57 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Wednesday, August 2, 2017
All events are free unless otherwise noted.
Join The Rise NYC, a community-driven pop-up fitness group, for a Boot Camp in the park. Rotations through ...
more >> exercises like crunches, planks, push-ups, burpees, and mountain climbers ensure a mixture of cardio and strength training that will keep you coming back--and seeing results. No equipment necessary; smiles and high-fives encouraged. Rain or shine. Every Wednesday.
6:30 am
free, no reservation required
7:00 am
free, no reservation required
This is a 3-hour tour that begins with a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, an icon of New York City for ...
more >> 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.
The 3-hour walking and subway tour covers the Financial District including Wall Street and the World ...
more >> Trade Center, SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown. These are neighborhoods that simply can’t be fully appreciated from a bus. There will be one or two opportunities to sample tasty treats.
Greenwich Village is among Manhattan's most desirable and expensive residential neighborhoods. It's history, ...
more >> 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.
Although world famous, Harlem may be New York's best kept secret with some of the city's best architecture, ...
more >> 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.
Editor's Pick
New York City-based choreographer and dancer Netta Yerushalmy will use the park as a site for creation ...
more >> and experimentation in dance. Offering a dynamic schedule of performances, Danspace Project‘s Yerushalmy will use the outdoor space to express the limits of her craft by spending entire days dancing in the park.
10:00 am
free, no reservation required
Learn the basic skills of watercolor, urban sketching, and drawing taught by the professionals from the ...
more >> Painter in Residence Program. Workshops are limited to 10-12 participants per class. Limited supplies will be provided. Watercolor is the perfect medium for capturing the vibrant energy of the flowers and plants of the park. Learn to paint the beautiful urns and the bright plants they contain in a bold and colorful style. Emphasize light, shadow and form to create an atmospheric, impressionistic result. Instructor Anne Kullaf is a contemporary painter working in a variety of media. Her paintings utilize the principles of drawing from direct observation combined with efficient brushwork and a limited palette. She is a faculty member of the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, the Hunterdon Museum of Art, and the Center for Contemporary Art.
Editor's Pick
Get inspired by the beautiful expanse of the Hudson River and New York Harbor and by the verdant park, ...
more >> with its very special Hot and Cool gardens; each flower-filled and colorful throughout the season. All art materials are provided.
11:00 am
free, no reservation required
Join an enjoyable walking tour of the park, and discover how they successfully transformed "Needle Park" ...
more >> of the 1970s into Manhattan's Town Square of today. The guides are loaded with expertise on the park's rich history, award-winning design, distinct amenities, and ongoing maintenance efforts. Every Wednesday.
Come on a photo walk to experience the new Canon EOS 6D Mark II with Canon expert Drew MacCallum. Walk ...
more >> through the streets of NYC and head towards Bryant Park. MacCallum will show you how to use the Canon EOS 6D Mark II to get "down to the details" to find points of view you may not have thought of before. Meet up at our store, where you will receive your gear. Then after a short talk to familiarize you with the new Canon EOS 6D Mark II, they will set out to make our way to Bryant Park. Want to understand your camera better? Canon reps will be on hand to help you figure out those modes and menus. After the shoot, return back to the store where you can print out your favorite photo that you captured during the walk on Canon’s PIXMA Pro 1000 printer.
Test your coordination and dexterity with free juggling lessons in the park. All skill levels are welcome ...
more >> to join in the fun. Equipment is provided.
12:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Editor's Pick
Brown Rice Family is a high-energy ensemble that combines an eclectic mix of musical influences, from ...
more >> reggae to funk. With its members hailing from all over the world, Brown Rice Family draws on its diverse backgrounds to set the stage for their unique, rhythm-driven, and highly danceable sound.
12:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Bertha Hope is an American jazz pianist, teacher, composer and arranger who has traveled around the world, ...
more >> and worked with a diverse group of artists, from Dizzy Gillespie and Frank Foster, to Nat Adderley and Philly Joe Jones. In addition to being leader of The Bertha Hope Trio, she is composer and arranger of several recordings including: In Search of Hope and Elmo’s Fire; Between Two Kings and her latest, Nothin’ But Love.
12:30 pm
free, no reservation required
Hosted by Kathy Curto, Writing Instructor, The Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College and Montclair ...
more >> State University. With: Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni, After Andy: Adventures in Warhol Land David Leite, Notes on a Banana: A Memoir of Food, Love, and Manic Depression Tristine Rainer, Apprenticed to Venus: My Secret Life with Anaïs Nin
12:30 pm
free, no reservation required
Learn about central banking functions that Federal Reserve System performs and see Bank's vault of international ...
more >> 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. Tour times: 1:00pm, 2:00pm. This tour takes place Mondays through Fridays, except bank holidays.
