morning peeks into the hollows of the Rock Garden with a reticent sort of light. The collection’s currently on track to stay open until November 15 this season—longer if the weather behaves.
From the first day of FRIDA KAHLO: Art, Garden, Life, we have been awestruck by the stellar Frida-inspired looks displayed by our visitors. Kahlo aficionados of all ages and from all over have flocked to the Garden in flower crowns, colorful shawls, and long skirts, entering the reimagined Casa Azul in the Haupt Conservatory while evoking the iconic artist. Without any prompting, many of the record number of visitors to see this show have put in impressive effort to make this a singular and heartwarming moment in the Garden’s nearly 125-year history.
To reward the enthusiasm of the art- and garden-lovers attending this exhibition, NYBG has held a series of Frida Look-Alike Contests during select evening events throughout the six-month run of FRIDA KAHLO: Art, Garden, Life. Thursday, October 22, is your last chance to participate in—or simply admire—these joyous and festive evenings of creative display. Register today for a chance to show off your best Frida and win a gift bag from NYBG Shop. An Honorable Mention will go out to whomever best incorporates an homage to Día de los Muertos in their outfit.
Autumn for families in the Garden is one of the most colorful times of year to stop by, from the changing leaves in the Forest to our much-loved tradition of giant pumpkin carving in late October. And new this year, we’re taking things a step further with a full schedule of fall FRIDA KAHLO programming geared toward families who’re looking for something more than the average Halloween outing!
Take a break from the haunted houses and join NYBG in the coming weeks for some of the most lively Día de los Muertos activities you’ll find in New York.
Kids and adults alike are welcome at the Garden in late October, when we highlight the Mexican Day of the Dead with two festive weekends of stilt-dancers, live music, food, and fun for all ages—with events throughout the garden on October 24, 25, 31, and November 1. Our first Día de los Muertos Weekend also happens to feature a fan-favorite in Ray Villafane, who returns to the Garden with his team of artists for two days of live pumpkin carving—some of the biggest and heaviest gourds in the country!—creating creepy creatures inspired by traditional calaveras characters.
Nearly a half-mile of track winds its way through the Haupt Conservatory come November, when a twinkling 24-year tradition of model trains and cityscapes in miniature returns to NYBG for another winter season. The Holiday Train Show has fast become New York City’s most beloved holiday pastime, a moment when children, parents, and train lovers alike flock to the Garden for a stroll through the nostalgic little world that we’ve dreamed up. And this year, we’re doing it bigger than ever.
