free things to do in New York City
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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 20, 2025?
26 free events take place on Tuesday, May 20 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 20 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.
Are you looking for free things to do in New York City (NYC) on May 20, 2025?
26 free events take place on Tuesday, May 20 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 20 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.
Join the Club!
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!
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!
26 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Tuesday, May 20, 2025
All events are free unless otherwise noted.Workshop | Tai Chi in the Park: Harmonize Body & Mind
Learn how to practice this traditional system of health and self-defense out in nature. Derived from the philosphy of Taoism, Tai Chi was designed to develop the optimum degree of harmony between body and mind, as well as between the individual and the natural order of the universe. Classes are led by teachers and students who train nearby at CK Chu Tai Chi under the direction of Master Hyland Harris. Classes are rain or shine. All levels are welcomed, and no equipment is necessary. Bring a bottle of water to stay hydrated, and wear comfortable, breathable clothes!
New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 am
Free
Free
Workshop | Get in Shape: Bodyweight Blast
Classes to help New Yorkers get and stay fit.
New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 am
Free
Free
Birdwatching | Morning Birding in the Park with NYC Audubon
Discover the surprising diversity of birds that call New York home during migratory season with guided tours by NYC Audubon, led by environmental educator and urban naturalist Gabriel Willow. This park is a hotspot for avian visitors and birders alike. Past sightings include warblers, tanagers, vireos, thrushes, and even a Chuck-will’s-widow!
New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 am
Free
Free
Workshop | Zumba Class for All-Levels
Featuring easy-to-follow Latin dance choreography. Work on your balance, coordination and range of motion.
New York City, NY; NYC
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10:30 am
Free
Free
Classical Music | 'Warm, Immersive' Composer Plays His Original Works
Zachary Detrick, who had his first premiere at Merkin Concert Hall at age 4, will play a selection of works he composed, alongside his musician friends. Detrick's music has been featured on NPR and performed by the New York Philharmonic.
New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free
Free
Concert | Piano in the Park: Jazz
A five, six, seven, eight… Come on down and swing along to the best ragtime, stride, and jazz the Big Apple has to offer. The park is proud to present a special performance by Yuka Aikawa. Pianist and composer Yuka Aikawa began playing piano at the age of five in her native country, Japan. She's received the prestigious Michael Feinstein Award for “Outstanding Talent.” You can hear Yuka at various jazz clubs in and around the New York area, as an accompanist for jazz choir The Lance Hayward Singers, or on Carline Ray's beautiful album Vocal Sides. Yuka's new trio album, Clouds and Water, has been released in Japan, where she tours every year.
New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free
Free
Film | The Motorcycle Diaries (2004): Biographical Coming-of-Age Road Movie
Portrait of young revolutionary Ernesto `Che' Guevara and his friend Alberto Granado embark on a life-changing on a life-changing motorcycle journey across South America in 1952. Director: Walter Salles Cast: Gael García Bernal, Rodrigo de la Serna, Mía Maestro
New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free
Free
Staged Reading | Potliqka: Black in the Antebellum South
A three-act epic about Black history in the Antebellum South, spanning from 1790–1820, following James Hemmings, the founding father of soul food; a southern family—Esther, Freeman, and Missy (based on young Malinda Russell, the first Black woman to publish a cookbook in 1866); and Abina Kisi, Yawo Abayie, and Ama Nanny, a family who remembers the Middle Passage and their stolen Ghanaian culture. It’s a story of love, loss, and freedom, told one plate at a time. Written by Celeste Jennings .
New York City, NY; NYC
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1:30 pm
Free
Free
Film | Gladiator II (2024): Historical Epic with Denzel Washington, Directed by Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott's sequel to the 2001 Best Picture Oscar winner. A warrior is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is destroyed by a tyrannical emperor. Director: Ridley Scott Cast: Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer with an intense visual style. He's best known for his sci-fi, crime, and historical epic films. He's well-decorated for his work, including the 2018 BAFTA Fellowship for Lifetime Achievement, two Primetime Emmys, and a Golden Globe. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and appointed a Knight Grand Cross by King Charles III. Denzel Washington is an American actor, and filmmaker known for his dramatic roles. In 2020, he was named "the greatest actor of the 21st century" by the New York Times. He's very accomplished, receiving two Academy Awards, three Golden Globes, and a Tony Award, plus two Emmys and a Grammy Award. He was awarded the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2019, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025.
New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free
Free
Workshop | Chess in the Park
Play the popular strategy game while getting pointers and advice from an expert. Chess improves concentration, problem solving, and strategic planning — plus it’s fun! For all ages 5 and up.