Join this tour to learn more about the history, architecture, and sculpture of Columbia and the Morningside ...
more >> Heights campus. Whether you're an amateur New York City historian or visiting campus for the first time, you will leave the tour knowing more about our storied past. Given that the tour route is outdoors, please be aware that tours are occasionally suspended due to inclement weather.
With: Carli Munoz & Eddie Gomez Midday Jazz is an ongoing jazz program for the midtown community.
New York City, NY; NYC
1:00 pm
$10 suggested donation
The area around the High Line Park was a vital business district of New York City, supplying fresh fruits, ...
more >> 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.
During the run of the exhibitions Eugen Gabritschevsky: Theater of the Imperceptible and Carlo Zinelli ...
more >> (1916–1974), the Bill Wurtzel trio will perform music that celebrates the creativity and expressiveness of the human mind.
2:00 pm
free, no reservation required
This three hour tour is a great way to explore three of Gotham’s most historic locations. This tour ...
more >> takes you through legendary Lower East Side streets like Essex, Grand, Hester, Orchard, and Delancey. Along the way, we’ll get a feel for what life was like for the millions of immigrants who arrived here throughout the 19th and early part of the 20th Century. We’ll also see how this neighborhood has transformed into one of the hippest and trendiest areas in the city.
Arguably the world's most valuable, busiest and most crowded pieces of real estate, Midtown Manhattan ...
more >> is what most visitors think of when they think of New York City. Home to some of the city's most iconic architecture, from Gothic to Post-Modern and from Beaux-Arts to Art Deco (lots of Art Deco). it's not difficult to understand why. But just behind the massive facades, lie facinating histories just waiting to be unveiled.
You've seen the iconic skyscrapers, attended a Broadway show, visited Lady Liberty and relaxed in Central ...
more >> 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.
Editor's Pick
Young Dancemakers Company is a unique summer ensemble of 17 ethnically diverse New York City teens, creating ...
more >> and performing their original choreography under the direction of founder and Bessie-award winner Alice Teirstein and music director William Catanzaro. Every year the ensemble also performs a dance by a noted choreographer, and this year they will appear in an excerpt from Jose Limon's "A Choreographic Offering," taught by Kristen Foote, a principal dancer with the Limon Dance Company. Performances end with the lively "Dance With Us," in which audience members with dancing feet are invited onto the stage to improvise with the dancers.
2:00 pm
free, reservations recommended
Many people are challenged when trying to draw the human figure. This workshop offers everyone a chance ...
more >> to improve their skills through a wonderful outdoor figure drawing class. Meets each Wednesday afternoon from May 6 through October 28, 2017.
2:30 pm
free, no reservation required
3:30 pm
free, no reservation required
Play the popular strategy game while getting pointers and advice from an expert. Chess improves concentration, ...
more >> problem-solving, and strategic planning – plus it’s fun. For ages 5 and up (adults welcome).
3:30 pm
free, no reservation required
Editor's Pick
The Trifecta Dance Collective explores the upcoming generation's opportunities and challenges in the ...
more >> current political climate. The dancers connect with the values inherited from previous generations, identifying that prejudice comes from fear and lack of understanding, and that acceptance requires a certain amount of courage. These women use dance to find the humanity that connects us all to one another, to see past our individual differences to find our common threads as citizens of the world.
4:00 pm
free, no reservation required
One-stop party band inspired by Nola/jazz/funk/hip-hop, featuring Kevin Moehringer (trombone), Ray Cetta ...
more >> (bass), and Kevin Raczka (drums).
5:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Stars: Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Eddie Bracken. A small-town farmer, down on her luck, finds her homestead ...
more >> invaded by a theatrical troupe invited to stay by her ne'er-do-well sister. 108 min.
6:00 pm
free, no reservation required
In today’s constantly connected world, bringing some calm to a crowded mind can be difficult. Meditating ...
more >> for just a few minutes a day can make you happier, healthier, and reduce the stress of daily life. This simple, convenient approach is rooted in history, based in science and comes with some serious benefits. Experience the many benefits of meditation firsthand. In this class, you will: Be taught the basics of meditation and how to start a daily practice Learn more about the effects of meditation on the mind and body Understand how meditation can reduce stress at work and beyond Come meditate and munch on healthy salads provided by Sweetgreen Wednesdays, June 14-August 30, 2017.
Enjoy a fully-staged production of The Madness of Hercules presented by the American Thymele Theatre. ...
more >> This particularly timely and moving tragedy from ca. 422 BCE depicts Hercules being driven insane by Madness and human beings trapped in a hostile world, sustained only by their love for one another and their sense of courage and nobility that cannot be defeated by authoritative forces.
