The Women’s Committee of the Central Park Conservancy held its first-ever Picnic for the Park. The reimagined fall event supports the restoration and care of Central Park at a time when New Yorkers need the Park more than ever. The beloved 843-acre public space remained open while New York was shut down and served as the backdrop for this event, which raised over $300,000 and was generously supported by Nordstrom.

The event took place across seven locations in the Park, which represent just a fraction of the space the Conservancy maintains: Conservatory Garden, Conservatory Water, Glade Arch, Bethesda Terrace, Belvedere Castle, Cleopatra’s Needle, and King Jagiello Plaza. Each location hosted small groups of Women’s Committee members and guests who dined with individual picnic baskets crafted by Canard. The tables were decorated with tablecloths from past Frederick Law Olmsted Awards Luncheons, honoring the extensive history of the Women’s Committee’s commitment to the Park. 

The event Co-Chairs were Melanie Charlton Fowler, Shannon Davis Henderson, Kristy Korngold, Karen Thornwell May, and Jenna Segal and attendees included Women's Committee President Yesim Philip and Central Park Conservancy President & CEO Betsy Smith, as well as Shelley Carr, Kate Davis, Ainsley Earhardt, Amandine Freidheim, Tracey Huff, Sharon Jacob, Gillian Miniter, Margo M. Nederlander, Elyse Newhouse, and Nordstrom NYC Flagship Store Manager, Shanna Naughton.

Guests and Park patrons were treated to pop-up performances organized by NYC Next, a nonprofit that brings together artists, supporters of the arts and social entrepreneurs who believe that the arts will supply an important part of the energy for the path to a more vital and equitable NYC.