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 literary events like book readings, book signings, poetry readings? Then you came to the right place. Start using these unique New York City opportunities today!
Are you looking for literary events like book readings, book signings, poetry readings? Then you came to the right place. Start using these unique New York City opportunities today!
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!
21 free poetry readings, book signings, author readings in New York City (NYC) Sun, 08/17/2025 - and on...
Not a day goes by in New York City (NYC) without a free poetry reading or a book signing or a book reading by a famous or not yet famous author. Don't miss the opportunities that only New York provides!
Poetry Reading | Bi-Weekly Readings & Reflections
Participate in this poetry gathering and engage with contemporary poetry through readings, conversations, and reflections.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Sun, Aug 17
5:00 pm
Free
5:00 pm
Free
Poetry Reading | Poetry in the Park: Jane Austen Birthday Celebration
Award-winning poetry by established and emerging poets throughout the summer. You are cordially invited to Jane Austen's 250th birthday celebration, and a special reading of her original poetry weaved together with selected poems featured in beloved novels including Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, and Persuasion. Written by Sarah Rose Kearns, co-Regional Coordinator of the Jane Austen Society of North America (JASNA) New York Metropolitan Region and presented by a troupe of Austen actors in Regency dress, the evening will surely transport you from the London Plane trees of New York City, back to the drawing rooms of 19th-century England. Take home a free copy of Sense and Sensibility, just re-released with a new introduction from Sandra Cisneros, while supply lasts.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Aug 19
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Author Discusses & Signs Nonfiction Book Mother of Methodone
Dr. Melody Glenn celebrates and discusses her new book, Mother of Methadone: the stories of two doctors battling the opioid epidemic half a century apart to reveal the origins of today's public health crisis, and a call to remove the stigma against addicts, addiction, and treatment providers. Dr. Glenn will be joined in conversation by Maia Szalavitz, author Undoing Drugs. Along with a discussion and audience Q&A, Dr. Glenn will also sign copies of Mother of Methadone purchased at this bookstore. Cost of a $5 general admission ticket can be applied towards the purchase of the featured event book or any product in the bookstore café the night of an event.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Aug 19
6:30 pm
$5, tickets required
6:30 pm
$5, tickets required
Author Reading | Two Authors Discuss & Sign Their New Books: Notes From a Regicide & Simplicity
Isaac Fellman presents his book Notes From a Regicide: a heartbreaking story of trans self-discovery with a rich relatability and a science-fictional twist; and Mattie Lubchansky to present her book Simplicity: a vibrant new graphic novel about a timid academic sent out from the walled dystopian security territory of New York City to investigate a cult in the wilds of the Catskill Mountains. Along with a discussion and audience Q&A, Isaac and Mattie will also sign copies of their books purchased at this bookstore. Cost of a $5 general admission ticket can be applied towards the purchase of the featured event book or any product in the bookstore café the night of an event.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Aug 20
6:30 pm
$5, tickets required
6:30 pm
$5, tickets required
Author Reading | Inside Scoop with Nonfiction Authors: Marcus Rediker on the Underground Railroad
Lectures and conversations with historians, authors, and thinkers. Freedom Ship: The Uncharted History of Escaping Slavery by Sea A definitive, sweeping account of the Underground Railroad’s long-overlooked maritime origins, from a pre-eminent scholar of Atlantic history and the award-winning author of The Slave Ship.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Aug 20
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Poetry Reading | Poetry in the Park: National Book Award Finalist & Guggenheim Fellow
Award-winning poetry by established and emerging poets throughout the summer. Featuring: Elizabeth T. Gray Jr., Eve Grubin, Hayden Saunier, Lesley Wheeler
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Aug 26
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Author discusses & Signs Her New Novel, Ghost Fish
Stuart Pennebaker celebrates and discusses her new book, Ghost Fish: a tender coming-of-age novel about a young woman haunted by her sister’s death, who starts to believe that her beloved sibling has returned to her—in the form of a ghost fish, for fans of Sweetbitter and Our Wives Under the Sea. Stuart will be joined in conversation by Emma Stephenson. Along with a discussion and audience Q&A, Stuart will also sign copies of Ghost Fish purchased at this bookstore. Cost of a $5 general admission ticket can be applied towards the purchase of the featured event book or any product in the bookstore café the night of an event.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Aug 26