6:00 pm
free, no reservation required
6:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Open space, fresh sea air, and the floral scent of the gardens will help you stretch away the stress ...
more >> of the workday and allow you to let go of the hectic buzz of city life. Whether you’re still learning Child’s Pose or have mastered the Twisted Half Moon, our expert yoga instructor will guide you through a routine that works for you. Please bring your own mat.
6:00 pm
free, no reservation required
John Crant shows how to look at your job search and next career opportunity from a different angle. Discover ...
more >> how to plan, set goals, and manage your job search. Topics covered include: 15 Pathways to Job Search Success Networking Strategy Job Search Activity Goals & Tracking Weekly Review of Your Goals Calling a Hiring Manager, and Strategy 30 Second Calling ‘Script’: Preparation before Calling.
6:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Shake off the stress of work and join others for some friendly competition at drop-in volleyball. Esplanade ...
more >> Plaza hosts an after-work volleyball game for adults. They will provide the scorekeeper and the ball, and will instruct newcomers in the basics of the game. This good-natured game has been going for over a decade, and although many people have been attending year after year, players of all experience levels are welcome. Coming by after work is a great way to relax and make new friends.
6:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Feel the rhythm of some of New York City's hottest Latin bands as the park is transformed into an epic ...
more >> dance floor. Grab your friends and get ready to dance. End the season with a splash with a special performance by the Williamsburg Salsa Orchestra! This stunning 11-piece band takes the art of salsa to new places, creating groundbreaking arrangements of indie rock songs to add a little contemporary indie flair to the salsa rhythms you love. Start at 6 PM with a dance lesson with Milteri Tucker Concepcion of Bombazo Dance Company.
Editor's Pick
Learn about the past and present happenings of famous fish in and around Brooklyn Bridge Park. From striped ...
more >> bass to seahorses, our park is home to dozens of species of fish. Dr. Peter J. Park, an ichthyologist, avid angler, and native New Yorker, will survey fish species common to the park and discuss what makes our park so attractive to fish. The tour will also include two demonstrations: (1) research equipment used regularly by BBP fish scientists, and (2) fishing equipment used by experienced BBP anglers.
Getting fit in New York City has never been better! This exercise series will take place every Tuesday ...
more >> and Wednesday all summer long. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, June 6-Spetember 26.
This is part of a series of free fitness classes on eight consecutive Wednesdays this summer. The classes ...
more >> are taught by instructors from local neighborhood businesses.
6:30 pm
free, no reservation required
Enjoy Hatha Yoga with Hollis and a beautiful sunset. This class is suitable for all fitness levels. Please ...
more >> wear loose, comfortable clothing, and bring your own mat. Wednesdays from June through September.
6:30 pm
free, no reservation required
For Tejal Yoga, the practice, traditions, and teachings stem from a greater source within, a source that ...
more >> taps into her culture, heritage, and roots. Tejal Yoga began in 2013, after Tejal completed her first vinyasa yoga teacher training at The Yoga Room in Astoria, NY. Her love of teaching and passion for the practice led her to India for a traditional hatha yoga training in 2014. Tejal Yoga offers radiant yoga in a warm environment with a clear voice, helping you to feel acknowledged and aligned.
6:30 pm
$10 suggested donation...
When five orphan girls are seen innocently playing with boys on a beach, their scandalized conservative ...
more >> guardians confine them while forced marriages are arranged. 97 min.
7:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Davis crafts a compelling novel about the thin lines between love and loss, success and ruin, passion ...
more >> and madness, all hidden behind the walls of The Dakota. In 1885, Sara Smythe has a chance encounter with architect Theodore Camden, which changes her life. In 1985, Bailey Camden discovers the truth about his grandfather --- and the so-called madwoman who killed him.
7:00 pm
free, no reservation required
The Bard's tragedy of power and treacherous ambition comes to life in a panormic outdoor professional ...
more >> production.
7:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Within eight turbulent months in 1974, Gerald Ford went from the United States House of Representatives, ...
more >> where he was the minority leader, to the White House as the country’s first and only unelected president. His unprecedented rise to power, after Richard Nixon’s equally unprecedented fall, has garnered the lion’s share of scholarly attention devoted to America’s thirty-eighth president.
7:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Editor's Pick
Celebrated Philadelphia dance troupes, known for their hip-hop and modern styles, join for an evening-length ...
more >> program titled Straight Outta Philly Rennie Harris / Puremovement Established in 1992, Puremovement has the highly admirable distinction of being the first and longest running hip hop dance touring company, currently celebrating its 25th anniversary. This is due mostly in part to its founder, the brilliant Rennie Harris, an illustrious dancer, choreographer, artistic director and professor of hip-hop dance. Philadanco The Philadelphia Dance Company was founded in the City of Brotherly Love in 1970, at a time when national attention was finally being paid to issues of diversity. Latching on to this important social revolution, this non-profit dance troupe has always been about breaking down barriers and bringing people of assorted backgrounds together. The company delivers a lively collection of works to a delightfully varied audience, to all corners of the globe.
