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Free events for Friday, 12/21/18
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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 December 21, 2018?

27 free events take place on Friday, December 21 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 December 21 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 December . 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,
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every day of the year
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that only New York provides:
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free events to go to,
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27 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Friday, December 21, 2018

All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Editor's Picks

free events nyc Winter Luminaria: Musical Procession
free events nyc Winter Solstice Procession: Sounds in the Park
free events nyc A Procession of Medieval Melodies: Headlamp-clad Singers Walk While Singing
free events nyc Ukulele Caroling Parade
More Editor's Picks for 12/21/18
        

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

Concert | Characters of the Dance: Costumed Models and a Holiday Sing-Along


Composer/conductor Andrew Bolotowsky plays masterpieces for Baroque flute and accompanies the audience as they sing assorted holiday music to celebrate the season, led by Mary Hurlbut. In the Baroque portion of the program, costumed models will gesture with pantomime and early ballet steps to Jean Fery Rebel’s Les Caracteres de la dance (1715). Representing different “characters,” they will invite the audience and passersby to imitate a step or two, and to take one the personas. Additional pieces for flute will include Antonio Vivaldi’s Spring (1725) transposed for flute by Jean Jacques Rousseau and published in 1775, George Frideric Handel’s The Royal Fireworks Music (1749), and François Couperin’s Le Rossignol en amour Avec double (1722). The program will close with a sing-along of carefully selected Christmas Carols led by Santa Claus.
   New York City, NY; NYC
12:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | Holiday music for Baroque flute


Composer/conductor Andrew Bolotowsky plays masterpieces for Baroque flute and accompanies the audience as they sing assorted holiday music to celebrate the season. In the Baroque portion of the program, costumed models will gesture with pantomime and early ballet steps to Jean Fery Rebel’s Les Caracteres de la dance (1715). Representing different “characters,” they will invite the audience and passersby to imitate a step or two, and to take one the personas. Additional pieces for flute will include Antonio Vivaldi’s Spring (1725) transposed for flute by Jean Jacques Rousseau and published in 1775, George Frideric Handel’s The Royal Fireworks Music (1749), and François Couperin’s Le Rossignol en amour Avec double (1722). The program will close with a sing-along of carefully selected Christmas Carols led by “Santa Claus.” The event is a part of Make Music Winter. Make Music Winter is a free, outdoor music-making celebration featuring 12 participatory musical parades across New York City on the winter solstice. The all-day musical celebration on the shortest day of the year brings New Yorkers of all styles, ages and skill levels together to sing, play, march and dance their way across streets, parks, plazas and other public spaces citywide.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Sonic Meditation: The Heart Chant


The Heart Chant (2001) is a participatory "deep listening" meditation, an offering of sonic healing for all beings through vocalization and listening. Written by Pauline Oliveros (1932-2016) in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, The Heart Chant‘s simple instructions invite any and all to participate in creating community through sound. No musical training is required. Come join any time, leave any time, and return as you wish. There will also be instructions and facilitators at the location. This is open to all interested participants. You are welcome to arrive at the performance location at any point during the program to take part and instructors and facilitators will be on hand to help guide you.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | Bach at Noon


The organ works of J.S. Bach (1685-1750) offered in 30-minute meditations. Bach at Noon concerts take place every Tuesdays through Fridays, from September 11, 2018 to May 22, 2019.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:20 pm
Free

Tour | Grand Central and Its Neighborhood Tour


Discover architecture and social history of Grand Central neighborhood; learn secrets of Whispering Gallery in Grand Central Terminal; gaze upon hubcaps and roadsters on side of Chrysler Building; discover favorite Midtown Manhattan hangout of Mercury, Hercules, and Minerva; learn why Pershing Square isn’t really square; visit original Lincoln Memorial by Daniel Chester French. Award-winning tour led by urban historians Peter Laskowich and Madeleine Levi. This tour takes place every Friday.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free

Film | Almost Christmas (2016): A Christmas comedy


A dysfunctional family gathers together for their first Christmas since their mom died. Director: David E. Talbert. Starring Kimberly Elise, Omar Epps, Danny Glover. 111 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Film | Scrooged (1988): Oscar nominated comedy with Bill Murray


A selfish, cynical television executive is haunted by three spirits bearing lessons on Christmas Eve. Director: Richard Donner. Starring Karen Allen, John Forsythe. 101 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Tour | Federal Reserve Bank Tour


Learn about central banking functions that Federal Reserve System performs and see Bank's vault of international 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.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Lunchtime Meditation


