Strawberry Fields is opened in Central Park, New York City

Strawberry Fields, a 2.5 acre section of Central Park in Manhattan, New York City dedicated to John Lennon, was officially opened on 9 October 1985, what would have been Lennon’s 45th birthday.

His widow Yoko Ono had donated more than $1 million towards the project and had conceived the idea. She attended the opening ceremony with her son Sean, whose 10th birthday also fell on this day.

Named after The Beatles’ song ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, the entrance to the memorial was located on Central Park West at West 72nd Street, directly opposite the Dakota building.

A triangular piece of land, Strawberry Fields had as its main focal point a circular mosaic featuring the word ‘Imagine’. The memorial was designed by Bruce Kelly, the chief landscape architect for the Central Park Conservancy.

Strawberry Fields has since become a destination for Lennon fans wishing to mark the anniversary of his birth and death. Flowers, candles and other tributes are often left at the site, with floral arrangements often made in the shape of a CND symbol.