free things to do in New York City
Free events for Thursday, 05/13/21
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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 May 13, 2021?

34 free events take place on Thursday, May 13 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 May 13 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 May . 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!

34 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Thursday, May 13, 2021

All events are free unless otherwise noted.
        

Workshop | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Tai Chi in a Park


Learn and master this Chinese martial art for health and self-defense. All ages and levels are welcome. Classes are rain or shine. Please maintain six feet of social distance and wear a mask.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 am
Free

Museums | (IN-PERSON) British Decorative Arts, Design, Sculpture


Almost seven hundred works of art: British decorative arts, design, and sculpture created between 1500 and 1900. The exhibition provides a fresh perspective on the period, focusing on its bold, entrepreneurial spirit and complex history. You will find a 17th century staircase with exquisite naturalistic carvings; three magnificent historic interiors from Kirtlington Park, Croome Court, and Lansdowne House; one hundred English teapots; an array of enameled candlesticks, silver toys, necessaires, gold boxes and more.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
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Talk | NYC x Design: Renovation and Reinvention of the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Building 127 (virtual)


For NYC x Design Architecture Day, take a closer look at one of the most recent adaptive reuse projects of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Building 127. Constructed in 1904 for fabricating wooden boats, the 95,000-square-foot building recently underwent a full gut renovation, and its high ceilings, large windows, and uncolumned spaces made it ideal for repurposing for design and manufacturing businesses. Architect Rosario D’Urso, Construction Project Manager at BNYDC, will walk through the project and discuss how their team brought this historic building back to life.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

Tour | The Art Tours at Hudson Yards: The Architecture Tour


Discover how art is threaded throughout the Hudson Yards neighborhood. Enjoy a curated and guided tour throughout Hudson Yards as part of NYCxDESIGN, Design Days. The Architecture Tour: Exploring how the design of a structure or art piece triggers an experience for its audience. Topics include how design choices support the architect’s or artist’s objectives, as well as how their designs can open a path for its audience to engage with issues, each other, or themselves, on a deeper level. Highlights include The Bloomberg building and Heatherwick's Vessel.   The tour is offered 3 times a day - 11:00am, 2:00pm, 5:00pm.  
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

Workshop | Tee Time on the Plaza


Putt putt your way through this 7-hole mini golf course. Grab a friend and make a day of it! May 10-27, 2021
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:30 am
Free

Screening | The Cake: A 2019 Production (virtual)


In 2019, Manhattan Theater Club produced the New York premiere of The Cake, written by Bekah Brunstetter and directed by Lynne Meadow. Relive the production through footage, introduction by Meadow, and a special reunion with Brunstetter and cast members Marinda Anderson, Genevieve Angelson, Dan Daily, and Debra Jo Rupp.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Hatha Yoga (virtual)


Take an afternoon break and join Lisa for a rejuvenating Hatha Yoga class. This class puts an emphasis on posture and breathing and is an excellent way to relax the body and strengthen the mind.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Concert | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Piano Music in a Park


Piano concert series, showcasing ragtime, stride, and jazz pianists. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free

Concert | Maria Neckham: Austrian-Born Indie Pop Singer/Songwriter


Maria Neckam presents new songs from her upcoming EP, produced by Benjamin Lazar Davis, as well as music from her latest album,The Leap, featuring a band comprised of Josh Dion on drums, Jesske Hume on bass and Nir Felder on guitar.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | The Diverging Baroque Traditions (virtual)


Eighteenth-century Europe was a melting pot of diverging musical traditions. Marin Marais and Jacques-Martin Hotteterre’s music showcase essences of the French tradition; Giuseppe Sammartini represents the late Baroque Italian style; and German composers Telemann and Handel’s cosmopolitan style blends various European traditions together. Alex Yu, recorder Ka-Wai Yu, viola da gamba and baroque cello Elena Zamolodchikova, harpsichord  
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:15 pm
Free

Gallery Talk | Frank Walter: Exhibition Walkthrough of a London Show (virtual)


Dr. Zoé Whitley hosts an exhibition walkthrough of Frank Walter at the David Zwirner Gallery's London location. Organized in collaboration with the artist’s family and marking the first solo presentation of his work in London, this show builds upon Walter's recent, celebrated retrospective at the Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:30 pm
Free

Discussion | American Political Leaders and Their Responses to the Holocaust


As the Nazi regime perpetrated genocide in Europe, some political leaders in the United States responded with courage and others responded with indifference. This program explores these divergent approaches and the lessons they can offer us today with experts Arthur Berger, Dr. Rebecca Erbelding, and Dr. Blanche Wiesen Cook, and moderator Adam Hochschild.
   New York City, NY; NYC
2:00 pm
Free

Discussion | Holding Space: Coping with Anxiety and Loss (virtual)


