Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Fascinators, Florals, and a Healthy Dose of Sunshine at Central Park’s Annual Hat Luncheon

Fascinators, Florals, and a Healthy Dose of Sunshine at Central Park’s Annual Hat Luncheon

Over $2.8 million dollars was raised over two days and ten separate locations throughout Central Park.

It was with a renewed gusto that hundreds of well-heeled attendees made their way to Central Park on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. After over a year of dressing down, an occasion to dress up-to the nines, tens, and beyond-had finally come to fruition with the annual 39th Annual Frederick Law Olmsted Awards Luncheon benefitting The Central Park Conservancy.

Often known simply as “The Hat Luncheon,” the annual gathering took place over two days, across various locations, tucked inside Central Park’s many beautiful secret nooks so as to avoid any large crowds. The likes of Alexia Leuschen, Elyse Newhouse, and Yesim Philip, president of the park’s Women’s Committee, were hard to miss, though, as they donned hats of all shapes and sizes; some were bursting with tulle, fresh flowers, and even a sequined parrot. For Tony Award-winning producer Jenna Segal, the event called for a hat nabbed from the costume department of Broadway blockbuster Gigi, in tribute to the return of the theater starting September 14-or potentially sooner, if the rumors are true.

And with the sun shining brightly on the rolling lawns, it appeared as if the park was showing off for the occasion, too, reminding everyone of its essential role in daily city living. “It seems that many people re-connected with nature during the pandemic,” Lauren Santo Domingo, sporting a white dress by Valentino with floral cutouts and a straw boater cap, told us. “For those of us who stayed in New York City, it was a safe haven, and I think few will ever take the park for granted again.”

Taking cues from the lush surroundings, each seating area came decorated with rose and hydrangea centerpieces in Chinoiserie vases by floral designer Andrew Pascoe and toile tablecloths by Scalamandre, which were shoppable to benefit the conservancy. That is, until they sold out. Lunch arrived as an irreverent take on a boxed lunch, served inside of a circular hatbox, and in all, over $2.8 million was raised to continue the park’s role as a much-needed dose of nature for city dwellers, right on their doorstep. “It’s a sanctuary for millions of New Yorkers,” Gillian Miniter, sporting a hat by Eric Javitz, told Vogue. “It’s never looked better, and it’s largely in thanks to the Central Park Conservancy.”

Next up, the park is slated to offer a more intimate take on their annual Taste of Summer food festival, offering open-air dinners by New York City’s favorite chefs across the park in a “Starlight Dinner Series.”



Alexandra Mishaan, Claude Wasserstein, Marcia Mishaan



Alexa Stanlin, Talene Baroyan, Caroline Bouckaert



Alexa Ryan, Stephanie Alfonz, Nelly Miller, Claire Lee-Howart



Gillian Miniter



Betsy Smith, Michael Bloomberg



Jennifer Oken, Kathlene Kocatas, Yesim Philip, Allison Pappas, Catherin Shepard

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Brazilian President Lula says he’ll contact the leaders of BRICS states to propose a unified response to U.S. tariffs
US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow to seek a breakthrough in the Ukraine war ahead of President Trump’s peace deadline
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Britain's Online Safety Law Sparks Outcry Over Privacy, Free Speech, and Mass Surveillance
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Karol Nawrocki Inaugurated as Poland’s President, Setting Stage for Clash with Tusk Government
US Charges Two Chinese Nationals for Illegal Nvidia AI Chip Exports
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
U.S. Tariff Policy Triggers Market Volatility Amid Growing Global Trade Tensions
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
German Finance Minister Criticizes Trump’s Attacks on Institutions
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Grok 4 Video plus Voice, can identify wildlife!
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
The UK Does Not Have a ‘Far-Right’ Problem
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
JD Vance Warns Europe Faces “Civilizational Suicide” Over Open Borders and Speech Limits
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
×