free things to do in New York City
Free events for Friday, 08/15/25
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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 August 15, 2025?

31 free events take place on Friday, August 15 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 August 15 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 August . 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!

31 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Friday, August 15, 2025

All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Editor's Picks

free events nyc Friday Night Function at an Iconic Art Museum
free events nyc Historic Dance Festival in the Park
free events nyc Music on the Lawn: South Asian Music & Dance
free events nyc Summer Celebration Ball
        

Concert | Conan Gray LIVE, Alternative Singer-Songwriter Performs Live


Kick off your morning with some new-age indie-pop from singer-songwriter (and former YouTuber) Conan Gray. His discography includes hits like "Maniac," and "Heather." Fans on the General Admission line will be admitted if space permits. It's advised that you arrive early to join the line. Generally, concerts happen rain or shine. Check-in for those with fan passes is at 5:15 a.m. The start time is approximate. Photo ID required for entry.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 am
Free
Concerts, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Conan Gray LIVE, Alternative Singer-Songwriter Performs Live

Workshop | Morning Yoga in the Fresh Air


Move, stretch, and start your morning with this open-level vinyasa class taught by Frances Burch. Please bring a yoga mat; organizers recommend a water bottle and towel.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:30 am
Free
Workshops, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Morning Yoga in the Fresh Air

Workshop | Outdoor Tai Chi for All Ages


Improve balance, strength and focus through gentle exercises. The sights and sounds of the river provide a serene background for the ancient flowing postures. An ideal choice for participants of all ages.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:30 am
Free
Workshops, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Outdoor Tai Chi for All Ages

Museums | Friday at Pop Culture/Art Museum


Through temporary exhibitions, a growing permanent collection, and educational events, this museum examines the significant influence of posters on society and culture, and how they are adapted for modern use. As the first poster museum in the United States, it offers a space for inquiry for anyone interested in design, advertising, and public interventions, with the goal of enhancing design literacy among the general public. Works explore: mass communication and persuasion the intersection of art and commerce control of the public domain
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free
Museumss, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Friday at Pop Culture/Art Museum

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
Workshops, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Zumba Class for All-Levels

Museums | Asian Art and Culture Museum


The museum features a diverse collection of artworks, including traditional and contemporary pieces from various Asian cultures. 2 pm: guided tour.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free
Museumss, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Asian Art and Culture Museum

Festival | Food Festival with Local Vendors


New York City's favorite outdoor food market, Smorgasburg, is back. Enjoy a variety of eats and treats from local vendors.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free
Festivals, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Food Festival with Local Vendors

Workshop | Learn about NYC Composting


Confused about what is happening –and not happening– with composting in NYC today? Take a dive with Big Reuse into the rich heap of compost history to get some perspective. Participants will focus especially on the last thirty years of NYC initiatives, legislation, and experience around curbside organics collection and community composting. Through presentations, activities, and discussion, this workshop will explore the many, diverse benefits that result from the simple act of recycling our food scraps as well as the complexities of making that act a real possibility for all New Yorkers. This workshop is for anyone interested in how best to participate in composting in NYC right now and how best to advocate for compost and waste reduction policies that support climate justice.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free
Workshops, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Learn about NYC Composting

Jazz | Piano in the Park: "Audacious and Exquisite" Jazz Musician


Come on down and swing along to the best ragtime, stride, and jazz the Big Apple has to offer. "Audacious and exquisite." - The Village Voice Since coming to New York City in 1981, Pete Malinverni has performed locally at Carnegie Hall, Symphony Space, and the Village Vanguard to name but a few, as well as traveled the world giving proof to the statement "passionate music is indeed the universal language". He is listed in Leonard Feather's Encyclopedia of Jazz and has 16 critically acclaimed recordings to his name as a leader in piano solo, trio, quartet, quintet, big band, and choir formats.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free
Concerts, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Piano in the Park: "Audacious and Exquisite" Jazz Musician

Film | Juror #2 (2024): Legal Thriller Film from Clint Eastwood


While serving as a juror in a high-profile murder trial, a family man finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma; one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict or free the wrong killer. Director: Clint Eastwood Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, J. K. Simmons, Kiefer Sutherland American actor and filmmaker Clinton Eastwood is notable for his role in Westerns, rising to fame in the mid-1960s. Among his achievements are four Academy Awards, four Golden Globes, three Cesar Awards, and an AFI Life Achievement Award. In 2000, he was given the Italian Venice Film Festival's Golden Lion award for his lifetime achievements. And, in 1994, he received the Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, followed by the Legion of Honour in 2007.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free
Films, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Juror #2 (2024): Legal Thriller Film from Clint Eastwood

Workshop | Crafting Community: Work on Personal Projects & Make New Friends


Freeform crafting and conversation! Bring your own project or choose something from the collection to work on. The organizers have materials for sewing, knitting, crochet, coloring, and paper crafts. All programs are subject to change or cancellation.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:30 pm
Free
Workshops, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Crafting Community: Work on Personal Projects & Make New Friends

