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On Governors Island, a 172-acre former military base in New York Harbor — lower Manhattan to the west, the Brooklyn Bridge to the north, Buttermilk Channel to the east and the Statue of Liberty to the south. Once you are on the island, The Carder is yards from the Manhattan ferry landing.

By ferry only. The Trust for Governors Island runs year-round service from the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street in Manhattan; tickets are $5 round trip. In the high season there is additional weekend service from Red Hook / Atlantic Basin and Brooklyn Bridge Park. NYC Ferry also serves the island daily on its South Brooklyn line and a weekend Governors Island shuttle, at $4.50 per ride. On weekend event nights, the last boat off the island for guests is 11:30pm.

Yes, and it is a good option for events running past the 11:30pm last ferry or for groups who want a more customized arrival and departure. All private charters must be pre-approved by the Trust for Governors Island. Pricing typically runs from $2,500 for a single run to $7,500 or more for a multi-hour block.

We are located directly at the ferry terminal for the late-night service, so the ferry personnel will often put their head in to confirm all guests are out. If someone does miss it, the Trust for Governors Island provides emergency after-hours service for a fee.

Governors Island runs its normal schedule through storms, snow and most weather conditions — the island’s own operational requirements mean the Trust minimises weather downtime. The fleet is three boats: the Harbor Charger (up to 1,200 passengers or 30 vehicles), Governors 1 (passenger-only, up to 400) and the Mark G Goode (auxiliary vehicle ferry), with a contingency plan for concurrent mechanical issues. Very rarely, harbor-wide closures for Presidential arrivals at the Pier 6 heliport halt service for 60 to 90 minutes; these are announced only a few hours ahead.

On the island, the only overnight accommodation is Collective Retreats — 29 upscale tents and private suites across six waterfront acres facing the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and the lower Manhattan harbor. In Manhattan, many hotels sit within easy walking distance of the Battery Maritime Building, including Casa Cipriani inside the ferry terminal itself. Financial District weekend rates tend to be comparatively affordable.

About 10,000 square feet of interior space in total, including back-of-house such as our on-site commercial kitchen. The Grand Ballroom is roughly 5,000 square feet of unobstructed space with exposed brick and open rafters to about 28 feet; it comfortably fits 25 × 66" round tables with a dance floor, seats 200 to 250 comfortably, and holds a maximum of 299. Illeta is a roughly 1,200 square foot bar and café seating 50, or 85 in a cocktail setting with tables removed. The Bridal Suite is about 120 square feet with a private en suite bathroom. The exterior grounds run to roughly half an acre of waterfront land.

Yes. The Bridal Suite doubles as a private dining room for up to 12 guests, with an en suite bathroom and two windows looking out on the lower Manhattan skyline, the East River bridges and the harbor.

Illeta is our year-round café, serving island visitors 9am to 2pm daily with expanded hours in the high season, roughly Memorial Day through Labor Day. On days with a private event at The Carder there is an additional fee to close Illeta before 2pm. Illeta’s bar area is included in rentals of The Carder after 3pm.

Our seasonal concession, about 100 yards down the road. Affordable Mexican fare on a sandy beach area with two covered pergolas and two bars. It is available for an after-hours rental.

No. We have no overnight accommodations at The Carder.

A great deal. QC Terme offers indoor and outdoor spa amenities. Castle Williams and Fort Jay are significant historic sites. Artistic and cultural organizations occupy the historic houses on Colonels Row and Nolan Park. For children there are miles of traffic-free paved streets for biking, playgrounds, and New York City’s longest slide.

Our Michelin-starred chef, Edi Frauneder, has a diverse culinary background and, in collaboration with chef friends, has developed four distinct menus based on French, Italian, New American and Japanese cuisine.

Plated and family-style dinners, along with self-service stations and passed hors d’oeuvres.

Sample carving stations include Creek Stone prime rib, Niman Ranch beef Wellington, Hemlock Hill turkey and salt-baked Ora King salmon. Additional appetizer stations include a sushi station, a pan-Asian “night market,” and a salad and pasta station.

Yes. Because we only accommodate one party a night, there is a food and beverage minimum that must be met regardless. We do not allow outside alcohol service, though we are able to customize drink offerings beyond our normal menu.

Yes — both kosher-certified meals for individual guests, which are included in our pricing model, and a completely kosher meal service for the whole event at additional cost.

Peak season runs May through October. Low season is January and February. Shoulder season is March, April, November and December.

Peak season is a $25,000 site fee plus a $60,000 standard food and beverage package for up to 150 guests, with $325 per person above 150. Shoulder season is a $20,000 site fee plus a $40,000 package for up to 100 guests, with $325 per person above 100. Low season is a $12,500 site fee plus a $40,000 package for up to 100 guests, with $325 per person above 100.

Food and beverage: five passed canapés, one appetizer selection, two entrée selections plus a silent vegetarian option, one seated dessert or three passed desserts, a 6" cutting cake, and the five-hour “Empire Pour” full-bar alcohol package. Space: exclusive use of the ballroom, bridal suite and terrace from 9am to the end of the event, Illeta’s bar area after 3pm, and use of the ceremony area. Furniture: up to 25 × 66" round tables and 250 chairs, with standard linen, glassware, plateware and flatware.

An additional 22% administrative fee is assessed on all charges. This charge offsets operating, overhead and administrative expenses associated with your event, including but not limited to staffing. It is not distributed as gratuities to any of our staff. Gratuity is always appreciated, but never expected.

One third within 5 days of contract signing, one third 180 days from the event date, and the final third 60 days before the event.

We are accepting reservations starting Friday, September 3rd, 2027.

We expect to open our doors to the public by Memorial Day weekend 2027.

Yes. We charge $1,500 per hour to cover the additional labor, security and ferry logistics. Bar package extensions, which are required for extended hours, start at $10 per person based on the package selected.

We expect to have an exclusive audio/visual partner for The Carder, but we are not yet ready to announce it. For other third-party vendors we do not have a hard preferred-vendor list. We are looking for high-quality vendors who can understand and comply with the unique circumstances of load-in and load-out via ferry boat.

The Carder provides some shade protection, but we do not have rainproof outdoor areas. We have an exclusive tenting partner for those who require it. Our event lawn is designed to accommodate a 32′ × 72′ Sperry oval tent, which covers 100 to 200 people; additional tenting can be procured for more coverage.