Things To Do In Prospect Park This August

Photo via Prospect Park

It’s already August but there are still lots of great summer activities happening in Prospect Park this month — whether you want free concerts, roller skating disco parties, or some al fresco food truck dining, there’s something for every member of the family to enjoy.

Here’s a list of the upcoming events in the park through the end of the month:

Wednesday, August 5

Shape Up NYC: Glutes in Gear
Every Wednesday, 6pm-7pm
Focus on your lower half in this belly busting, booty shaping, two-part class. The first part builds endurance with heart-pumping cardio. Part two uses mat work to build your core and flatten and tighten your abs and glutes. Please bring your own workout mat.

A Summer Movie Under the Stars
7pm
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, in partnership with the Prospect Park Alliance, presents free summer movie screenings. This week, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1.

Thursday, August 7

Thursday Volunteer Corps
Every Thursday, 10am-2pm
Get involved in your community! The Thursday Corps volunteers perform a multitude of different projects throughout Prospect Park as needed. The corsp meets at a different location every week helping in a variety of landscape and horticultural projects. Register online.

Nature Exploration
Every Thursday, 2-4pm
Join the Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation.

Astoria Bank Free Thursdays at the Carousel
Every Thursday, 12-6pm
Astoria Bank Free Thursdays return to the Prospect Park Carousel for the month of August! Sponsored by Astoria Bank, Carousel admission is free of charge for children under 12 on Thursdays in August.

Fresh Air Yoga
Every Thursday, 7-8pm
Bend & Bloom and lululemon Brooklyn are teaming up to bring you a summer of free yoga in the park. Join in for an open-level outdoor class at the north end of the Long Meadow. Please bring your own mat.

Celebrate Brooklyn!: Leesaar The Company, Ohad Naharin & Guest Dancers from Batsheva Dance Company
7:30-10:30pm
Founded in Tel Aviv by Lee Sher and Saar Harari in 2000 and now based in NYC, Leesaar is “a gutsy, brainy modern-dance troupe” (NY Times) with a highly theatrical approach. They’ll present a program that includes Grass and Jackals, a work that “transforms the dancers—seven women, clad in gleaming black bodysuits—into exotic, fluidly moving creatures,

Friday, August 7

Shape Up NYC: Cardio Training
Every Friday, 12-1pm
An exercise class focusing on your core through a combination of strength, balance and toning exercises that raise the heart rate to burn calories and strengthen the cardio-respiratory system. Workout mat recommended.

Nature Exploration
Every Friday, 2-4pm
Join the Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation.

Celebrate Brooklyn!: Third World
7:30-10:30pm
The Jamaican titans Third World lost their beloved leader William “Bunny Rugs” Clarke last year but have risen like the phoenix from the ashes, “seamlessly fusing reggae with soul and pop” (Billboard) just as they have for 40 years, as cool, steady and easy as ever. Born near Timbuktu and raised in the Ivory Coast, Awa Sangho, “the Golden Voice of Mali,” carries the rich tradition of West African song in her heart and lungs.

Lola Star’s Dreamland Roller Disco
7:30-10pm
Straight from the Coney Island boardwalk, Lola Star’s Dreamland Disco brings a vintage vibe and stellar entertainment to the LeFrak Center at Lakeside. This week, Groove is in the Heart, 90’s Pop.

Saturday, August 8

Greenmarket at Grand Army Plaza
Every Saturday, 8am-4pm
At what other market can you do all your food shopping, sample local wine and explore Brooklyn’s favorite park? Established in 1989, the Grand Army Plaza greenmarket is the flagship Brooklyn market.

Saturday Woodlands Corps
Every Saturday, 10am-2pm
The Saturday Woodland Corps is a team of volunteers committed to the continued restoration and revitalization of Propsect Park’s 250 acres of forest. Register online.

Nature Exploration
Every Saturday, 10am-1pm
Join the Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation.

Village Community Boathouse Rowing
Every Saturday, 12pm-4pm
Join the Alliance and the Village Community Boathouse for free public rowing on the Prospect Park Lake. Rowing is free and on a first-come, first served basis, boats launch from the ramp near Wellhouse Drive.

Pop Up Audubon
Every Saturday and Sunday, 12pm-6pm
Join the Alliance for this roving nature education program that explores a different area of the Park each month. In July, learn how to fish in the lake and go birdwatching.

Ezra Jack Keats Story Hour
Every Saturday, 2-3pm
Gather around Peter and Willy, the statue of two beloved Keats characters, for storytelling adventures brought to life by Tammy Hall.

Historic Games
Every Saturday, 2pm-5pm
Come relax in the shade of the Lefferts yard and learn how to play Nine Man Morris, a historic board game. Afterwards you can make your own board to take home with you. You can also challenge a friend to a game of checkers or try some historic hoop games and stilt walking. $3 suggested donation.

