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Free events for Thursday, 08/31/23
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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 31, 2023?

32 free events take place on Thursday, August 31 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 31 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!

32 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Thursday, August 31, 2023

All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Editor's Picks

free events nyc Here Lies Love: A Conversation with the Award-Winning Star of the Broadway Show
free events nyc Mozart's Cosi fan tutte with Broadway Legend
free events nyc Captivating, Grammy-Nominated Violinist
More Editor's Picks for 08/31/23
        

Workshop | Pick Up Pickleball


An exciting fusion of badminton and tennis, pickleball has been proven to strengthen muscles, boost cardiovascular health, and enhance brain function.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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9:00 am
Free

Tour | 13 Tours, All City Neighborhoods, Any Time Of The Day, Choose One Tour Or Many


These free tours take place at various times during the day, all day long. You can make reservations for as many tours as your schedule allows. SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Heights + DUMBO 3 Hour Lower Manhattan Harlem Chelsea and the High Line 6 Hour Downtown Combined Greenwich Village Central Park Lower Manhattan Midtown Manhattan Grand Central Terminal Graffiti and Street Art Tours World Trade Center
   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 | Tour of New York City Hall


One of the oldest continuously used City Halls in the nation that still houses its original governmental functions, New York's City Hall is considered one of the finest architectural achievements of its period. Constructed from 1803 to 1812, the building was an early expression of the City's cosmopolitanism. City Hall is a designated New York City landmark, and its rotunda is a designated interior landmark as well.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Film | 9 to 5 (1980) with Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton


An office satire about three female secretaries who decide to get revenge on their tyrannical, sexist boss by abducting him and running the business themselves. The trio, one of whom has been passed over for promotion because she is a woman, spends a night together having drug-induced fantasies of killing the slave-driving chauvinist. One of them panics the following day when she suspects she really has poisoned the tyrant. Director: Colin Higgins Cast: Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton, Dabney Coleman, Elizabeth Wilson, Sterling Hayden Jane Fonda is an American actress and activist. Recognized as a film icon, Fonda is the recipient of various accolades including two Academy Awards, seven Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, the AFI Life Achievement Award, and more. Lily Tomlin is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer, and producer. Tomlin started her career in stand-up comedy and sketch comedy before transitioning her career as an actress on stage and screen. In a career spanning over fifty years Tomlin has received numerous accolades including seven Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and two Tony Awards. Dolly Parton is an American singer-songwriter, musician, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her decades-long career in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album debut in 1967 with Hello, I'm Dolly, which led to success during the remainder of the 1960s (both as a solo artist and with a series of duet albums with Porter Wagoner), before her sales and chart peak came during the 1970s and continued into the 1980s.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

Workshop | Learn Juggling in the Park


Jugglers use the park throughout the year to provide free classes to the public. Stop by for a quick lesson, stay for the whole time, or just enjoy watching them put their skills to the test. They're a friendly group and open to drop-ins, even if you catch them outside of the regular juggling lessons. All skill levels welcome. Equipment is provided.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Discussion | Here Lies Love: A Conversation with the Award-Winning Star of the Broadway Show


Actor, writer and producer Conrad Ricamora will star in the anticipated Broadway musical Here Lies Love as 'Benigno Ninoy Aquino,' a Philippine senator opposition leader, a role which he originated at the Public Theater Off-Broadway ten years ago. The show features an all-Filipino cast from director Alex Timbers with music by David Byrne and Fat Boy Slim. His additional Broadway credits include: The King And I at Lincoln Center, and his Off-Broadway credits include: Little Shop of Horrors and Soft Power at the Public Theatre, a performance which earned him a Lucille Lortel Award nomination. Ricamora recently starred in the hit Hulu film Fire Island and starred in six seasons of the Shonda Rhimes ABC Drama series How To Get Away with Murder and was also seen in the Fox series The Resident.
   New York City, NY; NYC
12:30 pm
Free