6:30 pm
$5, tickets required
6:30 pm
$5, tickets required
Author Reading | Author Discusses & Signs her New Book, Hothouse Bloom
Austyn Wohlers celebrates and discusses her new book, Hothouse Bloom, which follows a young woman who renounces her painting career and all her human relationships to become one with her late grandfather’s apple orchard. Austyn will be joined in conversation by Bud Smith, author of Teenager. Along with a discussion and audience Q&A, Austyn will also sign copies of Hothouse Bloom purchased at this bookstore. Cost of a $5 general admission ticket can be applied towards the purchase of the featured event book or any product in the bookstore café the night of an event.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Aug 27
6:30 pm
$5, ticket required
6:30 pm
$5, ticket required
Author Reading | Inside Scoop with Nonfiction Authors: Victor Luckerson on America's Black Wall Street
Lectures and conversations with historians, authors, and thinkers. Built from the Fire: The Epic Story of Tulsa's Greenwood District, America's Black Wall Street In Built from the Fire, journalist Victor Luckerson tells the true story behind a potent national symbol of success and solidarity and weaves an epic tale about a neighborhood that refused, more than once, to be erased.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Aug 27
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Harper's Bazaar Writer Discusses & Signs Their New Book: Mounted
Bitter Kalli celebrates and discusses their new book, Mounted: a series of astute essays, exploring the work of Black artists and influencers from Beyoncé to filmmakers Tiona Nekkia-McClodden and Jeymes Samuel and the author's own life-long relationship to equines. Bitter will be joined in conversation by Jessica Lynne, founder of editor of ARTS.BLACK. Along with a discussion and audience Q&A, Bitter will also sign copies of Mounted purchased at this bookstore. Cost of a $5 general admission ticket can be applied towards the purchase of the featured event book or any product in the bookstore café the night of an event. Masks are required at this event.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Aug 28
6:30 pm
$5, ticket required
6:30 pm
$5, ticket required
Poetry Reading | Bi-Weekly Readings & Reflections
Participate in this poetry gathering and engage with contemporary poetry through readings, conversations, and reflections.
New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Sun, Aug 31
5:00 pm
Free
5:00 pm
Free
Poetry Reading | Poetry in the Park: Contemporary Writers
Award-winning poetry by established and emerging poets throughout the summer. Featuring: Nicole Cooley, Joan Kwon Glass, erica lewis, April Ossmann
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Sep 2
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Inside Scoop with Nonfiction Authors: The Influence of John Adams
A conversation with Dr. Lindsay M. Chervinsky, presidential historian, writer, and speaker. She is the Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library. Chervinsky will be speaking about her book: Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic. An authoritative account of the second president of the United States that shows how John Adams's leadership and legacy defined the office for those who followed and ensured the survival of the American republic. Making the Presidency is an authoritative exploration of the second US presidency, a period critical to the survival of the American republic. One of the most qualified presidents in American history, he had been a legislator, political theorist, diplomat, minister, and vice president--but he had never held an executive position. Instead, the quixotic and stubborn Adams would rely on his ideas about executive power, the Constitution, politics, and the state of the world to navigate the hurdles of the position. He defended the presidency from his own often obstructionist cabinet, protected the nation from foreign attacks, and forged trust and dedication to election integrity and the peaceful transfer of power between parties, even though it cost him his political future. Offering a portrait of one of the most fascinating and influential periods in US history, Making the Presidency is a must-read for anyone interested in the evolution of the presidency and the creation of political norms and customs at the heart of the American republic.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Sep 3
7:00 pm
Free
7:00 pm
Free
Poetry Reading | Poetry in the Park: National Book Award Finalist & Guggenheim Fellow
Award-winning poetry by established and emerging poets throughout the summer. Featuring: Kevin Young, author of 11 books and editor of eight others. Kevin young is a winner of a Guggenheim Fellowship as well as a finalist for the National Book Award for his 2003 collection Jelly Roll: A Blues, Young was Atticus Haygood Professor of English and Creative Writing at Emory University and curator of Emory's Raymond Danowski Poetry Library. In March 2017, Young was named poetry editor of The New Yorker.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Tue, Sep 9
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Poetry Reading | Hurricane Maria Memorial Poetry
