free things to do in New York City
Free events for Friday, 05/09/14
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Free Events, Free Things to Do in New York City!  Read More

Are you looking for free things to do in New York City (NYC) on May 9, 2014?

47 free events take place on Friday, May 9 in New York City. Don't miss the opportunities that only New York provides! Exciting, high quality, unique and off the beaten path free events and free things to do take place in New York today, tonight, tomorrow and each day of the year, any time of the day: whether it's a weekday or a weekend, day or night, morning or evening or afternoon, December or July, April or November! These events will take your breath away!

New York City (NYC) never ceases to amaze you with quantity and quality of its free culture and free entertainment. Check out May 9 and see for yourself. Summer or Winter, Spring or Fall! Just click on any day of the calendar above and you'll find most inspiring and entertaining free events to go to and free things to do on each day of May . Don't miss the opportunities that only New York provides!

Some events take place all year long: same day of the week, same time there are there for you to take advantage of. One of the oldest free weekly events in Manhattan is Dixieland Jazz with the Gotham Jazzmen, which happen at noon every Tuesday. Another example of an event that you can attend all year round on weekdays is Federal Reserve Bank Tour, which takes place every week day at 1 pm (but advanced reservations are required). You can take at least 13 free tours every day of the year, except the New Year Day, July 4th, and the Christmas Day. If you are classical music afficionado, you can spend whole day in New York going from one free classical concert to another. If you love theater, then New York gives you an option to attend plays and musicals free of charge, or at deep discount. You just need to have information about it. And we are here to make that information available to you.
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The quality and quantity of
free events,
free things to do
that happen in New York City
every day of the year
is truly amazing.

So don't miss the opportunities
that only New York provides:
stop wondering what to do;
start taking advantage of
free events to go to,
free things to do in NYC
today!

47 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Friday, May 9, 2014

All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Editor's Picks

free events nyc Jim Findlay’s Dream of the Red Chamber, a Performance for a Sleeping Audience
free events nyc 18th Annual Tribeca Art Walk
free events nyc Paintings: Sanya Kantarovsky's Allergies
free events nyc The Vijay Iyer Trio, Grammy-Nominated Jazz
free events nyc Jus Post Bellum: Civil-War Era Ballads and Barn Stompers
More Editor's Picks for 05/09/14
        

Workshop | Tai Chi Workshop


Increase physical balance, strength, and mental focus. Learn the ancient Chinese martial art with expert Alex Hing. No experience is necessary! Hing has practiced martial arts for over 30 years in San Francisco and New York City, including 10 years with Tai Chi grand master William C. C. Chen.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:30 am
Free

Tour | All-in-One Downtown Tour


This tour utilizes your feet and the New York City Subway* to transport you from Lower Manhattan, the birthplace of New York, through Wall St and the Financial District, Greenwich Village, SoHo, Chinatown and Midtown Manhattan. There will be ample opportunities for memorable pictures. You'll get the chance to savor NY's best pizza and cannoli and other treats, learn how to play NY handball, maybe bargain with a shopkeeper in Chinatown, observe a game of street chess in Greenwich Village, people watch and window shop in SoHo, and kick back on the Highline Park. Along the way, you'll master the subway and learn about New York's Finest!
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

City Walk | Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo Tour


City Hall Park, Broadway, New York, NY, United States (map) DescriptionFree Tours by Foot is partnering with Visit New York Tours in offering a tour of the Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo. This is a 3-hour tour that begins with a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, an icon of New York City for over 125 years, with spectacular views of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The tour then moves on to a stroll of Brooklyn Heights, America’s and New York City’s first suburb. The tour then explores the neighborhood DUMBO before ending at the Fulton Ferry landing. Reservations Required RESERVE NOW
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Tour | Lower Manhattan Tour


It is here, as much as anywhere, where American history started. It's where the first US Congress assembled and produced the Bill of Rights and where President George Washington took his first oath of office. It's here where the world's most important stock exchange and one of the most famous bridges stand. And it is here where an unspeakable tragedy took place and where a rebirth is underway.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Conference | Power, Pedagogy, and Philosophy's 'Woman Problem'


This three-day event features keynote speakers Sara Heinämaa (University of Helsinki) and alumna Fanny Söderbäck (Siena College).
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Tour | SoHo, Little Italy & Chinatown Tour


You've seen the iconic skyscrapers, attended a Broadway show, visited Lady Liberty and relaxed in Central Park. Looking for a little more of the Big Apple? Maybe it's time to visit some of Manhattan's oldest and most enchanting historic districts. Take a relaxing stroll through SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Fair | Street Fair


Free fun for the whole family, including arts, crafts, antiques, plants, entertainment, games, and more.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Tour | Cathedral Tour


Explore the Cathedral's newly cleaned and restored Nave. Learn about the art, architecture and history of this great sacred space from 1892 to the present.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
$6...

