First arrivals to Chelsea Green, on an appropriately overcast Halloween morning.
PHOTOS TAKEN BY, OR COURTESY OF, FRIENDS OF CHELSEA GREEN | Halloween in the year of the vaccine was nothing like 2020, when COVID-19 precautions compelled event organizers to cancel what would have been the second annual observance of late October festivities in the beloved West 20th Street pocket park located between Sixth and Seventh Avenues. Having opened its gates to the public in 2019, Chelsea Green remains younger than most of the youthful demographic that showed up on October 31 this year–numbering nearly 400 at its most well-attended moment. That number, nearly twice what event organizers expected, is validation for the decade-plus work that went into securing the space, building the park, and making it the place to be when you want something to do (or feel like doing nothing). To contact Friends of Chelsea Green: chelseagreenpark@gmail.com.
Seen above: So a dinosaur and an astronaut walk into a park…Butterfly and Balloon Bear, candy basket bare, are just getting started.Kids move in for a “How’d he do it?” view of close-up magic.Annie Walsh presents rare copies of her photo book “CHELSEA GREEN, The True Story of a Vacant Lot That Blossomed into a Pocket Park on West 20th Street, NYC 2010-2019” to tireless park booster, NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson (left, blue jacket) and his similarly supportive former Chief of Staff, President Abraham Lincoln (background, with beard, hat; aka Erik Bottcher, presumed victor in Nov. 2’s general election for the District 3 NYC Council seat term-limited Johnson is vacating.Corey Johnson enjoys “first looks” inside the gifted photo book.Reviewing the current batch of photos from Oct. 31’s park festivities.L to R: Presumptive incoming NYC District 3 City Councilmember Erik Bottcher, Sally Greenspan, Friends of Chelsea Green, NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson, Matt Weiss, Friend of Chelsea Green, Michael Walsh, Friends of Chelsea Green.Sally Greenspan and Michael Walsh (Committee Captain/Master of Ceremonies) are compelling bookends to the above-and-beyond committee who made this all happen. L to R: Sandy Chin, Eneliana Gjini, Stephanie BrodeneThe crowd builds in numbers.New York City Council District 3 candidate Erik Bottcher (tall guy, right of center, stovepipe hat) speaks to the assembled crowd.Foreground, in semicircle, the sweet reward of having Hostess as one of your sponsors.Prelude to a Treat Bag.The raffle is in full swing, with ticket numbers called out.At right: Of course she’s a good witch… she’s giving away candy!Show in a suitcase… to go!Michael Walsh and his undead cohort rule over a slab populated by miniature pumpkins.The crowd was just as entertaining as the entertainment–and the entertainment was really good!L to R: Sally Greenspan and fellow members of the CB4 Waterfront, Parks, & Environment Committee, Leslie Boghosian Murphy and Candice Hewitt.The park is populated again!In circle, green (not related to Chelsea Green).Kids know the afternoon’s parade around park is a thinly veiled excuse to claim candy. Co-Grand Marshalls Johnson and Botcher’s presence assured participants that anything short of a great haul of goodies would become a City Council matter.So much to snack on, so little time…
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