Hear spoken word and live music by Nuyorican Poets Cafe, followed by an Open Mic. Performers will pay homage to the resiliency, contributions, and ancestral wisdom of Puerto Rico.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Sat, Sep 13
3:00 pm
Free
3:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Bestselling Graphic Novelists DIscuss Their Works
Enjoy a conversation with graphic novel publishers Drawn + Quarterly featuring Tom Gauld, Lee Lai, and Mimi Pond. Physics for Cats by Tom Gauld Tom Gauld returns with Physics for Cats, his second collection of science-based cartoons for the New Scientist. Find out why every scientist worth their sodium chloride has a Tom Gauld cartoon taped to their electron microscope. This new batch of hilarious gags will be as important to every self-respecting scientist as a lab coat and goggles and oversize rubber gloves. Cannon by Lee Lai A LAMBDA Award winner and breakout fiction sensation returns with a darkly funny slice of friendship strife. In Cannon, Lee Lai’s much anticipated follow-up to the critically-acclaimed and award-winning Stone Fruit, the full palette of a nervous breakdown is just a slice of what Lai has on offer. As Cannon’s shoulders bend under the weight of an aging Gung-gung and an avoidant mother, Lai’s sharp sense of humor and sensitive eye produce a story that will hit readers with a smash. Do Admit: The Mitford Sisters and Me by Mimi Pond Born with pedigrees but without the pocketbooks to match, The Mitfords were certainly no strangers to lies, intrigue, or scandal. Nancy, Pamela, Diana, Unity, Jessica, and Deborah. The sisters grew from cloistered turn-of-the-century country girls into debutantes who would marry into political influence—for better or worse. Is it any wonder that a young, working class Mimi in Southern California becomes enamored with The Mitfords’ downright fanciful rich-and-famous lifestyle? This charming, inventively cartooned, and lovingly researched biography captures the dramatic, over-the-top antics of high society’s strongest personalities as they rubbed elbows with some of history’s most infamous fascists and communists.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Sep 17
6:30 pm
Free
6:30 pm
Free
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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Fri, Sep 19
5:30 pm
Free
5:30 pm
Free
Author Reading | Award-Winning Author Talks about Her New Novel
Award-winning author Eimear McBride joins a conversation about her next, highly anticipated novel, The City Changes Its Face, with fellow writer Jeannie Vanasco.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Fri, Sep 19
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Anniversary Discussion of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay with Author + Met Opera Performance (In Person AND Online!)
WNYC’s Alison Stewart and Michael Chabon engage in a live conversation celebrating the 25th anniversary of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, followed by a special musical performance from The Metropolitan Opera. In celebration of the novel's 25th anniversary, this exhilarating tale has been transformed into a contemporary opera created by composer Mason Bates and librettist Gene Scheer, on stage at the Met beginning September 21. Hear from Chabon and the opera creators with special musical performances from the cast.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Wed, Sep 24
6:00 pm
Free
6:00 pm
Free
Author Reading | Psychiatrists Discuss Parenthood & Navigating Emotions
Psychotherapist, emotions educator, and author Hilary Jacobs Hendel discusses her latest book, Parents Have Feelings, Too: A Guide to Navigating Your Emotions So You And Your Family Can Thrive, with reproductive psychiatrist and founder of The Motherhood Center of New York, Dr. Catherine Birndorf.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Thu, Sep 25
6:30 pm
Free
6:30 pm
Free
Author Reading | Hear from Author of Biography on Iconic Comic Artist Robert Crumb
Enjoy an illuminating talk by Dan Nadel about his latest book, Crumb: A Cartoonist's Life, the first biography of Robert Crumb. Nadel will be giving a lecture on his new work and the towering figure at the heart of it, a pioneering artist whose singular, unfiltered style helped redefine the boundaries of comics in the 1960s and beyond. Don't miss this deep dive into the life and legacy of one of the most provocative and important cartoonists of the 20th century. Best known for iconic creations like Zap Comix, Mr. Natural, and Fritz the Cat, Robert Crumb revolutionized the medium with his deeply personal, often controversial work that explored taboo topics, cultural anxieties, and the darker corners of the American psyche. As a founding figure of the underground comix movement, his influence can still be felt across graphic novels, contemporary art, and pop culture at large.
New York City, NY; NYC
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Sat, Sep 27
12:00 pm
Free
12:00 pm
Free
Complimentary Tickets
to shows, concerts ... (CFT Deals!)
Jazz | "New Star" Blues Musician Plays Legendary Jazz Club
Regular Price: $44CFT Member Price: $0.00
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