Grief expert Claire Bidwell Smith, alongside Melissa Gould, author of Widowish, explores how we can move through grief with grace. Melissa Gould's essays have been published in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Buzzfeed and more. She is an award-winning screenwriter who has worked on such shows as Bill Nye the Science Guy, Beverly Hills 90210, Party of Five, and Lizzie McGuire.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Talk | Made in NY Campus at Bush Terminal Virtual Tour


Since its founding over a century ago, Bush Terminal in Sunset Park, Brooklyn has been a center of industry and innovation. Today, the city-owned site is being transformed into a campus for the Made in NY initiative to support cornerstone industries of the city’s economy: fashion and film. On this virtual tour, learn how the historic campus is being repurposed to provide affordable space and support services to garment manufacturers, alongside facilities for film and television production, and an expanded public realm to open the campus to the community. Mimi Hoang of nARCHITECTS and David Ostrich of W Architecture & Landscape Architecture will walk through the reimagined campus and adaptively reused buildings.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Other | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) The Art of Bubble-Making: Family Fun


Watch the art of bubble-making! We've all blown soap bubbles before but have you ever seen someone create a bubble big enough to stand inside? Or one long enough to jump over? Open your eyes to the magical world of bubbles at this family-friendly event. Please wear masks and practice social distancing.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free

Concert | (IN-PERSON) Bach, Bartok, Broadway, The Beatles and More on Strings!


String trio performs musical selections from Bach, Bartok, Broadway to the Beatles!
   New York City, NY; NYC
5:00 pm
Free

Author Reading | We Need New Stories: The Myths that Subvert Freedom (virtual)


Award-winning British-Sudanese columnist Nesrine Malik presents her highly anticipated debut book. Malik rigorously examines how common political myths function and how they are employed to subvert calls for equality from historically disenfranchised groups.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Gallery Talk | Artist Talk: I Love Matisse (Zoom)


Curator and writer Jenelle Porter in conversation with artist Robert Kushner.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Gallery Talk | On Memory & Practice: An Artist Talk with Wennie Huang & Tomie Arai (virtual)


New York-based artists Wennie Huang and Tomie Arai share their art practices in a conversation moderated by Vivian Sangsukwirasathien. Q&A to follow.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Workshop | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Crossfit Workout


End your Thursday with a little sweat. The class is open to all levels. Masks are required.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:30 pm
Free

Opening Reception | (IN-PERSON) Paintings and Photographs


Artist Don Hershman is set to exhibit his latest collection of original pieces, as part of a retrospective series inspired by the late photographer Victor Arimondi who worked with Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar. Hershman says, "This show.. brings mine and Victor’s work full circle with 20 new selected paintings from 2019 to 2021, along with a carefully curated selection of 38 photographs, taken between 1972 and 2001, four of which I interpreted into my own paintings, called the D & V Series."
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Workshop | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Amp'd Workout


Hit the grass and push your body to new limits in this class that combines bodyweight strength and cardio, challenging both your energy systems and motor control. This class is open to all levels. Thursdays, May 6-October 28, 2021 Registration opens every Tuesday at 10:00am for classes the following week.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Workshop | (In-PERSON, outdoors) Capoeira Class: Afro-Brazillian Martial Arts Dance


Learn capoeira, an Afro-Brazillian art form which combines dance and martial arts, with instruction by Ile de Palmares. Explore movement though music, dance, martial arts and Afro-Brazillian culture. Masks are required.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Discussion | The Future of Sex: In Conversation with the Editors of Cosmopolitan and Esquire (virtual)


What will sex, dating and relationships be like once COVID-19 is finally behind us? Cosmopolitan and Esquire teamed up with the iconic Kinsey Institute to find out how the future of sex will change in a post-pandemic world. Join Cosmopolitan Editor-in-Chief Jessica Pels and Esquire Editor-in-Chief Michael Sebastian in a conversation led by sex educator Haylin Belay (Sex Ed for All, Emotional Labor podcast and Cosmo's How to Sex Toy series) about the end of the one-night stand, the commitment generation and why "getting some" will finally mean "getting it all."
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Gallery Talk | Virtual Art History Happy Hour


Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and the opening of the exhibition The Slipstream: Reflection, Resilience, and Resistance in the Art of Our Time with artist Byron Kim and Erika Umali, Assistant Curator of Collections. 
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Film | (IN-PERSON, drive-in theater) 28 Days Later (2002) and The Polio Crusade (2009)


One of the most influential horror films of the 21st century, 28 Days Later is a tightly conceived and powerful look at a society overcome by a virus that doesn't kill, but causes people to turn on each other by inducing rage. A smash for Trainspotting director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland (Ex Machina), this prescient thriller masterfully updated the zombie genre. Rated: R Interweaving personal accounts of polio survivors, historians, and the only living scientist from the team that developed the vaccine, The Polio Crusade reminds us of the economic depression and social stigma that were at the height of the polio epidemic in 1930s America, as well as the importance of gaining the public's trust despite misinformation campaigns. Directed by Sarah Colt. Not rated.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:00 pm
Free

