Hudson River Park Friends returned to Pier 62 and Pier Sixty in Hudson River Park last week, to host its annual Gala, celebrating all that the four-mile-long oasis provides to millions of New Yorkers each and every day.
The Hudson River Park Gala brings together Park supporters for one unifying purpose: to keep Hudson River Park beautiful, green and growing. The event celebrates the people – the neighbors, park members, volunteers, park users, staff and partners – who bring our Park to life every day and how the Park helps nourish the many families, businesses and communities that live, work and play in and around it. The evening raised nearly $2.6 million to support the Park’s 400+ free events and seasonal programs, the maintenance of its landscapes and gardens, STEM education and marine science research, habitat restoration and the care of new park areas including the Pier 26 Science Playground, Gansevoort Peninsula and Pier 97.
Hosted by writer, producer and Emmy Award-nominated actress, Desi Lydic; the Gala began with cocktails and oysters by the Carousel at Pier 62. Guests were then led by a jazz band and dancers from The Juilliard School to Pier Sixty where they enjoyed dinner and the evening’s program. The gala honored Matt Bomer, Actor, Producer and Director and Simon Halls, Founder/Partner of Slate PR; Alex and Miles Pincus, Co-Founders of Grand Banks and Crew and the Terminal Warehouse Development Team – David Levinson and Rob Lapidus of L&L Holding Company, Adam Frazier of Columbia Property Trust, and Richard Cook of CookFox Architects. Guests then danced the night away to an unforgettable performance by Andy Bell of Erasure, who performed Oh L’Amour, Chains Of Love, A Little Respect and Victim of Love.
Additional attendees included: Martha Stewart, Michelle Collins, Alex Lundqvist & Keytt Lundqvist, Juliana Aiden Martinez, Kelley Heyer, Matt Wilpers, New York City Council Member Erik Bottcher, NYS Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, NYS Representative Tony Simone and others.
“It’s such a pleasure to see our whole Hudson River Park community come out to the Gala each year to celebrate this remarkable place that nurtures us and contributes so much to our health and wellness, quality of life, and provides the whole West Side with beauty, nature and a respite from the hustle and bustle that surrounds us in this great city”, said Connie Fishman, Executive Director of Hudson River Park Friends.
“Hudson River Park has played a very significant role in our entire family for many years. When our kids were very young and Matt was filming White Collar in and around the city, we spent an extraordinary amount of time at the playground and water park on 12th treet. We have spent several nights taking long walks up and down the river, discussing our day and discussing plans for our family – it’s meant everything to us. We have so many incredible memories at Hudson River Park. We are so honored to be recognized by an organization that will make sure that future generations for years to come will have the opportunity to enjoy Hudson River Park as much as we do,” said Matt Bomer and Simon Halls.
Auctioneer Gabriel Butu led the evening’s live auction, which featured unique experiences including a foodie and wine lover’s dream come true aboard Grand Banks, named by New York Magazine as “The Absolute Best Waterfront Restaurant in New York”; a captivating luxury travel experience with in the Maldives and Paris in springtime for the 2025 French Open.
Over the past 26 years, Hudson River Park has transformed this once-deteriorated waterfront into green spaces, athletic facilities, eateries, playgrounds and other magical corners, attracting businesses and families to the far West Side and boosting the local economy, while embodying New York City’s spirit of constant innovation, reinvention and rebirth.
Hudson River Park is NOT a City-run park. With its creative reimagining of the waterfront and its dedication to environmental advocacy and education, the Park is a unique public/private partnership using public funds to design and build the Park and private funds to operate, maintain and program it. The Gala helps support its 400+ free public events and programs and the maintenance of its 550 acres, including new park areas that have opened in the past year – Gansevoort Peninsula, a reinvigorated Chelsea Waterside, new amenities in Pier 57, the Pier 26 Science Playground. Plus, an exciting expansion of Hudson River Park’s northern section where Pier 97 is officially opening next week!
With the Park so close to completion, now more than ever we need to focus on ensuring that all 4 miles of land, piers and water stay clean, green and beautiful for our millions of visitors to enjoy, in partnership with our public counterpart, the Hudson River Park Trust.
Gala Chairs for the evening include Diana L. Taylor and Michael R. Bloomberg, Erica and Sam Martini, Sarah and Sean Lambert, Susanna Aaron and Gary Ginsberg, and Zara and David Tisch.
The 2024 Host Committee includes Isaac-Daniel Astrachan; G. Christopher Beck; Emma Bloomberg and Jeremiah Kittredge; Kaija and Peter Braus; Andrew Cramer; Jay Cross; Allen Grubman, Lawrence Shire and Peter Grant; Larry Keigwin and Christian Keesee; Jonathan Mechanic; Joseph Rose; Haley and David Schwartz; Robert Wiesenthal; Daniel J. Williams.
The Honorary Committee includes Eva Chen, Andy Cohen, Michelle Collins, Alan Cumming, Claire Danes, Lea DeLaria, Diane von Fürstenberg and Barry Diller, Jenna Bush Hager, Hugh Jackman, Hoda Kotb, Nathan Lane, Ann and Denis Leary, Lucy Liu, Julianne Moore and Bart Freundlich, Hannah Pham and Ronny Chieng, Susan Sarandon and Martin Short.
Special thanks to the 2024 River Sponsors: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Chelsea Market, Citi, Clarkson Street Partners, Google and 2024 Park Sponsors: BLADE, Born Kickers, Hudson Yards, Terminal Warehouse Development Team, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP.