Concert | Master of the Bandola Llanera of Venezuela -- Outdoors


Mafer Bandola plays the bandola llanera, a rare stringed instrument from her native country of Venezuela. Historically played by men, Mafer brings her instrument on a new artistic path with the stories and voices of women through composition, performance, and improvisation.
   New York City, NY; NYC
12:30 pm
Free

Concert | Piano in the Park


Come on by and tap your toes to The Big Apple's finest ragtime, stride, and jazz pianists around! Featuring special events and performances by distinguished musicians. Today's pianist: Frank Owens.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free

Tour | Downtown Urban Farm Tour


Take a tour of an Urban Farm to learn about how they grow produce and support local wildlife in the heart of downtown New York City. Please dress appropriately for an outdoor tour, and wear shoes you don't mind getting dirty.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Film | Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) with Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, and Michelle Pfeiffer


Ant-Man and the Wasp find themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that pushes them beyond the limits of what they thought was possible. Director: Peyton Reed Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer Paul Rudd is an American actor. His films include Clueless (1995), Wet Hot American Summer (2001), Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Knocked Up (2007), I Love You Man (2009), This Is 40 (2012), and Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021). He has played Ant-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, beginning with Ant-Man (2015) and most recently in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023). Michael Douglas is an American actor and film producer. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the AFI Life Achievement Award. Michelle Pfeiffer is an American actress. A prolific performer whose screen career spans over four decades, she became one of Hollywood's most bankable stars during the 1980s and 1990s. The recipient of various accolades, she has received a Golden Globe Award and a British Academy Film Award, in addition to nominations for three Academy Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2007, she was awarded a motion picture star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Film | Stormy Weather (1943): musical


Bill Williamson, a struggling performer, meets a beautiful vocalist named Selina Rogers. Bill promises her that they will be together after he becomes a success. However, he and Selina both skyrocket to fame and lose contact. Fortunately, Bill just might get one more chance to woo Selina at a huge musical stage show. Director: Andrew L. Stone Cast:  Lena Horne, Bill Robinson, Cab Calloway, Katherine Dunham, Fats Waller, Nicholas Brothers, Ada Brown, Dooley Wilson
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Gallery Talk | Sky Marks | Landmarks: Curator's Tour


Museum director Carol Willis will offer a gallery tour of the exhibition which focuses on all the structures in New York designated as individual landmarks that are "skyscrapers."
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Mah Jongg Social


Players of all skill level are welcome to play! Socials are hosted and organized by Linda Fisher, and players play the National Mah Jongg League style. Participants are welcome to borrow equipment, or bring their own Mah Jongg sets. Mah Jongg lessons are currently unavailable at this time.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Book Discussion | Ferocity by Nicola Lagioia


Southern Italy, the 1980s. On a hot summer's night under a full moon, far from the outlying neighbourhoods of a southern Italian city, Clara stumbles naked, dazed, and bloodied down a major highway. When she dies no-one is able to say exactly how or why, but her brother cannot free himself from her memory or from the questions surrounding her death. The more he learns about her life and death, the more he uncovers the moral decay at the core of his family's ascent to social prominence. At once an intimate family saga, a history of an entire region, and a portrait of the moral and political corruption of a whole society, Ferocity is a suspense novel that addresses vital social questions.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:30 pm
Free

Workshop | Barre in the Park


A 45-minute workout combining strength, cardio, and mindfulness. You’ll experience a balanced workout guided by expert instructors, providing modifications every step of the way for you to feel successful and empowered.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:30 pm
Free

Jazz | Jazz Music in the Heart of the City


Jazz at Lincoln Center will take over to bring New York City’s jazz scene to Broadway, creating the feeling of an intimate club amidst the lights and sounds of the crossroads of the world. Tonight: Endea Owens and the Cookout
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Boxing Class in the Park


This class will be taught by Gorilla Vinny Training This all-levels boxing class focuses on fundamentals and conditioning. Participants will learn basic strikes, defensive movements, footwork, and classic shadow boxing drills. Each class will include a warmup, orientation, punching combinations, drills, calisthenics, and stretching. Bring boxing gloves if you have them. No prior experience necessary, but participants should be in good physical shape with no objections from their healthcare providers.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Dance Class Workout


