Just in time for the fall season the Fort Greene Park Conservancy will again be holding their Winetasting Fundraiser on October 1, 2007. Last year's popular event provided a fine time for all who attended. All proceeds from the gathering will enable the Conservancy to fund park improvements and expand programming and outreach initiatives for Brooklyn's most historic park.

A favorite Fort Greene tradition for children of all ages, this year's Fort Green Park Halloween Festival will take place on Saturday, October 27, 2007 from 12 noon to 3:00 pm.

As in past years, festival-goers will be treated to free hay rides, face painting, pumpkin decorating, games, and treats. Capping off the Halloween Festival is a children's costume parade, which will take place at 2:00 pm with prizes for the best costumes. In addition to the Halloween Festival, the local dog owner's organization, Fort Greene PUPS, will once again hold their popular annual Dog Costume Contest on top of the Fort Greene Park at 12:00 noon.

Local arts organizations supply much of the talent for the Fort Greene Park Halloween Festival's entertainment. For all of its eight years the Halloween Festival has been sponsored and organized by the all-volunteer Fort Greene Park Conservancy. The Conservancy works with local businesses and organizations to help sponsor the festival as well as staff booths and tables allowing them to introduce themselves to the community.

The Conservancy continues in its tradition of reaching out to all Brooklyn, with an array of free events and festivals, such as the 2007 Summer Film Festival and concerts in the park. Last year's Halloween Festival was made possible in part by the generous leadership gifts from Aguayo & Huebener Real Estate, BAM Local Development Corp., Brooklyn Properties, Clermont Armory, the Corcoran Group, and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.

Starting this fall, the Fort Greene Park Conservancy will begin offering the opportunity for individuals or organizations to sponsor park benches within the park. The Parks Department has identified seven locations in the interior of the park to place 37 new benches.

The park bench that will be offered for sponsorship is a reproduction of the benches that graced the 1939 New York World's Fair, commonly called the World's Fair Bench. They are 8 feet long with hard wood slats and three metal arms. An engraved plaque identifying the bench's sponsor (or sponsors) will be installed on the top wood slat of the bench. A full bench can be sponsored for $3,000, or for $1650 you can have half a bench with an engraved plaque. The cost of sponsorship is 100% tax deductible.