The Floral Escape is a seasonally decorated pop-up, recently all decked out and newly re-opened two weeks ago in time for the spring-summer session and is running through August 1st. I visited and reviewed their fall edition last year which can be read here on my blog. Since then, this new pop-up has come out with a few different experiences; a holiday photo studio with different backdrops perfect for those holiday photos, a winter edition of the original pop-up venue at Queens County Farm (both of which unfortunately I did not have time to make it to but hopefully next time!), a New Jersey location, and most recently, this new spring/summer version of their Queens County Farm location. I love the rotation of these seasonal makeovers and hope they continue with new ideas and designs for backdrops.
It’s an Instagrammer’s dream with 15 different installations of backdrops to take photos and film reels and TikTok videos to your heart’s content. Similar to their fall pop-up, I found this spring edition to offer a lot of potential when it comes to photographs, from different angles, to close-ups or full backgrounds, there’s a lot of different ways to be creative with your shots. The downside is there is a limit of 3-4 minutes per installation if there’s a line waiting. In the fall I went on a weekend and it was CROWDED. The parking lot was near full and I had even gotten there early. This time, I went on a Thursday at opening and I was one of 4-5 parties there and there was ample parking - so much that I could park right next to the entrance gate to the exhibit. I had a much easier time not having to wait for my turn or feeling rushed. So my best advice is to go on a Thursday as early as possible if you can. The only unfortunate thing about going that early is that the lighting is harsh so it made it difficult for me to photograph all of the installations, as some of them were placed in direct sunlight with no shade. These are probably easier to capture in the late afternoon or on an overcast day. Photos here at golden hour are probably even more beautiful, but probably also hectic to achieve during a busier, more congested time. So my advice is to work quick if you’re strapped for time. And definitely plan out what you want to wear with each installation if you’re interested in multiple outfit changes for maximum content creation. There are no bathrooms or changing rooms on site and there is no re-entry upon exit to go back to your car to change, so plan accordingly. I saw some guests brought their own changing tents or simply strategized their outfit changes (big fluffy dress first, smaller pieces to change into afterward to simply pull over and then pull the dress out, etc)
I do feel like each installation was very similar, since it all centered around a garden theme. The fall theme I felt like there was more original and creative, different pieces that stood out apart from each other, but this is just my own opinion as I would have liked to see more pieces that were different from each other, like the giant pumpkin spice latte cup, the elephant, the butterfly wings, giant roses in front of the barn, the yellow wisteria and the tractor. The star of the spring show was the yellow taxi cab, which I wasn’t able to grab too great of a photo in since it was in direct sunlight and the lighting was harsh when I went. But my second favorite was the purple swing and the rainbow chairs, since the rainbow wall was again, set in direct sunlight. My advice would be to study their Instagram to get a feel for which installations you like and how you want to photograph each one as well as what you’d like to wear for each one, strategize how you want to tackle all the different spots and go from there, especially if you want to try and do them all. I originally wanted to do them all, but was strapped for time with other engagements in the dayand hindered by harsh lighting so I had to compromise and work with what I had. Overall, I still love the shots we were able to get.
The Floral Escape is located at 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy in Floral Park, NY. Admission cost is $20 for adults, $12 for children 12 and under, and free for children under 2. Tickets need to be reserved online in advance. Parking is free, but first come, first serve so be careful on weekends as the lot can get full very fast. It’s located at the Queens County Farm Museum, where entry to the farm grounds after you finish with the pop-up, is also free if you’re looking for more things to do while in the area. The Floral Escape is open Thursday to Sunday from 11pm to 5pm on Thu-Fri and 10am-5pm on Sat-Sun. Last entry is 4:30pm sharp, but I would definitely arrive as early as possible to give ample time to get your photos in. Masks are not required when taking photos, but are required when social distancing is difficult to maintain.
Have fun!
Photos by: VBS Portrait, Jason Laboy Photography & NYCTravelerTV