A park in Brooklyn Heights named after Adam Yauch in his honor

This weekend will be rife with memories of late Beastie Boys musician Adam Yauch and the celebration of his life began Friday (May 3) in Brooklyn Heights, New York where the park where he played as a kid was officially named Adam Yauch Park in his honor.

Today (May 4) officially marks the one-year anniversary of his death and there has been a movement over the last year to rename the Palmetto Playground in honor of the man also known as MCA.


Yauch grew up five blocks from the park and used to ride his bike and skateboard to the playground. Frances Yauch recalls taking her son to the park to learn how to ride a bicycle, and she says there’s a great sense of pride knowing that the place where he spent so much time as a kid now carries his name.

Horovitz also recalls special times at the park, stating, “Me and Adam, we were hanging out in high school late one night and we were walking around Brooklyn and we ended up in this park and he told me how he used to play in this park. I think he’d think it was pretty f—ing cool!”


The New York Daily News reports that friends, family, fans as well as his longtime Beastie Boys bandmate Adam Horovitz were on hand for the dedication ceremony Friday (May 3). Yauch’s mother, Frances, told the paper, “I just feel so delighted for this recognition. He’s had recognition from the whole world, but somehow to have this is my own back yard is really very nice.”