Tour | Inside the Exhibit: Talk With Museum Experts


Celebrate 100 years since the historic acquisition of George Grey Barnard's medieval collection with an in-depth conversation led by Museum curators, conservators, scientists, and scholars. This expert-led program offers fresh insights, untold stories, and a closer look at remarkable works of art. Bring your questions for an engaging discussion that illuminates the legacy of this influential sculptor and collector. Note: Space is limited; first come, first served.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free
Tours, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Inside the Exhibit: Talk With Museum Experts

Workshop | Artmaking with Local Artist in the Park


Spend a Friday evening learning new artistic practices from a rotating group of incredibly talented local creators!
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free
Workshops, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Artmaking with Local Artist in the Park

Park Walk | Explore the New Wagner Park with an Expert


Walk through the new Wagner Park with founder, director, and curator of The Skyscraper Museum, Carol Willis. Learn how the park’s innovative resiliency strategies are used to protect Battery Park City. 
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free
Park Walks, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Explore the New Wagner Park with an Expert

Museums | A Night of Live Music, Drinks & 5,000 Years of Art


Enjoy a stylish evening of art, live music, and engaging talks every Friday and Saturday night. From 5-9 PM, sip on drink specials, sample light fare, and take in the museum's vast collection spanning millennia. Grab a friend, a partner, or come solo--this after-hours experience offers something for everyone.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free
Museumss, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, A Night of Live Music, Drinks & 5,000 Years of Art

Museums | American History and Artifact Collections


Enjoy a stroll through galleries of an extensive collection of American art, learn about the history of New York and the USA. Last admission is at 7 pm.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Pay-what-you-wish, reservation required
Museumss, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, American History and Artifact Collections

Museums | Friday Evening at the Art/History Museum


This museum is an assemblage of illuminated, literary, and historical manuscripts, early printed books, and old master drawings and prints inside a historic building. Registration opens 7 days in advance & does sell out.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free
Museumss, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Friday Evening at the Art/History Museum

Museums | Friday Night Function at an Iconic Art Museum


Enjoy art, drinks, special programming, music, city views, and more! Throughout the night, there will be a few "15-minute tours," highlighting different parts of the collection.
   New York City, NY; NYC
5:00 pm
Free
Museumss, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Friday Night Function at an Iconic Art Museum

Party | Play New Games like Blood on the Clocktower (BOTC)


Curious about a board game or looking to try something new? The Games Hosts will be teaching how to play a wide range of fun board games. Many come to play the social deduction game, Blood on the Clocktower (BOTC).
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free
Partys, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Play New Games like Blood on the Clocktower (BOTC)

Poetry Reading | Poetry Open Mic: Share Your Work or Listen to Emerging Writers


Participants can share their original work for up to five minutes. Space is limited to 15 readers; show up on time to get a slot!
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:30 pm
Free
Poetry Readings, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Poetry Open Mic: Share Your Work or Listen to Emerging Writers

Author Reading | Author/Illustrator Discusses Their New Book: When the Tides Held the Moon


Join Author and Illustrator Venessa Vida Kelley as they discuss their new book, When the Tides Held the Moon. Synopsis: In this beautifully illustrated queer historical cozy fantasy, a young Puerto Rican immigrant goes through a journey of love and self-discovery after capturing a merman for a Coney Island sideshow act in turn-of-the 20th century New York. With lush illustrations and buoyant prose, Venessa Vida Kelley blends historical fantasy with epic romance at the turn of the 20th century in this unforgettable New York fairytale of queer identity and found family.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free
Author Readings, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Author/Illustrator Discusses Their New Book:&nbsp;When the Tides Held the Moon

Workshop | Learn Some Moves with the Renowned Limon Dance Company


The world-renowned Limon Company Dancers teach the energetic and ease-filled Limon Technique, accompanied by live music. No experience necessary; class is open to all levels.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free
Workshops, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Learn Some Moves with the Renowned Limon Dance Company

Gallery Talk | Art in Focus: Slow Looking and Conversation


Take a moment to slow down and connect with a single work of art through guided observation and group discussion. No background in art is needed--just curiosity and openness. This relaxed, welcoming program invites all adult learners to engage deeply with one piece at a time. Space is limited; first come, first served. Stickers are distributed 15 minutes prior to the start of the program.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free
Gallery Talks, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Art in Focus: Slow Looking and Conversation