Workshop | Learn Juggling in the Park


Test your coordination and dexterity with free juggling lessons in the park. All skill levels are welcome to join in the fun. Equipment is provided. Lessons are weather permitting. You'll be surprised that Alex and Jordan can often be found outside tossing pins in the snow!
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Concert | Bach at Noon


The keyboard works of Bach offered in 30-minute meditations by Patrick Allen, organist and master of choristers, and Phillip Lamb, organ scholar.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:20 pm
Free

Tour | Grand Central and Its Neighborhood Tour


Discover architecture and social history of Grand Central neighborhood; learn secrets of Whispering Gallery in Grand Central Terminal; gaze upon hubcaps and roadsters on side of Chrysler Building; discover favorite Midtown Manhattan hangout of Mercury, Hercules, and Minerva; learn why Pershing Square isn’t really square; visit original Lincoln Memorial by Daniel Chester French. Award-winning tour led by urban explorer, historian, and storyteller Justin Ferate.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free

Tour | Cathedral Tour


Explore the Cathedral's newly cleaned and restored Nave. Learn about the art, architecture and history of this great sacred space from 1892 to the present.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
$6...

Tour | Federal Reserve Bank Tour


Learn about central banking functions that Federal Reserve System performs and see Bank's vault of international monetary gold on bedrock of Manhattan Island, five stories below street level. Learn why Federal Reserve has "Federal" in its name, while it's a private bank, not Federal at all. Congressman Ron Paul considers the Federal Reserve "both corrupt and unconstitutional" Tour times: 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Fencing in the Park


Take a stab at the modern sport of fencing with masters from Manhattan Fencing Center. No prior experience needed and equipment is provided.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Tour | US Customs House Building Tour


A Museum Ambassador provides a 45-minute in-depth look at the unique architecture and design of the Alexander Hamilton Customs House.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Tour | Greenwich Village Neighborhood Tour


Greenwich Village is among Manhattan's most desirable and expensive residential neighborhoods. It's history, however, betrays it's monied status. The Village, with it's quiet, shaded streets, lined with lovely brick and brownstone townhouses, was once the incubating ground of artistic, social and political movements that have helped shape US history. From the Beats to the Folk Movement, from workers rights to gay rights, the Village has often been the center of it all.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Tour | Harlem Tour


Although world famous, Harlem may be New York's best kept secret with some of the city's best architecture, food, music and people. Harlem's history is also one of the city's most dramatic, having gone through many ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic changes over the past roughly 400 years, which have resulted in a diverse array of places of worship, theaters, homes and eating establishments.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Film | Sam Peckinpah's Ride the High Country (1962): Old Friends, Now Enemies


With Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea, Mariette Hartley. Two old friends have taken drastically different paths growing up. One is a small town sheriff, the other has become a robber, bent on stealing the gold the other is shipping cross-country. 94 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Tour | US Customs House Building Tour


A Museum Ambassador provides a 45-minute in-depth look at the unique architecture and design of the Alexander Hamilton Customs House.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Author Reading | 2 Authors: Rivka Galchen / Laura van den Berg


Rivka Galchen’s new title is “American Innovations,” a story collection (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2014). Laura van den Berg’s (pictured) second story collection is “The Isle of Youth” (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2013.)
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Concert | College Piano Recital


Sun A Kang, piano. Experience the freshness and excitement of a solo performance by a gifted young artist - a uniquely rewarding experience for music lovers. The program for this event is TBA.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | Group Exhibition: I’m Your Man


Artists: Jesse Burke, Nick Dong, J. Casey Doyle, Amery Kessler, Mark Newport, Kambui Olujimi, Ryan Roth, and Ryan Standfest.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Performance | Jim Findlay’s Dream of the Red Chamber, a Performance for a Sleeping Audience


Conceived as a literal dream play — the work is performed for an audience that is encouraged to experience the piece while they fall in and out of sleep. This durational performance installation invites the audience to take an immersive journey through Cao Xueqin’s 18th century Chinese novel “Dream of the Red Chamber” — an epic love story between a stone and a flower, framed by a dizzying series of metaphysical dreams. Audiences may arrive at any time, depart at any time, and return at any time.
   New York City, NY; NYC
5:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Party Game Social


