Saturday, October 21 | 11 – 2 PM | Western Gravel

Imagine a crisp autumn afternoon in Madison Square Park. Join us on the southwest end of the park for live music as we host a celebration of the park’s Witch Hazel and Redbud Collections.

In partnership with the National Arboretum, learn more about the recent horticulture initiatives at the only Level II Arboretum in Manhattan.

Stop by and:

• Screen print your own free witch hazel-inspired tote bag. 
• Pick up free compost provided by GrowNYC. 
• Learn how to fold leaves from your favorite trees with OMG NYC (Origami Meetup Group New York City).
• Learn more about the gardens with free tours led by our horticulture team.
• Pose with a groupchat-worthy backdrop built from the flowers and plant materials found in the park and nearby flower district. 
• Meet our community partners –  The Nature Conservancy x Forest for All NYC, Lower East Side Ecology Center, National Museum of Mathematics, and New Yorkers for Parks. 

Learn more about the properties of witch hazel plants and about our friends at Dickinson Brands Inc., the global leader in witch hazel distillation and production of skincare, personal care, and first aid witch hazel products. Dickinson Brands founded National Witch Hazel Day to honor the amazing botanical and educate the public on its beauty and benefits.  National Witch Hazel Day is celebrated each year on October 21^st, around the time when witch hazel blooms.

Free and open to the public, no reservations are required. Please consider a donation to Madison Square Park Conservancy so that we can continue to offer free programs and maintain the park throughout the year. Donate here. 

This event is currently Rain or Shine. Sign up for program updates and reminders.