Author Reading | Emerging Writers Reading Series Featuring Debut Memoir Hotshot


This reading series showcases writers from multiple MFA programs around New York City. This event's featured writer is River Selby, author of Hotshot: a fierce debut memoir of a female firefighter navigating the personal and environmental dangers of wildfire fighting. Other readers include Katherine Nolan, Sarah C. Sturgis, Sammy Bittman, Osahon Okundaye, and Sarah Bess Jaffe. Cost of a $5 general admission ticket can be applied towards the purchase of any book or any product in the bookstore café the night of an event.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
$5, tickets required
Author Readings, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Emerging Writers Reading Series Featuring Debut&nbsp;Memoir&nbsp;Hotshot

Play | Henrik Ibsen's The Lady from the Sea on the Patio


Hudson Classical Theater Company is celebrating their 22nd season with the esciting show: The Lady from the Sea, a play by Henrik Ibsen. This play follows Ellida, the daughter of a lighthouse-keeper, who loves the sea. Although married, Ellida is restless and troubled by a former romantic attachment. When her former fiance shows up to fetch her, Ellida must choose between her former lover or her husband.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free
Plays, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Henrik Ibsen's The Lady from the Sea  on the Patio

Dance Performance | Historic Dance Festival in the Park


This event is New York City's longest-running free public dance festival. The Battery Dance Festival brings together spectacular international and local dance companies, each evening ending with "Everybody Dance Now!"
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:00 pm
Free
Dance Performances, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Historic Dance Festival in the Park

Concert | Music on the Lawn: South Asian Music & Dance


Sunny Jain, the "indefatigable drummer and dhol player" (New Yorker), headlines an evening of South Asian music and dance. Gamelan Dharma Swara brings Balinese music and dance this park for the first time. Organizers lend out hundreds of free blankets on a first-come, first-served basis, or bring your own cotton or fleece blanket. There will also be pre-set chairs, or you may bring your own. To protect the lawn, please do not sit on waterproof materials such as plastic tarps, yoga mats, or inflatable chairs. Bring your own picnic or purchase food and drinks from tents on the side of the lawn.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:00 pm
Free
Concerts, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Music on the Lawn: South Asian Music & Dance

Jazz | We Insist! 2025: Music Honoring the Civil Rights Movement


NEA Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington and Christie Dashiell reimagine We Insist! Max Roach’s “Freedom Now Suite,” a groundbreaking 1960 collaboration between the legendary jazz drummer Roach and lyricist Oscar Brown Jr. that has become a defining artistic statement of the Black American civil rights movement. One of the finest jazz drummers and producers of her generation, Carrington has created an homage that bursts with fiery, stirring ideas, unstoppable grooves, and the spellbinding interplay with Roach’s and Brown’s compositions alongside original music and words by Carrington and others. GRAMMY-nominated vocalist Dashiell reflects on the work’s history with a contemporary call to action, honoring the original masterpiece while furthering the fight for social justice.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free
Concerts, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, We Insist! 2025: Music Honoring the Civil Rights Movement

Movie in a Park | Captain America: Brave New World (2025): superhero action-adventure


Synopsis: Sam Wilson soars into his new role as Captain America in this next chapter of the Marvel saga. With grit, courage, and a newly forged shield, he faces global threats and tests of leadership that push him to define what the symbol truly means. Packed with high-stakes action and heart, this film continues the legacy with a bold new hero at the helm. Rated PG-13 Director: Julius Onah Cast: Anthony Mackie, Harrison Ford, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas Movies begin at dusk. Please note that glass bottles and alcoholic beverages are strictly prohibited. In the event of heavy rain or extreme weather, the screening may be canceled.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free
Movie in a Parks, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Captain America: Brave New World (2025): superhero action-adventure

Play | Shakespeare's Twelfth Night Outdoors with Lupita Nyong'o, Sandra Oh, Peter Dinklage, & Jesse Tyler Ferguson


Revel in the midsummer madness as twins Sebastian and Viola survive shipwreck, revenge plots, and the trick doors of love. Written by William Shakespeare Directed by Tony Award nominee Saheem Ali Cast: Lupita Nyong'o, Khris Davis, Sandra Oh, Junior Nyong'o, Peter Dinklage, Moses Sumney, John Ellison Conlee, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, b, Joe Tapper, Kapil Talwalkar, and more.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free
Plays, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Shakespeare's Twelfth Night Outdoors with Lupita Nyong'o, Sandra Oh, Peter Dinklage, & Jesse Tyler Ferguson

Party | Summer Celebration Ball


Brought to you by icon and activist Qween Jean, night 2 of this 2-night extravaganza is a celebration of ballroom culture, personal expression, and finding community. Featuring a panel of guest judges, neighborhood partners and talented youth, the stage is set for a dazzling display of performances and a vibrant runway.
   New York City, NY; NYC
8:30 pm
Free
Partys, August 15, 2025, 08/15/2025, Summer Celebration Ball
Complimentary Tickets

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

Dance Performance | High-Energy Dance Show

Regular Price: $59
CFT Member Price: $0.00

Performance | Edge-of-Your-Seat Spectacular Show

Regular Price: $91
CFT Member Price: $0.00
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