Join and meet up with like-minded players interested in the same games as you. The Party Game Social is perfect for large groups and individuals looking to meet other players. With Apples to Apples, Taboo, Scattergories and Menu Mash-Up, these games are sure to get the fun started. Drop in anytime, as many party games allow for late additions.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Other | 18th Annual Tribeca Art Walk


Experience a behind-the-scenes look at artists and their workspaces. Since 1995, some of Manhattan’s finest artists have opened their work spaces to the public to take a free, self-guided tour. TriBeCa Open Artist Studio Tour attendees are able to visit the artists, view their work and buy art directly from the source. This is a rare insight into the inner working of the artist studio. TOAST is a celebration of the creative community of TriBeCa.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | Sense Objects, a 2-Artist Show


Sense Objects features the work of Leah Beeferman and Stephen Vitiello, two artists who work intensively with sound and who first met one another in the academic environment (Vitiello was Beeferman’s professor at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2009). This parallel pairing brings together their ongoing shared interest in producing art from a sonic perspective. A vinyl record included in this exhibition captures sound compositions each of the artists is occupied with at the moment.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Park Walk | Central Park Tour


Stroll through the park and tell the epic story of New York's green oasis. Once described as the lungs of the city, Central Park brings a breath of fresh air to New York's crowded urban terrain. What started out as the rocky and desolate northern fringes of a rapidly expanding city is today amongst the world's most famous and beloved public parks. Originally intended to bring people of all walks of life together -- a people's park -- Central Park lives up to it's original designs. With over 843 acres of meadows, hills, ball fields and bodies of water, it's impossible not to find
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | Group Exhibition: As Night Strolled Over to See What’s Up


Features the work of six artists who engage the countless duplicate, lending strangeness to everyday objects.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | James Siena's Sequence, Direction, Package, Connection: Artworks in Handmade Paper


New unique and sequential artworks, and new editions will be on view.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Open Friday Figure Drawing Workshop


Each Friday, the Illustration Department presents an Open Figure Drawing Session.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | Paintings: Aaron Nagel's Fathoms


Fathoms evidences Nagel's enduring admiration for classical oil painting both in technique and composition. This exhibition builds upon his last body of work by advancing his understanding and use of light and shadow.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | Paintings: Sanya Kantarovsky's Allergies


Sanya Kantarovsky’s paintings flush with agitated colors. Like moments glimpsed blearily out of bloodshot eyes, these are half-veiled scenes, the surfaces layered and fragmented. Saturated hues seem to echo the swollen emotions and confusion of these quotidian melodramas. Recent exhibitions include: Bard Girls Can Fly, White Flags, St. Louis, MO, 2014, What Were you Expecting, Mr. Milquetoast, a Plot?, Badischer Kunstverein, Karlsruhe, Germany, 2014, You Are Not An Evening, GAK, Bremen, Germany (solo), 2013, Notes on Neo Camp, Studio Voltaire, London, UK, 2013.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | Photographs: Jiang Pengyi's Glimpses


Glimpses presents two separate photographic bodies of work - the Unregistered City series as well as Everything Illuminates. Produced in tandem, the photographs showcase a progression from external issues to internal thoughts, revealing a distinctive change in Jiang Pengyi's creative direction.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | Sterling Ruby's Sunrise Sunset: Art Inspired by Graffiti and Gangs


Possessed of a profound material sensibility, Sterling Ruby's art speaks in a language inspired by sub-cultural phenomena ranging from graffiti, urban gangs, and prison systems, to craft and the history of quilt making. Ruby’s work, which encompasses nearly every medium, voraciously cycles through the autobiographical, the art historical, and the sociological, creating layers of reciprocal influence that radiate outward.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Park Walk | The High Line Tour


The area around the High Line Park was a vital business district of New York City, supplying fresh fruits, French Cheeses and Russian caviar as well as fresh meats to City markets. The hustle and bustle of the streets induced the City to elevate the railroad trains delivering goods to the commercial buildings. When interstate truck traffic made the railway outdated, it fell into ruin, only to be regenerated as a park.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Talk | Laughing All the Way to Freedom: Social Functions of Jewish Humor of the Modern-Day Exodus


Drawing on his book, Taking Penguins to the Movies: Ethnic Humor in Russia, Professor Emil Draitser gives an inspiring talk about the crucial social role of Jewish humor at the time of the modern-day exodus of Jews from Russia. Due to the absence of formal Jewish organizations in Soviet times, Jewish jocularity was instrumental in creating a virtual community. The continuous exchange of humorous bits focusing on their shared predicaments helped Russian Jews to survive oppression, fight discrimination, reaffirm their Jewish identity, and strengthen the ties among their fellows-in-misfortune.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Concert | Sunset Singing Circle


