Celebration outside iconic Conservatory of Flowers this Sunday brings together experts & fans of Golden Gate Park

On Sunday, March 8, from 1-2:30 p.m, a celebration of Golden Gate Park and the new book about it will be held outside the Conservatory of Flowers, Golden Gate Park’s oldest and most iconic building. 

This event is being hosted by the Gardens of Golden Gate Park with KQED’s Laura Klivans emceeing the event. Stephanie Linder, CEO of the Gardens of Golden Gate Park, will open up the event.  

Park experts Marta Lindsey, Nancy Botkin, and Susan Freinkel will have a lively conversation about the park’s history, hidden treasures, and favorite aspects. 

Marta Lindsey and Nancy Botkin are co-authors of the first-ever comprehensive guide to San Francisco’s beloved Golden Gate Park, which was released on March 2 from publisher Mountaineers Books: Discovering Golden Gate Park: A Local’s Guide.

Susan Freinkel is an award-winning writer and author of 1,017 Acres: Life in the Park. 

Special guests will also share their favorite secret, spot or story from Golden Gate Park including:

• Sarah Madland, acting director of SF Recreation and Parks. 
• David Miles, Jr.: Known as the unofficial “Mayor of Golden Gate Park,” this roller skating legend helped create Skatin’ Place. 
• Stephanie Brown with the Western Neighborhoods Project, a nonprofit history organization that preserves and shares the history and culture of the neighborhoods in western San Francisco.
• Historian David Gallagher.
• LisaRuth Elliott with Shaping San Francisco, a history project in the City.
• Ben Davis, founder of Illuminate. Illuminate is the organization behind the art installations, pianos, and yellow Adirondack chairs along JFK Promenade in Golden Gate Park, as well as the nightly light show on the side of the Conservatory of Flowers.  

Other contributors to the new book will be at the event, including long-time Rec and Park photographer Jim Watkins, whose photos are featured in the new book. 

There will also be Golden Gate Park trivia and other park-related surprises. Learn more about the event. 

The event is free and open to the public, and for anyone who loves or wants to learn about the park.

Written by Marta Lindsey with Nancy Botkin, two San Franciscans, friends, and park experts, Discovering Golden Gate Park: A Local’s Guide explores every side of the park while weaving in history, insider tips, and little known facts. 

“Golden Gate Park’s 1,017 acres offer an extraordinary blend of history, nature, beauty, and culture,” said Sarah Madland, Acting Director of SF Recreation and Park. “This comprehensive guidebook helps locals and visitors alike make the most of every acre.”

“This book was a labor of love and really is a love letter to Golden Gate Park,” said Lindsey. “So many people contributed to this book, from beautiful photos to facts about wildlife. I think it’s because people want to share their love for the park – and share specifically what they love about it.”   

The book also includes 11 hikes that take people off the beaten path. These were crafted by Nancy Botkin, who has been designing and leading walking and biking tours in San Francisco for more than 25 years.

“My goal in creating the hikes was to show people parts and aspects of the park they might not have noticed before, or learn something new on their walk,” said Botkin. “I challenge anyone to take one of these hikes and not be surprised!” 

The book, Discovering Golden Gate Park: A Local’s Guide includes:

• The ins-and-outs of getting to and around the park, including accessibility
• Information and tips about museums, attractions, sports, activities, music, and more
• Eleven information-packed walks and hikes, including hidden gems
• Birding, tree identification, wildlife, and ecology
• Surprising stories about the park’s creation, which turned sand dunes into a green oasis
• Field-tested advice for parents of young kids
• The best views and places for solitude – and even the best bathrooms, coffee, and place to get out of the fog

Lindsey has lived just a block from Golden Gate Park for almost twenty years and has explored every corner of the park on foot and bicycle, most often with her family. She previously wrote a children’s book about the park, Golden Gate Park: An A to Z Adventure.

Botkin has been designing and leading walking and biking tours in San Francisco for more than 25 years.

The official social media channel for Discovering Golden Gate Park: A Local’s Guide is @secretgoldengatepark on Instagram. Learn more about the book and secrets of the park at secretgoldengatepark.com.