7:00 pm
free, no reservation required
“My Emily Dickinson is a critical, scholarly, poetic, subversive, mordant, brilliant book written by ...
more >> the poet Susan Howe. It is by far the best work about our greatest poet I have ever read, and I have read many.” —Siri Hustvedt “Howe’s brilliant, idiosyncratic essay is—like much of her work—a combination of fierce rigor and deep generosity. Howe unlocks.” —Ben Lerner
7:00 pm
free, no reservation required
The Wild Reeds’ sound is highlighted by the interweaving vocal harmonies of three phenomenally talented ...
more >> front-women: Kinsey Lee, Sharon Silva, and Mackenzie Howe. With the upcoming release of their album, The World We Built, the Los Angeles-based quintet continues to make their mark on the music scene. NPR Music critic Bob Boilen championed the band, saying “great singers aren’t easy to come by, so finding three in one band is something special,” while The New York Times praised their live show, saying: “the communal experience was amazing.”
7:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Editor's Pick
The bestselling author of The Leftovers and Little Children is back. When her son leaves for college, ...
more >> a 46-year-old divorcee struggles to adjust to her new life, and both she and her son soon find themselves enmeshed in morally fraught situations that culminate on one fateful night. With Mrs. Fletcher, Tom Perrotta offers a timeless examination of sexuality, identity, and parenthood.
7:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Build power and increase speed and leg strength. This class increases muscular endurance and stamina ...
more >> for competitive sports events and uses power agility training to transform muscle fiber and produce a lean, athletic shape. Wednesdays at 7 pm, June 21 - August 16
7:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Editor's Pick
If you have it, spend it: Italian artist Yuri Ancarani’s visually striking documentary enters the surreal ...
more >> world of wealthy Qatari sheikhs who moonlight as amateur falconers, with no expenses spared along the way. The Challenge follows these men through the rituals that define their lives: perilously racing blacked-out SUVs up and down sand dunes; sharing communal meals; taking their Ferraris out for a spin with their pet cheetahs riding shotgun; and much more. 65 min/. Arrive at 7PM to enjoy a pre-screening performance of classic and modern Arabic music by Simon Moushabeck and Brian Prunka from the band Sharq Attack and Samer Ali of Takht Al-Nagham.
7:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Editor's Pick
It’s not the same as it ever was when Grammy Award–winning singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo reimagines ...
more >> Talking Heads’ groundbreaking album Remain in Light. Influenced by Afrobeat king Fela Kuti, the 1980 record mixed African percussion, funk, synth, and rock. Benin-born superstar Kidjo will bring the music full circle, reinterpreting the entire album with her full band. Ibibio Sound Machine, an eight-piece band led by English-Nigerian singer Eno Williams, kicks off the evening with its high-spirited mix of Afrobeat, club music, and funk. “Ms. Kidjo wasn’t toppling an icon; she was dancing on its heights.” – New York Times “Deep, inventive grooves that hotwire decades of African, European and American music.” – New York Times on Ibibio Sound Machine
7:30 pm
free, no reservation required
The theater will transform into the most enchanted forest in all of theater in Shakespeare’s beloved ...
more >> comedy. When the merry sprite Puck meddles with a magical love potion, young lovers lost in the woods mysteriously find themselves infatuated with the wrong person in this hilarious, fairytale fantasia that proves the course of true love never did run smooth. Lear deBessonet, founder of The Public Theater’s groundbreaking Public Works program and Resident Director, brings her electric theatrical vision to the classic romance about the supernatural nature of love. July 11-15; July 17-22; July 24-29; July 31-August 6; August 8-13.
8:00 pm
Free tickets required
Stars: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson. Kermit and his newfound friends trek across America to find ...
more >> success in Hollywood, but a frog-legs merchant is after Kermit.
8:15 pm
free, no reservation required
Stars: Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe. The story of a team of female African-American ...
more >> mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the U.S. space program. 127 min. Free Popcorn. Beverages and snacks available for purchase. Movie begins at dusk (around 8:30pm).
8:15 pm
free, no reservation required
Stand-up comedy show (that has been featured on MTV, and that fills to standing-room only each week). ...
more >> The show is produced by Brendan Fitzgibbons (The Onion, McSweeney's) and Lance Weiss (Carolines on Broadway) with comedians from David Letterman, Vh1, MTV, The Onion, and Comedy Central. Free pizza!
9:00 pm
free, no reservation required