Green-Wood Cemetery is stepping into the fall season with a full lineup of art performances, walking and trolley tours, community celebrations and nationally-recognized death education programs.
Set against the backdrop of one of New York City’s most storied landscapes, the season highlights Green-Wood’s unique role as both a place of remembrance and a hub for culture and community.
Arts And Culture
The season opens with world-class performances and immersive cultural experiences:
- Paola Prestini: Houses of Zodiac (Oct. 1–3) brings a multidisciplinary work into the catacombs, blending music and dance with themes of creation and emancipation.
- Nightfall (Oct. 16–17) lights up the cemetery after dark with musicians, storytellers, performance artists, in collaboration with cultural partners across the city.
- Reposo y Recuerdo / Día de Muertos Ofrenda (Oct. 11–Nov. 16) transforms the Historic Chapel into a communal altar and reflective space, featuring hammocks woven with pre-Columbian techniques.
- Day of the Dead Family Celebration (Nov. 1) returns with crafts, performances, music, food and activities honoring Día de Muertos traditions.
Trolley Tours
Green-Wood’s ADA-compliant trolley tours return with themed rides through history, architecture and hidden stories:
- Baseball Greats of Green-Wood (Sept. 27) celebrates figures who shaped America’s pastime.
- Gay Gothic: Love, Loss and the Hereafter (Oct. 11) honors LGBTQ+ history and memorialization.
- Stranger Than Fiction (Oct. 18) uncovers eccentric characters of Green-Wood’s past.
- Feminism and Fortune Telling (Oct. 25) dives into the lives of fortune tellers and social critics of 19th-century New York.
- Fame, Fortune & the Forgotten (Oct. 26) shines a light on overlooked Victorian women.
- Then and Now: Green-Wood in 3D (Nov. 8) uses historic 3D images to bring the cemetery’s earliest days to life.
- Revolutionary Spirits (Oct. 11, Oct. 25, Nov. 1) pairs a cemetery tour with a visit to Fort Hamilton Distillery for a taste of Brooklyn’s spirited past.
- Weekly Discover Green-Wood Tours continue each Saturday afternoon.
Walking Tours
For those who prefer to explore on foot, Green-Wood offers themed experiences for all ages:
- Moonlight Tours (Oct. 6, Nov. 5) bring history alive under the full moon.
- Green-Wood on Wheels (Sept.–Nov., select dates) offers stroller-friendly tours for parents and caregivers.
- PollinaTours (Sept. 13) spotlights the cemetery’s diverse bee population.
- Secrets in Stone (Oct. 26) teaches visitors to decode historic gravestone symbols.
- Magicians and Mediums (Nov. 1) uncovers the worlds of spiritualism and stage magic.
- Post-Turkey-Day Tour (Nov. 28) invites families to walk off Thanksgiving with history and fall foliage.
- Birding in Peace runs throughout the season for bird lovers of all levels.
- After Hours tours allow visitors to explore the cemetery and catacombs once the gates close.
Death Education
Green-Wood continues its leadership in national death education, hosting free programs that encourage open dialogue on mortality and remembrance:
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The Art of Goodbye series (Sept. 17) examines how artists have depicted loss across eras.
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Back to the Earth (Sept. 28) explores natural burial practices
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Death Cafes (Oct. 14, Nov. 13, Dec. 16) offers open discussions on deathcare, both online and in person.
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Grieving and Weaving (Sept.-Dec., select dates) combines crafting with community support.
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Sunday in the Cemetery (Dec. 7) hosts workshops and talks on grief, end-of-care and memorial traditions.