New York City, NY; NYC
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3:30 pm
Free
Free
Book Club | Book Club Discussion: Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
Book Synopsis: Authors June Hayward and Athena Liu were supposed to be twin rising stars. But Athena’s a literary darling. June Hayward is literally nobody. Who wants stories about basic white girls, June thinks. So when June witnesses Athena’s death in a freak accident, she acts on impulse: she steals Athena’s just-finished masterpiece, an experimental novel about the unsung contributions of Chinese laborers during World War I. So what if June edits Athena’s novel and sends it to her agent as her own work? So what if she lets her new publisher rebrand her as Juniper Song—complete with an ambiguously ethnic author photo? Doesn’t this piece of history deserve to be told, whoever the teller? That’s what June claims, and the New York Times bestseller list seems to agree. But June can’t get away from Athena’s shadow, and emerging evidence threatens to bring June’s (stolen) success down around her. As June races to protect her secret, she discovers exactly how far she will go to keep what she thinks she deserves. With its totally immersive first-person voice, Yellowface grapples with questions of diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation, as well as the terrifying alienation of social media. R.F. Kuang’s novel is timely, razor-sharp, and eminently readable.
New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free
Free
Film | Blood Simple (1984): Neo-Noir Crime Film from the Coen Brothers
The owner of a seedy small-town Texas bar discovers that one of his employees is having an affair with his wife. Directors: Joel and Ethan Coen Cast: John Getz, Frances McDormand Joel and Ethan Coen (often referred to as the "Coen Brothers") are a filmmaking duo known for their subversive movies. Together, they've been nominated for 13 Academy Awards, plus one individual nomination for each, sharing wins for Best Original Screenplay, Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. They won the Palme d'Or for Barton Fink at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival.
New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free
Free
Author Reading | Sexy Selfie Nation Book Launch Discussion on Women's Bodily Autonomy
Celebrate the launch of Sexy Selfie Nation with author Leora Tanenbaum! Leora will discuss changing the narrative around sexy selfies with activist Lizzie Asher, who is fighting to end the "voluntary intoxication exclusion" in New York State that denies justice to sexual assault victims who had been drinking alcohol; and sex worker, survivor, and champion for sexual agency Norma Buster, Chief of Staff at C.A. Goldberg, PLLC. With women's bodily autonomy under attack, this conversation is more important now than ever before.
New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free
Free
Opening Reception | Group Illustration Showq that Twists Time and Space: The Visit to the Museum
The Visit to the Museum is an exhibition that explores a story where a realistic pursuit turns into a surrealist one; it starts with the search for the painting of a lost relative and results in a protagonist who finds themselves stripped of everything--from clothing to their sense of security--mental or physical. It's a group show of illustrated artwork by 20 emerging artists, MFA students of an Illustration as Visual Essay program. Time and space continuously twist exponentially in a small provincial museum where expected artifacts unravel into unexpected chaos. Ancient columns, Egyptian sarcophagi, taxidermy, whale bones, buzzard specimens and paintings of questionable value compose a magnificent wunderkammer from which there's no escape. Page after page, an initially typical visit to the museum devolves into a time warped sequence of events with rare illustrative potential. Time, space but also individual artifacts and their symbolic details make for the perfect springboard towards a series of images that show and tell elaborate depictions of situations the mind's eye is often incapable of seeing. This multitude of pictorial opportunities translates into a variety of approaches, spanning from picture books that faithfully follow the storyline to cut out paper collages cut by laser, mystery objects in narrative frames, bold portraiture, delicate artifact drawings of personal value and multiple meanings, complex diorama triptychs full of anything one could imagine, detailed architectural blueprints of how madness could unfold from one room to another, alternative suggestions of what a museum galleries can look like, puzzles that compose by decomposing the mysteries at hand, optical illusions that simultaneously reveal what is and what is not to the naked eye, and more. The exhibition will be on view from Thursday, May 15, through Tuesday, May 27.
New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free
Free
Party | Make New Friends Playing Board Games Outdoors
Organizers bring a wider selection of board games to the Games Cart at this event, with games like Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, Catan, King of Tokyo and more. Not sure what to play? The Games Hosts can help you find the perfect game and match up players!
New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free
Free
Workshop | Power Hour Outdoor Wellness Session: 3K Recovery Run
This outdoor wellness session is designed to energize your body and mind. This run focuses on muscle recovery, reducing soreness, and preventing stiffness while promoting blood flow. It’s also a great way to give your mind a break from intense training days—helping you reset, recharge, and feel refreshed.
New York City, NY; NYC
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5:30 pm
Free
Free
Concert | Salon 1898: Cuban Dance Music at the Turn of the Twentieth Century
The American Symphony Orchestra is a New York-based American orchestra, founded in 1962, dedicated to providing great music for everyone. At this concert, the ASO will perform Cuban dance music of yesteryear. Percussionist-composer Javier Diaz — whose studio credits include Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In The Heights — has curated the program. Salon 1898: Cuban Dance Music at the Turn of the Twentieth Century will feature danzas, contradanzas, danzones, rumbas, ragtime, and early jazz. This performance will mark the world premiere of Diaz’s unique arrangements for violin, cello, bass, flute, clarinet, trumpet, tuba, and percussion.
