The Emerald Necklace Conservancy announces the return of Party in the Park, the city’s beloved annual luncheon to raise awareness and funds for the Emerald Necklace parks. This year’s event will take place on Wednesday, May 11, at Pinebank in Jamaica Plain, with all proceeds supporting the 1,100-acre park system that serves as a backyard for residents and a destination for more than one million visitors each year. The Conservancy stewards the Emerald Necklace through advocacy, maintenance and restoration, education, access improvements, public programs and the promotion of park stewardship through volunteer and youth programs.
“We are so thrilled for this event to be returning and taking a moment to reflect on what the parks have meant for us and how we can continue to invest in this unparalleled Boston gem. We are excited to bring renewed attention to the parks and be part of restoring and improving the Emerald Necklace for all,” said Lydia Cottrell, Co-Chair of the 2022 Party in the Park.
Last spring, the luncheon was not held due to the pandemic. Instead, the fundraiser pivoted to a unique outdoor cocktail event in the fall, which brought guests together in celebration of parks and open space, and their essential role in public health. This May, Party in the Park returns in its traditional format for the first time since 2019 and will feature the presentation of the Liff Spirit Award to Kathy Abbott, President and CEO of Boston Harbor Now—a superior park advocate who has made an indelible impact on the preservation of waterfront parks and open space in Massachusetts. The award is named in honor of the late Boston Parks Commissioner Justine Mee Liff, who served from 1996 until her passing in 2002. Party in the Park benefits the Emerald Necklace Conservancy and continues Liff’s legacy of bringing people together to support and champion these vital urban green spaces.
“Party in the Park, the Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s signature fundraising event, funds capital improvements and essential tree care in the parks,” noted Karen Mauney-Brodek, President of the Emerald Necklace Conservancy. “It also supports our education programs, free public programming, advocacy efforts and special initiatives. We are extremely proud of the work the Conservancy has done for nearly 25 years to maintain and improve the Emerald Necklace, and to connect our communities to these parks – your parks – which are such an important part of our city, and our collective efforts to manage climate change. In this year, as we mark the bicentennial of the Necklace’s creator, Frederick Law Olmsted, we are especially humbled by the power of these special places to heal, restore and bring us together.”
Held for nearly two decades, Party in the Park attracts the area’s most generous green space supporters and civic leaders for a stylish afternoon under a tent. Ladies and gentlemen don their finest millinery at this “must-attend” fundraiser to herald the coming of spring to Boston. From picture hats and fascinators to cloches and pillboxes, every conceivable type of headgear will be on display. Festive spring décor, including stunning Winston Flowers arrangements, will grace the venue while attendees enjoy a champagne and hors d’oeuvres reception, courtesy of Max Ultimate Food, prior to a seated luncheon and program. For more information and tickets, please visit www.emeraldnecklace.org/party-in-the-park