Public Events in Community Gardens

Events in the garden are a fun way to involve the community, get to know your neighbors, and increase membership. Past events at community gardens around the city have included art shows, movie nights, live music, children’s Halloween celebrations, harvest festivals, volunteer events, poetry readings, and more.

Submitting an Event for Approval for Gardens on NYC Parks Property

All community garden groups operating on property under NYC Parks jurisdiction must submit their event requests in advance. We can help guide you through the process of understanding the permits that are commonly required under New York City laws and regulations. Additionally, doing so enables us to better tell the stories of the amazing work garden groups are doing around the city and will help us to better support you.

Please use our Event Submission Form to submit a proposed event to GreenThumb at least two weeks in advance to ensure timely approval. This form should only be used by GreenThumb garden groups operating on Parks property. You will be asked to share basic information about the event and directed to commonly required permits for events in New York City.

We will send an automated response that lets you know the event has been submitted, and follow up with you to let you know if the event was approved. If not approved, we'll provide an explanation on why the event was rejected (for example, perceived as unsafe, overly commercial, or against the Parks rules) and we'll provide suggestions as to how the event can be modified. We’ll also help you understand which permits you need to hold your event, although it is ultimately the responsibility of the garden group to obtain needed permits with the respective agencies.

If you have many events to share, please contact your Community Engagement Coordinator. We can help make this process go more smoothly, especially if you have a digital copy of the events and details.

For All Other Community Gardens

Gardens located entirely on a land trust, other agency, or private property are not required to complete the event form. This process helps all groups to learn about the permits commonly required under New York City laws and regulations.

For Members of the Public

For members of the public and external organizations seeking to hold an event in a community garden, please contact the garden group directly. Approval of third-party events are at the discretion of garden groups. Members of the public cannot rent garden space for events, but may offer a garden a donation.

Types of Events

Garden events are any planned occasions where the group (or in collaboration with its partners) open the garden gates and invite in members of the public.

An event that requires the prior approval of GreenThumb through the form is any activity that:

Requires any of the approvals or permits including, but not limited to, amplified sound, open flame or heating element, generator, commercial filming or photography, or
Results in the garden’s closure to the public during the garden’s scheduled 20 open hours, or
Invites in members of the public as part of a planned community activities not related to the general operation and maintenance of the garden, or
Any other event identified by NYC Parks as requiring prior approval

Internal garden meetings or workdays are not considered public events and there's no need to notify GreenThumb (although please feel free to invite your Community Engagement Coordinator and they may join you). In addition, any event held by or in partnership with GreenThumb do not require approval nor submission form.

Commonly Requested Permits

New York City has always required different permits for different kinds of events and activities. GreenThumb does not provide these permits directly, but we will provide with the information to secure them.

Commonly requested activities that can require additional permits may include:

Open flame or generators
Large events (200 people or more)
Amplified sound or microphones
Commercial film or photography
Fundraising (Gardens may host four fundraising events per year. Additional fundraising events may require a Temporary Use Authorization, or TUA.)

Alcohol is not permitted at GreenThumb gardens on NYC Parks property. Obtaining a temporary or special event permit to serve alcohol from the New York State Liquor Authority does not remove or negate this prohibition.

Volunteer Work Days

If your garden group plans to promote a workday as a public event and wants to encourage public participation, then it qualifies as an event that would require GreenThumb notification. We're huge fans - it's a great way to bring in the public, let interested members build some sweat equity, and help accomplish those essential garden tasks. Let us know about these public events and, if you'd like, we can try to help promote this event and assist you in recruiting new members.

NYC Parks has provided an optional waiver for volunteer workdays that groups can use and which can be found in Appendix C of the Gardener’s Handbook. Reminder: Your garden members are not required to use this waiver and it only applies to visiting members of the public. Garden members fall under the assumption of risk sign and section detailed in the "License and Registration Requirements for Gardens Under NYC Parks" chapter of the Gardener’s Handbook.

Spontaneous Events

In cases where a group might wander in during open hours to use the space - that’s just the nature of stewarding public open space in a city of 8.6 million. There’s no need to tell us about a random gathering of friends coming in to use the space. Although we do encourage groups to have guest books to keep track of this sort of foot traffic (it can be a great number to mention when applying for a grant!).