THE WOODLAWN CEMETERY TO RECEIVE BRONX TOURISM AWARD DURING BRONX WEEK 2021

May 12, 2021

Ruben Diaz Jr.jfif - At the press conference to kick-off Bronx Week 2021, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. announced that The Woodlawn Cemetery & Conservancy will receive The Tourism Award from The Bronx Tourism Council on Saturday, May 15th at Orchard Beach.

“Woodlawn Cemetery is one of our most important cultural institutions and is a rich source of information on people who helped shape our city and country," said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. "In The Bronx, we all know how special Woodlawn Cemetery is, and The Bronx Tourism award recognizes the work and commitment they have contributed to our borough."

The Woodlawn Cemetery is an active 400-acre, non-sectarian cemetery since its inception in 1863. A National Historic Landmark, Woodlawn's celebrated lot owners comprise artists and writers, civic leaders, business moguls, entertainers, jazz musicians, suffragists and more. Bronxites, as well as the community at large, enjoy and benefit from Woodlawn's Level II Arboretum which contains over 3,500 trees, representing 392 variety of species.

Mitch Rose - Woodlawn.jpg"We are proud to have created innovative programming and events that support our community at large, and it is a great honor to be the recipient of this prestigious award," said Mitch Rose, President & CEO of The Woodlawn Cemetery & Conservancy. “By bringing people to Woodlawn through tours and events which highlight the rich history and beauty of The Bronx, we hope that visitors will then go on to eat and shop at Bronx establishments, falling in love with the borough we call home."

Each year, Woodlawn hosts walking and Woodlawn Conservancy Trolley Tours, webcasts and lectures, and educational programs for all ages which highlight the lives of the notables who have chosen Woodlawn as their final resting place. Recent community events have included Woodlawn's popular Earth Day Celebration for families featuring arts and crafts for kids, tree planting and pruning workshops and a tree-carving chainsaw artist; the Celia Cruz Exhibit and Concert highlighting the life of the “Queen of Salsa" by displaying memorabilia, costumes, wigs and culminating with a salsa concert on the lawn; and the Tour de Bronx which winds through the beautiful roads of Woodlawn. Woodlawn hosts more than 100,000 visitors from around the world annually.

“Visiting Woodlawn is the most fun I've ever had in a cemetery," says Olga Luz Tirado, Executive Director of The Bronx Tourism Council. “I always learn something new about our country's history."



Both in-person tours and events and self-guided, themed tours are available on the Woodlawn website, www.woodlawntours.org.

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About The Woodlawn Cemetery: Founded in 1863 and located in the Bronx, NY, Woodlawn Cemetery is more than 150 years old. Still an active cemetery with new development ongoing, families look to Woodlawn to provide answers to questions regarding final arrangements. Nearly 400 acres, it is one of the largest cemeteries in New York City and is a designated National Historic Landmark. Woodlawn Cemetery is a non-sectarian cemetery since its inception and is the final resting place of many persons of note. Celebrated lot owners include artists, religious leaders, writers, business moguls, civic leaders, entertainers, diplomats, jazz musicians, suffragists and more. 4199 Webster Ave., Bx, NY 10470. Find out more at www.woodlawn.org
About the Woodlawn Conservancy: The Woodlawn Conservancy provides educational programs for students and the public, engaging a strong volunteer corps and working to present the extraordinary collection of monument and plantings found on the 400-acre site of The Woodlawn Cemetery. This mission is accomplished through the support of individuals and organizations who desire to preserve Woodlawn's beauty and history for the enjoyment of future generations, thereby, investing in the future by preserving the past. For more information, visit www.woodlawn,org

For more information, please contact:
Barbara Selesky,
bselesky@woodlawn.org
718.408.5652
www.woodlawn.org