Move with the city! Stay active with Sweat34 in the bustling heart of Midtown Manhattan. With VXN.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Screening | Labor Day on 16mm: Short Films on Work and Workers


Film Comment editors Devika Girish and Clinton Krute welcome Elena Rossi-Snook, Collection Manager at the New York Public Library, for a lively screening and conversation event. With the upcoming Labor Day holiday as thematic inspiration, Rossi-Snook has curated a program of rarely screened short films about work and workers, all taken from the NYPL’s extensive Reserve Film and Video Collection. The screening will be followed by a discussion about the films, their provenance, and their historical and contemporary significance.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Double Dutch Workout


Learn to jump Double Dutch in the park, open to all ages. A fun and social fitness opportunity, participants learn the fundamentals of street-style and competitive jump rope from the Double Dutch Aunties.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Workshop | HIIT Workout on the River


A High Intestity Interval Training workout in the park.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Workshop | Sunset Yoga


Sweet Water Dance & Yoga hosts a multi-level sunset yoga practice. Suitable for all fitness levels. Please wear loose, comfortable clothing and bring your own mat.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Concert | CANCELLED: Good People - Anashim Tovim: The Songs of Naomi Shemer (online)


Poet and composer Naomi Shemer (1930-2004) wrote hundreds of moving, beautiful popular songs, most of which became immortal classics in Israel's musical tradition. The Quartet performs a special selection of these classics in new and original arrangements. Lely Shemer, Naomi's daughter, will talk about her mother, her unique life, and her writing and composing so many notable songs. Among Naomi Shemer's songs to be performed (with audience participation invited!) are: Yerushalayim Shel Zahav, Lu Ye'hi, Ha'ir Be'afor, Machar, Hakol Patuach, Chorshat Ha'Ekaliptus, and many more. The Quartet features musical direction, arrangement, and piano by Ayelet Cogan, singing by Anat Cogan and Ron Orlovsky, and Michael Rahav on the French horn. The Quartet has been performing for the last 12 years all around Israel, the U.S., and Canada. They host Israeli poets and artists who narrate the shows and tell the stories behind their songs.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
$10 suggested donation...

Concert | Captivating, Grammy-Nominated Violinist


Violinist Tessa Lark is one of the most captivating artistic voices of our time, consistently praised by critics and audiences for her astounding range of sounds, technical agility, and musical elegance. In 2020 she was nominated for a GRAMMY in the Best Classical Instrumental Solo category and received one of Lincoln Center's prestigious Emerging Artist Awards: the special Hunt Family Award. She solos regularly with many of the major orchestras around the world, from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra to Seattle Symphony, and has appeared in recital in such prestigious venues and series as Amsterdam's Concertgebouw and Carnegie Hall's Distinctive Debuts series in Weill Hall (2017). She is also a highly acclaimed fiddler in the tradition of her native Kentucky, delighting audiences with programming that includes Appalachian and bluegrass music and inspiring composers to write for her - most notably SKY, a bluegrass-inspired violin concerto written for Tessa by Michael Torke which earned both a Grammy nomination for Tessa and a Pulitzer finalist distinction for Torke.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Concert | Good People – Anashim Tovim: The Songs of Naomi Shemer (in-person and online)


Poet and composer Naomi Shemer (1930–2004) wrote hundreds of moving, beautiful popular songs, most of which became immortal classics in Israel’s musical tradition. The Quartet performs a special selection of these classics in new and original arrangements. Lely Shemer, Naomi’s daughter, will talk about her mother, her unique life, and her writing and composing so many notable songs. Among Naomi Shemer’s songs to be performed (with audience participation invited!) are: Yerushalayim Shel Zahav, Lu Ye’hi, Ha’ir Be’afor, Machar, Hakol Patuach, Chorshat Ha’Ekaliptus, and many more. The Quartet features musical direction, arrangement, and piano by Ayelet Cogan, singing by Anat Cogan and Ron Orlovsky, and Michael Rahav on the French horn. The Quartet has been performing for the last 12 years all around Israel, the U.S., and Canada. They host Israeli poets and artists who narrate the shows and tell the stories behind their songs.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:00 pm
Free