Take a mid-day pause to refresh your mind and re-establish your center in the midst of bustling city life. Meditation is a powerful tool to eliminate stress, to heal the body, mind, and brain, and to enhance your personal well-being and positive relationship with the world.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
$10 suggested donation

Concert | Pipes at One Organ Recital


Organist Janet Yieh has performed concert tours throughout the United States and across the globe, with highlights including New York’s Alice Tully Hall, Washington’s National Cathedral, Yale University’s Woolsey Hall, Taipei's Aletheia University Chapel, Malaysia’s St. Thomas’s Cathedral, and Japan’s Momoyama St. Andrew’s University Chapel. She has appeared in collaboration with the Paul Winter Consort, the Washington Chorus at the Kennedy Center, and Trinity’s NOVUS NY orchestra at Carnegie Hall. Weekly recitals showcasing the new organ, featuring New York City's leading organists.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Film | Love Actually (2003): Love stories on Christmas by Oscar nominated Richard Curtis


Follows eight very different couples in dealing with their love lives in loosely interrelated tales all set during a frantic month before Christmas in London. Starring Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson. 135 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Film | The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017): Following Charles Dickens


The journey that led to Charles Dickens' creation of "A Christmas Carol," a timeless tale that would redefine Christmas. Director: Bharat Nalluri. Starring Dan Stevens, Mark Schrier, Patrick Joseph Byrnes. 104 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Film | Alexander Payne's Downsizing (2017): Shrinking People; starring Matt Damon


A social satire in which a man realizes he would have a better life if he were to shrink himself to five inches tall, allowing him to live in wealth and splendor. 135 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Parade | Solstice Soul Train


Put some soul into your holiday season by hoping on board the Solstice Soul Train and get ready to party! The “trains” consist of musicians that will circulate along the sidewalks, making stops along the way at popular shops and cultural organizations throughout the East Harlem neighborhood. This is a family-friendly evening of music, soul, dancing and kids activities.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free

Other | Kalimbascope: A Public Participatory Sound Installation


All interested participants, regardless of experience, are welcomed and encouraged to join composer and conductor J.C. King as he leads a procession of players plucking kalimbas – an evolution of the African mbira, or thumb piano. The instruments are then gently amplified through the “Kalimbascope,” a mobile live-sound system that transforms the emissions of the ancient folk instruments into clouds of sparking harmony and tropical ambiance in an inclusive action of presence, abstraction, meditation and catharsis. The sunset procession will wend its way through Central Park. Kalimbas on loan will be distributed to the first two dozen participants to arrive, or bring your own. Participants are welcome to simply show up, but if you know you will be coming ahead of time please send a courtesy email with the subject line “Kalimbascope” to mr.j.c.king@gmail.com so that we know how many paraders to expect. Take the A,B,C,D, 1 or 2 train to 59th Street–Columbus Circle.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:25 pm
Free

Concert | Winter Solstice Procession: Sounds in the Park


The performers communicate with each other from varying distances in the park, blending in with sounds of the space as well as playing through them. Undulating in and out of proximity with each other, the musicians become part of the park while simultaneously transforming the landscape into something out of the ordinary. Traversing the familiar pathways of the park and into the installation area, they siphon the energy around them and meld it with their own sonic force, wrapping it all around the space and highlighting it as a truly special and unusual retreat. This piece, conceived by Will Epstein and performed in collaboration with Kenny Wollesen and his group, was created to be a ritualized induction and celebration of Arlene Shechet’s work.
   New York City, NY; NYC
5:00 pm
Free

Concert | Winter Luminaria: Musical Procession


An evening of innovative musical performance featuring a procession through Greenwich Village that begins and ends with a solstice soundscape set aglow with enchanting lights. The evening’s musical commission is titled “Cold Moon Consort” in reference to 2018’s winter solstice and the December full moon occurring within the same day. Arrive and receive a small flashlight to participate in the spectacle and illuminate the performance route. Presented by Composer Patrick Grant and Tilted Axes: Music for Mobile Electric Guitars.
   New York City, NY; NYC
5:00 pm
Free

Concert | A Procession of Medieval Melodies: Headlamp-clad Singers Walk While Singing


Pilgrimage: headlamp-clad singers will walk a route along a beautiful NYC Park while singing medieval melodies once sung on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. Early Music songs include selections from Cantigas de Santa Maria, Llibre Vermell de Montserrat and The Coventry Carol. Singers of all skill levels are invited to join, from absolute beginners to early music specialists — no rehearsal necessary! Headlamps and scores will be distributed on loan for the first twenty-five singers to arrive. The walk takes place under the guidance of conductor James John, Artistic Director of the Cerddorion Vocal Ensemble,
   New York City, NY; NYC
5:30 pm
Free

Parade | Bell by Bell Community Parade -- Free Pizza!