New York City, NY; NYC
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5:30 pm
Free
Free
Staged Reading | Potliqka: Black in the Antebellum South
A three-act epic about Black history in the Antebellum South, spanning from 1790-1820, following James Hemmings, the founding father of soul food; a southern family--Esther, Freeman, and Missy (based on young Malinda Russell, the first Black woman to publish a cookbook in 1866); and Abina Kisi, Yawo Abayie, and Ama Nanny, a family who remembers the Middle Passage and their stolen Ghanaian culture. It's a story of love, loss, and freedom, told one plate at a time. Written by Celeste Jennings .
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free
Free
Park Walk | Discover the History & Design of One of New York's Most Unique Park
Hear the story behind New York City's park in the sky: an insider's perspective on the park's history, design, and landscape.
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free
Free
Workshop | Mat Pilates for Movement and Flexibility
A strengthening and lengthening exercise that focuses on conditioning your core muscles while also training your arms and legs. This class incorporates key Pilates principles such as postural alignment, breathing, strength, controlled movement and flexibility. This class is perfect for beginners but intermediate and advanced movers will also benefit. Bring your own mat.
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free
Free
Talk | Bestselling Author Chris Pavone Presents His New Thriller: The Doorman
A pulse-pounding novel of class, privilege, sex, and murder, New York Times bestselling author Chris Pavone presents The Doorman. Chicky Diaz is everyone’s favorite doorman at the Bohemia, the most famous apartment house in the world, home of celebrities, financiers, and New York’s cultural elite. Meanwhile, gathered in the Bohemia’s bowels, the building’s almost entirely Black and Hispanic, working-class staff is taking in the news that that just a few miles uptown, a Black man has been killed by the police, leading to a demonstration, a counterdemonstration, and a long night of violence across the tinderbox city. As Chicky changes into his uniform for tonight’s shift, he finds himself breaking a cardinal rule of the job: tonight, he’ll be carrying a gun, bought only hours earlier, but before he knew of the pandemonium taking over the city. Tonight in the city, enemies will clash, loyalties will be tested, secrets will be revealed—and lives will be lost. Chris Pavone is the author of The Paris Diversion, The Travelers, The Accident, and The Expats. His novels have appeared on the bestseller lists of The New York Times, USA Today, and The Wall Street Journal; have won both the Edgar and Anthony awards; are in development for film and television; and have been translated into two dozen languages.
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free
Free
Park Walk | Guided Tour through Park on the Water
Docents lead a walking tour to learn about the history of the Brooklyn waterfront, the area's sustainable design and ecology, and how the park came to life!
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free
Free
Dance Performance | Open Performance Showcase of New Work
A program of non-curated shared showings of experimentation and work-in-process, for artists at all stages of their development selected through a randomized lottery. The events are centered around a moderated discussion between the artists and audience providing an opportunity to experiment with different feedback methods to support and inform the artists’ process. Artists: Frances Koper, Hannah Littman, Seamus Slattery, and Jackie Bramhall-Heck
New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
donation-based
donation-based
7:00 pm
Regular: $25
Member: $0
Regular: $25
Member: $0
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Theater | The Imaginary Invalid: Molière's Comedy-Ballet Starring Broadway Actor
Argan is ill. But is he? Argan is dying. But aren’t we all? Argan wants absolute control. But is that ever achievable? After a series of upside down attempts to snap him out of it, a solution is found. But will it save him? The Imaginary Invalid is the last play that legendary French playwright Molière wrote and was originally conceived as a Comedy-Ballet where theater, dance, and music are intertwined. It explores the fear of disease and the exploitation it breeds through infinitely humorous dialogue and in-your-face satire. This production will feature original choreography by FlexN dancer Cal Hunt, original music by cellist Johnathan Moore, and stars Tony and Olivier Award nominee Sahr Ngaujah. Director and Translator: Lucie Tiberghien Choreographer and Dancer: Cal Hunt Composer and Cellist: Johnathan Moore Cast: Dante Bonner, Mary Bacon, Rory Furey-King, Doron JePaul, Naomi Lorrain, Sahr Ngaujah, Shayvawn Webster
New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free
Free
Workshop | Stargazing in the Park
Immerse yourself in the wonders of the night sky. The friendly team from the Amateur Astronomers Association will be there with high-powered telescopes, ready to reveal the secrets of the cosmos.
New York City, NY; NYC
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8:15 pm
Free
Free
Complimentary Tickets
to shows, concerts ... (CFT Deals!)
Classical Music | Sacred Choral Works at a Landmark Venue
Regular Price: $50CFT Member Price: $0.00
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