Celebrate Brooklyn!: tUnE-yArDs
7:30-10:30pm
The Celebrate Brooklyn! season closes on a high note with the one-of-a-kind tUnE-yArDs, whose Nikki Nack from last year was packed with “songs that sound like playgrounds full of street kids ricocheting off each other like bumper cars.” (Pitchfork)

Sunday, August 9

Family Bird Watching
10-11am
Looking for a fun way to spend time with your family outdoors? Join the Prospect Park Alliance for its monthly family bird watching tours. After learning how to use binoculars, join our naturalists to identify some of the 250 species of birds that call Prospect Park home. Please note this tour leaves promptly at 10 am.

Nature Exploration
Every Sunday, 10am-1pm
Join the Prospect Park Alliance for nature education programs at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, the first urban Audubon Center in the nation.

Weekend Volunteer Corps
Every Sunday, 10am-1pm
Get involved in your community! Help spruce up gardens; paint fences & benches; weed; spread mulch; clean and maintain pathways. We can accommodate any group ranging from just a few people to up to 40 volunteers.Advance registration required.

Bones of an Old Dutch Farmhouse Tour
12-1pm
Examine the white oak timbers (the bones) of Lefferts Historic House and the many layers that were added, subtracted and changed over the past 230 years. Climb the staircase for a view of the attic’s smokehouse and descend into the cellar for a look at the foundation. For adults and teenagers. Only 10 people per tour. Reservations required: call (718)789-2822 ex. 304. $10 suggested donation.

Monday, August 10

Monday Eastside Revival
Every Monday, 10am-2pm
The Eastside Revival helps beautify two of the Park’s most elegant locations: the Vale of Cashmere and the Rose Garden. Tasks may include raking, sweeping, path edging, and litter removal. Register online.

Wednesday, August 12

Greenmarket at Bartel-Pritchard Square
Every Wednesday, 8am-3pm
Nestled inside Prospect Park’s tree-shaded southwest corner, this much-loved weekday market is where South Slope and Windsor Terrace residents stock up on locally grown staples. The offerings range from a selection of vegetables, fruits, baked goods, plants, and flowers, to fresh-caught fish and organic baked goods. For a full calendar of events and a list of sellers, visit GrowNYC.

KIDtivity
Every Wednesday, 11am-6pm
Blending fitness, fun, crafts and cooking, Lakeside’s KIDtivity is the perfect summer treat. The free program runs every Wednesday. Reservations are strongly encouraged.

Celebrate Brooklyn!: Willie Nelson & Family with Old Crow Medicine Show
7-10pm
With a six-decade career and 200 plus albums, Willie Nelson is the creative genius behind the historic recordings of Crazy, Red Headed Stranger and Stardust. Adding another feather in this cap, recent members of the Grand Ole Opry Old Crow Medicine Show (OCMS) will be joining the lineup. $52.50 in advance, $55 day of show.

A Summer Movie Under the Stars
7pm
Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, in partnership with the Prospect Park Alliance, presents free summer movie screenings. This week, Happy Feet.

Thursday, August 13

Creatures of the Night
7pm-9pm
Explore Prospect Park after dark with expert Naturalist Paul Keim. Share wine and cheese with Paul as he speaks about the ecological role that bats and nocturnal insects play in our environment, followed by a walking tour to spot and identify the Park’s various species of resident bats in flight. Adults 21 and over only. Reservations required – call (718) 287-3400 x 303 or register online. $25 per person, cash only.

Friday, August 14

Sunday, August 16

Parkside Plaza GreenMarket
8am-4pm
Located across from the southeast corner of Prospect Park, at Parkside and Ocean Aves, this Sunday market will feature six producers selling fresh vegetables, fruits, cheese, milk, herbs, eggs, honey, meats, yarn, baked goods and more. In addition, the market will feature weekly cooking demonstrations, free recipes and family friendly activities. For a full calendar of events and a list of sellers, visit GrowNYC.

Food Truck Rally
11am-5pm
The Prospect Park Alliance and Dispatch NY present a sampling of cuisines from around the world from New York’s best food trucks.Trucks in attendance include DUB Pies, Kelvin Natural Slush Co, Carpe Donut NYC, Toum, Kimchi Taco Truck, Neapolitan Express, Coolhaus, The Taïm Mobile, Snowday, Red Hook Lobster Pound, Brooklyn Organic Coffee & Tea Truck, Papaya King, Nuchas II, Milk Truck, Phil’s Steaks, Ponti Roissi, Gorilla Cheese NYC, Andy’s Italian Ices, and Carl’s Steaks.

Thursday, August 20

Family Fishing Evening
6-8pm
The Prospect Park Alliance welcomes families to an introductory catch-and-release fishing class. Our experienced naturalists will teach participants how to tie a fishing knot, attach bait, and cast a line to a try and hook a fish! Families and children ages 8 years and older are welcome to participate. All equipment and light snacks will be provided. Reservations required – call (718) 287-3400 x 303 or register online. $5 per person, cash only.

Friday, August 21

Sunday, August 23

Battle of Brooklyn Monuments Tour
11am-1pm
Join the Alliance for a guided tour from the Lefferts Historic House down East Drive to view some of Prospect Park’s Revolutionary War Monuments. Hear accounts of the battle as remembered by Femmetie Lefferts and tour the home she built with her husband Pieter Lefferts. This tour leaves promptly at 11 am. $3 suggested donation.

Thursday, August 27

Friday, August 28

Sunday, August 30