Playground Partners, a program of the Women’s Committee of the Central Park Conservancy, hosted their Annual Family Party, raising $580,000 for the maintenance and daily care of Central Park’s 21 playgrounds. Held in the afternoon at Heckscher Playground, the event was generously supported by Principal Sponsor, Nordstrom, for the fifth year. Additional partners for the afternoon’s festivities included Main Stage Sponsor, Spotify, returning for their second year, and Premier Sponsor, Northern Trust.
The family-friendly fundraiser featured an entertaining afternoon of activities, games, and music for the whole family. This year, Spotify presented performances by KIDZ BOP and PAW Patrol. Kid Resident DJ for the Brooklyn Nets, DJ Annie Red, also performed, leading a kid-friendly dance party. Interactive fun included live gesture drawings hosted by Nordstrom and On, face painting supported by Christie’s Art Finance, and STEAM activities by iCAMP, with stroller parking by Nuna Baby Essentials and activity tents supported by Parents League of New York. Additional offerings included activities donated by Chess at Three, Craft Studio, Fastbreak Sports, Kids in Sports, Loop of the Loom, Mozart for Munchkins, and Supper Soccer Stars.
Event Co-Chairs Paige Betz, Sayuri Ganepola-Kaczynski, Sarah Johnson, Sugie Hong Bruttomesso, Dustee Jenkins, and Kate Bouquard Moretti were joined by the event’s Grandparent Chairs, Liz and Jeff Peek, Playground Partners Chairs and Vice Chair, Mimi Ritzen Crawford, Austen Phillips Cruz, and Tiffany Gardner, Women’s Committee President, Jenny Price, and Central Park Conservancy’s CEO, Betsy Smith. Guests included Judy Hart Angelo, Ricky De Sole, Gigi Ganatra Duff, Ainsley Earhardt, Gillian Hearst, Sharon Jacob, Chloe Malle, Melanie McLennan, Gillian Miniter, Kendra and Julius Randle, Barbara H. Scott, and Chris Wanlass.