Film | Sommerfilme: 8 Under-the-Radar German Films (online thru Aug 31)


These eight summer films portray the warm season rarely as carefree as it’s supposed to be. Summer, in the popular imagination, is a sun-drenched, fun-filled time spent exploring and dreaming of the possibilities that life holds for us. It’s the days we might spend at the beach, by the lake, or in a too-hot city. Summer is also a time to enjoy cinema, whether it’s in an air-conditioned theater or under the stars. The past decades have brought us summer films we all know and love: iconic blockbusters, tender coming-of-age tales, stories of new beginnings, and feel-good movies to watch over and over again. Films: Thomas Arslan, Bright Nights (2017) Ilker Catak, I Am, I Was, I Will Be (2019) Leonie Krippendorff, Cocoon (2020) Sonja Kröner, The Garden (2017) Johannes Maria Schmitt, Neubau (2021) Tom Sommerlatte, Summers Downstairs (2015) Sven Taddicken, The Most Beautiful Couple (2018) Joya Thome, Queen of Niendorf (2017) All films in German with English subtitles.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Screening | Mozart's Cosi fan tutte with Broadway Legend


Phelim McDermott's witty and whimsical staging transports Mozart's sly comedy to a seaside boardwalk inspired by Coney Island--with Broadway legend Kelli O'Hara as the cunning Despina.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:30 pm
Free

Musical | The Tempest: Shakespeare's Castaways with Music -- An Outdoor Performance


Forced from their home, Prospero and her daughter Miranda have survived for 12 years among the ruins of an abandoned island. As Prospero grows closer to getting the justice she desires, she witnesses her daughter fall in love, listens to the wisdom of spirit ancestors, and discovers that sometimes forgiveness is the only way to break cycles and right the course for the next generation. Hilarious fools, magical spells, and ancestral spirits dance through this production as we all come together to celebrate what it means to be human.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free

Film | Top Gun: Maverick (2022): World's Oldest Fighter Pilot, with Tom Cruise


After thirty years, Maverick is still pushing the envelope as a top naval aviator, but must confront ghosts of his past when he leads elite graduates on a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it. Director: Joseph Kosinski Stars: Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller 130 min. Movie starts at sunset.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free

Comedy Club | Bomb Shelter Comedy Show


Bomb Shelter is a free weekly comedy show in New York City where you'll find some of the best comedians performing. Expect free pizza. With: Talia Reese - The Wendy Williams Show Chris Scopo - Popular living on Long Island video series Andrew Casertano - The Stand Zach McGovern - Comedy Central
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free

Concert | Captivating, Grammy-Nominated Violinist


Violinist Tessa Lark is one of the most captivating artistic voices of our time, consistently praised by critics and audiences for her astounding range of sounds, technical agility, and musical elegance. In 2020 she was nominated for a GRAMMY in the Best Classical Instrumental Solo category and received one of Lincoln Center's prestigious Emerging Artist Awards: the special Hunt Family Award. She solos regularly with many of the major orchestras around the world, from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra to Seattle Symphony, and has appeared in recital in such prestigious venues and series as Amsterdam's Concertgebouw and Carnegie Hall's Distinctive Debuts series in Weill Hall (2017). She is also a highly acclaimed fiddler in the tradition of her native Kentucky, delighting audiences with programming that includes Appalachian and bluegrass music and inspiring composers to write for her - most notably SKY, a bluegrass-inspired violin concerto written for Tessa by Michael Torke which earned both a Grammy nomination for Tessa and a Pulitzer finalist distinction for Torke.
   New York City, NY; NYC
9:00 pm
Free
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