Strawberry Fields

Strawberry Fields: Central Park, NYC’s Tribute to John Lennon

On Oct. 9, 1985, John Lennon’s wife, Yoko Ono, dedicated a 2½-acre area of Central Park to her late husband, five years after he was fatally shot. This date would have been Lennon’s 45th birthday. In addition to dedicating the land to him, Ono also made a donation of one million dollars to aid in the landscaping and upkeep of this section of the park. In homage to Lennon’s career as a member of the Beatles, this area of Central Park has been named Strawberry Fields.

Central Park is located directly across the street from the Dakota, the apartment building in Manhattan where John Lennon spent the last few years of his life until his death at the south entrance of the building. Ono lives there to this day, across the street from the Central Park Strawberry Fields memorial.

The focal point of Strawberry Fields, Central Park’s iconic black-and-white mosaic bearing the word “Imagine,” is in reference to John Lennon’s famous song with that title. This inspirational song is about Lennon’s vision of world peace, and this little section of Central Park can help you feel like the world is at peace like Lennon would have wanted, even if just for a little while. The mosaic was designed by a team of artists from Italy for the Strawberry Fields memorial. Near the mosaic, there is a bronze plaque that has the names of more than 120 different countries engraved on it. All of these countries planted flowers and provided monetary donations in honor of John Lennon to contribute to the beauty of Strawberry Fields.

Every year on both John Lennon’s birthday and the anniversary of his death, Dec. 8, people from all over the world gather to commemorate Lennon’s legacy at Strawberry Fields in New York. Central Park fills with music as people play instruments and sing his songs well into the night, despite the cold of an October or December evening in New York City.

Aside from these few observances, the Central Park Strawberry Fields memorial is a designated quiet zone of the park, meaning that there is no music permitted unless you have headphones. This makes it a safe and comfortable area of the park for you to explore on your NYC sightseeing adventure, particularly if you’re looking for a quiet spot to take a break.

At Strawberry Fields, Central Park’s landscaping gives you a lot to see, from the tall and commanding trees to the flowers that bloom in full every summer, including roses, bluebells, and quince. Benches are located all around the area to give you a peaceful place to rest your legs.

One of the best ways to experience the Strawberry Fields Central Park John Lennon memorial along with all of the other sights and attractions that Central Park has to offer is by booking a guided bicycle tour. On your tour, you will learn lots of fun facts about Central Park, experience the beautiful and lush flora and fauna of the park, and see iconic New York City landmarks, all from your rented bicycle. Book online today to reserve your spot!