Sing together! Share rounds and folk songs. No experience necessary. All ages welcome. Bring a favorite song. Led by folksinger Terre Roche.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Jazz | The Music of Wayne Shorter Ensemble


Wayne Shorter is one of the giants of improvised music, as well as a noted leader and composer. The Music of Wayne Shorter Ensemble studies Shorter’s work in depth, both compositionally and as an improviser.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Screening | An Evening of Short Films


Collaborations by student composers and filmmakers from Columbia, School of Visual Arts and other film schools.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free

Concert | NYU Spring Choral Concert


Featuring the NYU Chorale, Women’s Choir, and University Singers.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free

Performance | The Andrea Dworkin Theater Project


A new one-woman theater piece based on an unpublished work by Andrea Dworkin, author of Woman Hating, Pornography, Intercourse, and other powerful feminist classics. The text by Dworkin contains all the hallmarks of her searing prose: fierce and irreverent, bold and tender, mordantly witty and emotionally raw. Please note that because of the intimate nature of this reading, latecomers cannot be seated. Contains strong language and graphic sexual situations.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free

Concert | The Argento Chamber Ensemble performs works by Schoenberg and others


Program: Michael Klingbeil (US) Vers la courbe for piano and electronics Hannah Lash (US) Friction, Pressure, Impact for cello and piano Jonathan Forshee (US) Supine for two violins World premiere Huck Hodge (US) Efflux for violin and clarinet Arnold Schoenberg (Austria) Five Pieces for Orchestra, Op.16 World premiere arrangement for chamber ensemble by Kimmy Szeto (US) with electronics by Jonathan Forshee (US) Jeff Brown (US) Motion Harmony #3 for percussion and three pendulums The Argento Chamber Ensemble is a virtuoso ensemble dedicated to innovative musical performance and discovery of daring artistic paths. Championing cutting-edge contemporary composers, as well as framing classical repertoire in new contexts, Argento inspires musical inquiry through education, mentorship, technology, and dialogue.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
$10 suggested donation

Jazz | The String Trio of New York


Since its formation in 1977 on the Lower East Side of New York City, the String Trio of New York has been delighting, inspiring and thrilling audiences around the world with its singular acoustic improvisations and compositions for violin, guitar and bass. The Trio has become a veritable institution of jazz and contemporary music and they have developed a unique, personal sound and a musical essence which is immediately recognizable.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free

Jazz | The Vijay Iyer Trio, Grammy-Nominated Jazz


Critically acclaimed and Grammy Award-nominated musician Vijay Iyer leads his jazz trio in an evening of original music from his celebrated recordings. The winner in five DownBeat International Critics Poll categories and a recent MacArthur Fellow, Iyer has confirmed his role as a supremely talented pianist and composer. Iyer’s trio also took home the prize for top jazz album with their Accelerando, a sensational showcase of musicianship and inspired compositions.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:30 pm
Free

Concert | Jus Post Bellum: Civil-War Era Ballads and Barn Stompers


Jus Post Bellum evokes America’s Civil War era with plaintive, reverb-drenched folk ballads and rousing barn stompers. Employing delicate male-female vocal harmonies, this Brooklyn-based foursome spins dusty, sepia-toned tales of love and war and spellbinding narratives that conjure the ghosts of American history.
   New York City, NY; NYC
9:00 pm
No cover, no...

Performance | Performance Art: Boru O'Brien O'Connell and Luke Stettner's You Are Traffic


A performance featuring Jim Fletcher and Christina Campanella (voice), with sound design by George Monteleone.
   New York City, NY; NYC
9:00 pm
Free

Jazz | The Music of Herbie Hancock Ensemble


The Music of Herbie Hancock Ensemble is devoted to exploring the compositions of Herbie Hancock from the early sixties through the seventies. The ensemble discusses and applies many key elements of Hancock’s writing and playing style, focusing on material from his Blue Note albums as well as on his later Headhunters compositions. Hancock’s concepts are applied to every instrument in the band.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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9:00 pm
Free
Complimentary Tickets

to shows, concerts ... (CFT Deals!)

Play | Drama with Broadway Actors

Regular Price: $77
CFT Member Price: $0.00

Classical Music | Choral Work by Haydn and More at a Landmark Venue

Regular Price: $59
CFT Member Price: $0.00
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