Midnight Garden: The Hudson River Park 2025 Gala Blooms Under the Stars

Thursday, October 9, 2025. The Pier 62 Carousel, Hudson River Park. — Under the moonlit glow of Manhattan’s skyline, guests gathered on October 9th for the Hudson River Park Gala, an evening celebrating one of New York City’s most treasured sanctuaries. Hosted by Hudson River Park Friends, the annual gala—this year themed Midnight Garden—brought together civic leaders, philanthropists, and creatives to honor the park’s enduring mission: to keep its four-mile waterfront oasis green, growing, and accessible to all.

Guests began the evening at Pier 60, where moon-shaped bulbs illuminated the carousel, an open bar served craft cocktails, and warm apple cider greeted attendees against the crisp fall air. Across the Hudson, the FDNY anchored a boat mid-river, with waterfalls cascading into the river as a breathtaking scene. As dusk deepened, a vibrant dance troupe with flowing fabrics and kites led guests to Pier 62, now transformed into an ethereal Midnight Garden filled with white-draped tables, night-blooming flowers, ivy-covered stilt walkers, and dancers dressed as luminous fairies and fireflies.

Inside, guests mingled beneath a canopy of stars projected above a stage designed to resemble the night sky. The program opened with performances by On The Move Entertainment, followed by a series of honors celebrating visionaries who have helped shape the West Side landscape. Diana L. Taylor, Chair of Hudson River Park Friends, presented the first award to Robert K. Steele, Partner and Vice Chairman of Perella Weinberg and former New York City Deputy Mayor, recognized for his decades of public and financial leadership. Robert Balachandran presented the next honor to Bruce Mosler, Chairman of Global Brokerage and Veteran Initiative Program at Cushman & Wakefield, lauded for his advocacy of veterans and civic causes. Stephen Carno, Gala Co-Chair and Board Member, was also acknowledged for his steadfast commitment to preserving the park and inspiring others to support its future.

Additional guests included Former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, HRPK Friends Chair Diana L. Taylor, Patti Harris and Mark Lebow, Michelle Collins, Jill Hennessy, Keytt and Alex Lundqvist, Kelley Heyer, Matt Wilpers & Jessica Li, and others—reflecting a community united by stewardship and creativity. The evening culminated with remarks from Noreen Doyle, President and CEO of the Hudson River Park Trust, and a lively Paddle Raise led by Lydia Fenet, which helped the gala raise $2.7 million to sustain more than 550+ free annual events and youth programs across the park.

Spanning four miles along Manhattan’s West Side, Hudson River Park is a triumph of renewal—transforming a once-industrial waterfront into a living landscape of gardens, recreation, and cultural vitality. Operated through a public–private partnership, the park’s design and construction are supported by city and state resources, while Hudson River Park Friends, an independent 501(c)(3), provides the private funding that ensures its care, programming, and sustainability.

As the night drew to a close, guests departed through the glowing garden walkway, reminded that the Hudson River Park is more than a place—it is a living symbol of how New York continues to reinvent itself, season after season, always in full bloom. For more information about Hudson River Park, please visit hudsonriverpark.org.