Artist Tom Peyton and friends lead this popular community parade through the East Village. Participants are each given a color-coded hand bell that plays a specific note. As the ensemble wends its way through the streets of the neighborhood, a team of conductors wave corresponding colored flags in time with a series of specially curated compositions, prompting participants to collectively contribute to sonorous, atmospheric soundscapes that intensify as the group learns to work and play together. The parade wraps up at Two Boots Pizza, where participants can warm up with free slices and soda courtesy of the restaurant. Hand bells on loan will be distributed to the first hundred participants to arrive.
   New York City, NY; NYC
5:30 pm
Free

Discussion | Panel Discussion: Urban Farming & Food Access in NYC


The NYC Department of Records and Informations Services presents a panel discussion on Urban Farming & Food Access in NYC. A unique opportunity to learn the policies and efforts behind the urban farming revolution. Panelists will share their experiences and discuss how urban farming and free food distribution channels are minimizing food insecurity in New York City, what are the most important tools to establish a community-based food program and what is the best strategy to engage the community in green initiatives. Panelists: Barbara Turk, Director of Food Policy for the City of New York Michael Hurwitz, Director of Greenmarket at GrowthNYC Jenny Osman, FRESH Director & Project Manager at NYC Economic Development Corporation Andrea Mata, Senior Manager for Community Health Initiatives at NYC Housing Authority. Food and beverages will be served.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | The Mobile Hallelujah


Conductor Douglas Anderson presents George Fredric Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus – from his Messiah oratorio, the oldest continuously performed piece of Classical music – out of the concert hall and onto the streets of NYC. Wearing a single ear bud to hear the sound file on the smartphone, which includes an orchestral introduction to set the tempo and pitch, singers and their conductor synchronize the start of the performance and make their way among the crowds. To the surprise of bystanders, a seemingly spontaneous outburst of the famous choral piece unfolds in their midst, while performers revel in the joy of creating a unique, full-throated version of the choral masterwork. This event is part of Make Music Winter. Make Music Winter is a free, outdoor music-making celebration featuring 12 participatory musical parades across New York City on the winter solstice. The all-day musical celebration on the shortest day of the year brings New Yorkers of all styles, ages and skill levels together to sing, play, march and dance their way across streets, parks, plazas and other public spaces citywide.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Parade | Ukulele Caroling Parade


Calling all ukes! Players of all skill levels are welcomed and encouraged to join the first ever winter solstice gathering of ukuleles in a Village parade. The evening will feature classic holiday and repertoire tunes for the ukulele and is suitable for players of all ages. If you want to partake, but do not have a ukulele, just bring along a kazoo, bell or shaker to play along.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:00 pm
Free

Parade | Renegade Parade


First-annual winter rite brought to you by the team behind HONK NYC, which brings street band music and spectacle to audiences everywhere across NYC – especially the streets. HONK NYC’s pop-up parade moves about NYC from location to location, switching bands, instruments, transportation methods and vibes along the way. From Queens to Staten Island and everywhere in between, revel in the glorious sounds made by the talented and passionate musicians of our city. .
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Comedy Club | No Name Comedy/Variety Show


With: Bob Greenberg (Saturday Night Live / Old Jews Telling Jokes) Leighann Lord ("Real Women Do It Standing Up") Liz Miele (CD “Mind Over Melee”) Chris Griggs (TV Land’s “Prime Movies” )
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
No cover...

Comedy Club | An Evening of Standup Comedy


A standup comedy show featuring comics who have appeared on NBC, TruTV, Comedy Central and more.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
No cover, no...

Jazz | From jazz to pop and contemporary classical music


Vocalist/composer Sophie Dunér, artist/pianist/composer Mark Kostabi and composer/guitarist/Di.J. Gene Pritsker perform a set of eclectic songs written by the three artist. The songs range from jazz inspired, pop influenced, contemporary classical music infused, and more. The eclectic nature of each song as well as the combination of these songs make up a unique program focused on the art of songwriting. Some standards will be thrown in for good measure and surprise guest instrumentalists will also make appearances.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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9:00 pm
Free
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