Screening | Becoming Bettie Page: An Filmed Theater Workshop (Zoom)


In 2018 Funhouse Philosophers showcased a first draft tryout of a new play about pinup icon Bettie Page. With no audience allowed in our theater they’ve recently filmed recreations of her Fetish Films for a future production of the finished play including these very films projected with a live stage show. Adam Realman will Introduce these workshops and conduct an audience Q&A after the films are shown. Starring Seedy Edie.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
$5

Jazz | Jazz Quartet: Coltrane Repertoire (virtual)


Rising star saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin has developed a reputation for energetic, genre-crossing performances. She has played with musicians ranging from Jimmy Heath, Joanne Brackeen, Charenee Wade, and Harry Belafonte to Macy Gray, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, and The Roots. For this performance she will lead her quartet through an evening of Coltrane repertoire, celebrating and exploring her major saxophone influence, John Coltrane, and the great multi-instrumentalist Alice Coltrane. The Band: Lakecia Benjamin, alto saxophone; EJ Strickland, drums; Lonnie Plaxico, bass; Chris Rob, piano
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:00 pm
Pay what you...

Discussion | Recalibrating for a Better New York (virtual)


How do we recalibrate reality to create a better, brighter future for New York? Scott Rechler, chair of the Regional Plan Association and CEO of RXR Realty, hosts a conversation with Reshma Saujani to tackle this crucial question.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Screening | Tales from the Wings: A Lincoln Center Theater Celebration


A joyous hour looking back at iconic LCT productions through video excerpts paired with favorite artists sharing “insider” anecdotes, plus a special preview of the exciting 2021-22 season ahead. Featuring appearances by: Jordan Donica, Rosemary Harris, Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald, Ruthie Ann Miles, Seth Numrich, Steven Pasquale, Paulo Szot,  Ayad Akhtar, Lileana Blain-Cruz, Bartlett Sher
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Performance | Custer and Sitting Bull: A Theater Piece for Voice, Soundfile and Electronic Keyboard


Composer Kyle Gann performs his Custer and Sitting Bull, a theater piece for voice, soundfile and electronic keyboard. He writes, ""My electronic opera Custer and Sitting Bull is a musical document of two male egos, taken as symbolic of the tragic clash of two cultures. My aim was to juxtapose statements each made throughout his career, many of them mutually self-contradictory; the complexity of their personalities thus revealed precludes, I feel, the possibility of a simple or unequivocal response. At greatest issue, of course, is the alleged guilt of George Armstrong Custer: once a hero to many generations of American schoolboys, more recently a scapegoat for everything considered culpable about the white male."
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free

Performance | The Night Falls: A Blend of Movement, Opera, and Musical Theater (virtual)


Enjoy an early look at The Night Falls, a dance-driven blend of movement, opera, and musical theater with book and lyrics by Karen Russell (Swamplandia!, Orange World), music and lyrics by Ellis Ludwig-Leone (San Fermin), and choreographed and directed by Troy Schumacher (NYC Ballet). The presentation will feature the premiere of two dance videos from a 2020 workshop of The Night Falls, as well as an in-depth look at the work's unique chronology from prose to opera to short story. A discussion moderated by Brooklyn Academy of Music's Executive Producer Emeritus, Joseph V. Melillo, and a Q&A with the opera's creators will follow.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:30 pm
Free

Talk | Ned Harrigan and the Rise of American Musical Theatre (virtual)


The 1870s in New York saw the meteoric rise to prominence of the extraordinary Ned Harrigan and his talented cohorts, Tony Hart and David Braham. Harrigan, born in 1844 on the Lower East Side of the city, was a multi-talented singer, instrumentalist, actor, and comedian. Above all, he was a playwright and composer of memorable songs, many of which passed into the oral tradition in America and Ireland. Using a variety of audiovisual illustrations, Mick Moloney traces the remarkable impact Harrigan made over the course of his decades-long career.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free

Open Mike | Thurday Night Online Open Mic (Zoom)


Caridad de la Luz (aka La Bruja) hosts this weekly online open mic. All art forms are welcome. Sign up for a five-minute slot by claiming one of the 35 available performer's tickets. The open mic is non-competitive, and there's no cover charge.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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9:00 pm
Free
Complimentary Tickets

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

Classical Music | Choral Work by Haydn and More at a Landmark Venue

Regular Price: $59
CFT Member Price: $0.00

Performance | A New Play: Tragedy, Resiliance, Humor and Hope

Regular Price: $72
CFT Member Price: $0.00
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