Thousands of Elephants Will Parachute Into Dumbo This Month
The famous Dumbo Drop will be back for an in-person event in Brooklyn this year.
On May 21, the forecast predicted a heavy precipitation in Dumbo, Brooklyn—but instead of water, it will be raining elephants.
This year, the famous Dumbo Drop and its affiliated block party is back in person, and it will entertain locals and tourists alike from 3–8pm. As part of a very entertaining contest—which is, in fact, a fundraiser for the neighborhood's schools—small toy elephants equipped with little parachutes will be dropped from the sky in a colorful race that will have everyone turn their nose to the sky.
While the block party is free to attend, it costs $20 dollars to enter the contest, for which you don't need to be present. Those choosing to participate will enter the chance to win a slew of prizes if their elephant falls on one of the targets, like all-you can eat ice-cream and fancy hotel staycations. But even those who won't have luck on their side can rest assured: Every participant will receive one souvenir elephant and parachute to take home at the party.
All proceeds from the contest will benefit Dumbo's Title 1 public schools, including The Dock Street Middle School and PS307 Elementary School. The fundraising will support the schools for the 2022-2023 school year, allowing them to secure needed programming and materials in time for September.
"Dumbo Drop has always been about coming together as a community," Alexandria Sica, President of the Dumbo Improvement District, said in a statement on the event's website. "This year, we need this more than ever."
The block party will feature two different elephant drops with two different sets of prizes. The first time elephants will fall from the sky will be at 5 pm, and the grand prize will feature $1,000 for a Dumbo shopping spree. A delicious second prize will follow, offering an all-you-can-eat Oddfellow Ice Cream party for up to 25 guests of your choice. The third prize, instead, will allow the winner to choose a pair of Melissa Joy Manning Jewelry earrings (valued up to $400) plus a $100 gift card.
The second drop, dubbed the #DISCODROP, will start at 7:30 pm, and the grand prize winner will be treated with a two night stay in Bridge King room at 1Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, on top of complimentary spa treatments and a delicious brunch for two at Estuary Brooklyn (exclusions apply). The second prize is meant for party people, and features a rooftop party for 10 on the Time Out Market roof, including V.I.P. seating, a $500 bar tab, and complimentary Fornino pizza. The third prize winner will receive a chance to taste Dumbo's favorite eateries, and will receive gift certificates to Seamore's, Superfine, and Celestine for a $500 total value.
If you're feeling creative, you can also decorate an elephant's parachute. For $5 you can take a seat at the table, and fill a blank white parachute with your favorite design.
During the whole day, performances and workshops will alternate before, after, and between the drops to entertain the block party attendees. Live music as well as a kids zone will be part of the event, as well as tap dance performances and speeches. To see the full lineup, you can check out this website.
For more information and to enter the contest, you can visit the Dumbo Drop website.