GreenThumb, the city's community garden program, has thrown this harvest party for 46 years, packing a pumpkin patch, scarecrow building, face painting and sack races into Herbert Von King Park. Grown-ups get the Fresh Chef Contest, where home cooks recreate a surprise dish demonstrated by Ham El-Waylly of Strange Delight. If you want the pumpkin-patch experience without leaving Brooklyn or paying farm admission, this is the one.
What to expect
Activities spread between the park lawns and the Hattie Carthan Community Garden around the corner: kids pick and decorate pumpkins, build scarecrows and play jumbo games, while adults tour the garden, join plant-printing workshops and pick up free daffodil bulbs and seedlings. Community organizations and botanical gardens staff tables, and the cook-off plays out on a demo stage.
Good to know
- Herbert Von King Park sits between Marcy and Tompkins Avenues at Greene Avenue; the G to Bedford–Nostrand Avenues is the closest train.
- The Hattie Carthan Community Garden is at 363–365 Clifton Place, a short walk from the park.
- Bring a tote for free bulbs, seedlings and a pumpkin to carry home.
- Pumpkins from the harvest patch go quickly, so families wanting one should arrive early.
- Home cooks 16 and older can pre-register for the Fresh Chef Contest through GreenThumb.
Going? Keep it.
Common questions
Is the GreenThumb Harvest Fair free?
Yes. NYC Parks lists the Harvest Fair as a free event.
Can kids pick pumpkins there?
Yes. GreenThumb's activity list includes picking and decorating a pumpkin from the harvest patch, plus pumpkin carving.
Who is the celebrity chef?
Hisham "Ham" El-Waylly, the chef behind Brooklyn's Strange Delight and author of Hello, Home Cooking, demonstrates the surprise dish for the Fresh Chef Contest.
