Green-Wood Cemetery Unveils 2025 Spring & Summer Season
Highlights include Sunday in the Cemetery, a Memorial Day Concert and more.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz Mar. 26, 2025
The Green-Wood Cemetery has revealed its spring and summer 2025 programming. From thought-provoking death education programs to historic tours, live performances, and community events, Green-Wood offers compelling ways to experience the Cemetery's beauty and history.
"This season, we’re excited to welcome back audiences for a roster chock full of new and fan-favorite experiences,” says Harry Weil, vice president of education and public programs at Green-Wood. “Whether it’s your first or 50th visit to the Cemetery, we’ve got something for everyone!”
Green-Wood offers experiences for everyone, regardless of age or interests, including a range of free and low-cost options.
All programs can be found on Green-Wood’s website at green-wood.com/calendar. Green-Wood members also enjoy discounts year-round.
Program highlights from May through August include:
Sunday in the Cemetery (Sunday, May 4th), an afternoon-long exploration of mortality at Green-Wood. This free, open-house event brings leading experts together for engaging talks, workshops, and guided tours that illuminate end-of-life care, funeral traditions, and memorial arts.
Memorial Day Concert: (Monday, May 26th) Green-Wood’s free Memorial Day Concert returns for its 25th year. Bring a picnic, sit back, and enjoy performances of music by composers interred at Green-Wood, including James Weldon Johnson, Fred Ebb, and Leonard Bernstein. The concert will be performed by high-school musicians from the ISO Symphonic Band at Third Street.
The Moth Mainstage: (Thursday, June 12th) The Moth Mainstage returns to Green-Wood! Experience an unforgettable evening of true, unscripted stories told live by five storytellers, plus a musical act. Recorded for The Moth Podcast and Moth Radio Hour, this often-sold-out event celebrates the power of storytelling.
Free Juneteenth Family Tours (Thursday, June 19th): Celebrate this important holiday by exploring Black history at Green-Wood.
Gay Green-Wood Trolley Tour (Saturday, June 28th): A special trolley tour celebrating LGBTQ+ trailblazers who have left a lasting impact on American history and culture.
A Night at Niblo’s Garden (Thursday and Friday, July 10th and 11th): Set around beautiful Crescent Water, this Victorian extravaganza features a dazzling array of showmanship under the starry summer skies. Bring a blanket and a picnic.
The Battle of Brooklyn and the Meaning of Freedom, Family Afternoon (Sunday, August 24th): Enjoy a free, family-friendly afternoon of activities to honor those who fought in the Revolutionary War Battle of Brooklyn (fought on part of Green-Wood’s Battle Hill) and learn more about the diverse world of revolutionary New York!
Revolutionary Spirits (Select Saturdays all season long) Explore Brooklyn's distillation history with Green-Wood and Fort Hamilton Distillery. Enjoy a trolley tour of the Cemetery, highlighting Revolutionary War figures and distillers. Then, visit Fort Hamilton Distillery for a tasting for a taste of "white" rye, sample whiskey from the barrel, and learn to bottle your own spirits.
All those are in addition to Green-Wood’s ever popular guided tours:
Walking tours include:
Birding in Peace (Sundays all season long): Serene early-morning bird watching walks.
Green-Wood After Hours (Fridays and Saturdays all season): Explore Green-Wood under the cover of night.
Green-Wood's Greatest Hits (Sundays all season): Visit the Cemetery’s most-loved spots.
Bugging Out (Saturday, May 17th, 11am): Discover Green-Wood’s wild side through insect-watching.
PollinaTours (Saturday, June 14, 10am): Learn about the birds, butterflies, and bees that pollinate Green-Wood.
The Language of Flowers (Saturday, June 28th, 11am): Uncover floral secrets carved in stone.
Nocturnal Navigators (Friday, June 20th, 8:45pm): Learn about Green-Wood’s bats
Trolley Tours include:
Discover Green-Wood (Saturdays all season long): Visit highlights across 478 acres.
Patriots of the Past (Saturday, May 3rd, 10am): Learn the Revolutionary War significance of Green-Wood.
Soldiers and Sacrifice (Saturday, June 7, 10am-12pm): Visit the resting places of Civil War veterans.
Green-Wood is also offering free death education programs:
Grieving & Weaving (June 9th, July 14th, August 12th), an ongoing series which explores the healing effects of knitting and crocheting.
Zen & The Art of Filming Family Interviews (Tuesday, June 17th) This workshop offers a unique approach to capturing meaningful video interviews with families, guided by Zen Buddhist principles and a lens of contemplative care.
Death Cafe (Wednesday, June 18th), a space in the Cemetery’s Modern Chapel to share your thoughts, hopes, and questions in a safe, welcoming space—over tea and pastries.
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