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Free events for Friday, 05/12/23
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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 May 12, 2023?

39 free events take place on Friday, May 12 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 12 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!

39 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Friday, May 12, 2023

All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Editor's Picks

free events nyc Tiffany and La Farge: Revolutionary American Glass Windows (in-person and online)
free events nyc LIVESTREAM at an in-door public place: New York Philharmonic performs Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, and More
free events nyc 6 Heroes of the Fourth Turning
More Editor's Picks for 05/12/23
        

Workshop | Tai Chi in the Park


Learn and practice this traditional system of health and self-defense. Derived from the philosphy of Taoism, Tai Chi was designed to develop the optimum degree of harmony between body and mind, as well as between the individual and the natural order of the universe. Classes are lead by teachers and students who train nearby at CK Chu Tai Chi under the direction of Master Hyland Harris. All ages and levels are welcome.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 am
Free

Workshop | Ribbon Dancing


Combine cardio with artistry as you wave long ribbons in the air to create rainbows, waterfalls, dragons and ocean waves. Ribbon Dancing is as visually stunning as it is fun and easy to learn. All ages and skill levels are welcome. Ribbons will be available to borrow, but participants may also bring their own.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:30 am
Free

Workshop | Tai Chi


Improve balance, strength and focus through gentle exercises. The sights and sounds of the river provide a serene background for the ancient flowing postures.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:30 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

Symposium | Vital Alignments: Towards Reparative Caribbean Ecologies


This interdisciplinary symposium probes the scope and scale of present-day Caribbean social emergencies brought about by climate colonialism and centuries of racial capitalism. It assesses the opportunities for regional transformation, transnational accountability, and reparative ways of knowing and dwelling amid crisis. It  focuses on what climate repair looks like today -- the emerging vital alignments that seek to interrupt capitalist systems of death and environmental destruction.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Workshop | Adult Zumba


Exercise in disguise! Join in on the fun featuring easy-to-follow Latin dance choreography while working on your balance, coordination and range of motion. Bring your friends and come prepared for enthusiastic instruction, a little strength training and a lot of fun.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:30 am
Free

Workshop | Beekeeping Class


Beekeeping classes presented by the New York City Beekeepers Association. In these instructional classes, you’ll learn about honey bee colonies and the vital role they play in the natural environment. They welcome gardeners, prospective beekeepers, and anyone interested in learning more about bees and beekeeping.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:30 am
Free

Workshop | 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

Slide Lecture | Tiffany and La Farge: Revolutionary American Glass Windows (in-person and online)


With art historian and lecturer Sylvia Laudien-Meo.
   New York City, NY; NYC
12:00 pm
Free

Discussion | Unwalling Citizenship


Teddy Cruz and Fonna Forman will discuss their work on "citizenship culture" at the United States-Mexico border, and the network of civic spaces they have co-developed with border communities to cultivate regional and global solidarities. They ask, in this increasingly walled world, and with the surge of anti-immigrant sentiment everywhere: can the idea of citizenship be recuperated for more emancipatory and inclusive democratic agendas?
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | Bach at Noon (In Person and Online)


Take a momentary respite from a busy day to enjoy a selection of organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach in an intimate venue.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:20 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: Bertha Hope.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free

Film | Class Act (1992): comedy


Duncan is a genius straight A student, Blade is juvenile delinquent. But because of a mix up with their school records, everyone thinks each is the other one. Now, Duncan kind of likes the attention from being thought of as a real bad dude, if only the school bully would stop trying to rough him up. And Blade definitely likes being thought of as important instead of as trouble, if only the teacher would stop hitting on him for a date. Director: Randall Miller Cast: Christopher Reid, Christopher Martin, Andre Rosey Brown, Meshach Taylor, Alysia M. Rogers
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Film | The Glass Castle (2017): drama


A young woman reflects on her unconventional upbringing at the hands of her artsy, nonconformist parents, which sometimes resulted in the family living in poverty. Now engaged to a man who works in finance in New York, she faces criticism from her parents that she's betrayed their values. Director: Destin Daniel Cretton Cast: Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson, Max Greenfield, Sarah Snook, Naomi Watts
   New York City, NY; NYC
1:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Enjoy an afternoon of crafting and conversation


Bring your own project or choose something from a provided collection to work on during this freeform crafting workshop. The workshop will include materials for sewing, knitting, crochet, coloring, paper crafts, and puzzles.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:30 pm
Free

Book Discussion | Red & White Quilts: Infinite Variety


Now with a new essay on the history of red and white quilts, the second edition of the critically-acclaimed book has been heralded with buzz-worthy praise after being out of print for many years. Meet author Elizabeth V. Warren during a discussion and book signing. As the curator of the four-day blockbuster exhibition that inspired the book, Warren will provide a behind-the-scenes view of what went into the show and the publicat
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | LIVESTREAM at an in-door public place: New York Philharmonic performs Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, and More


This live-streamed performance is presented on the 50-foot Digital Wall at an in-door public place. New York Philharmonic; Yunchan Lim, piano; and James Gaffigan, conductor perform works by Valentin Silvestrov, Prokofiev, and Rachmaninoff. Program Valentin Silvestrov (1937-present), Prayer for Ukraine Prokofiev (1891-1953), Symphony No. 3 Rachmaninoff (1873-1943), Piano Concerto No. 3 About the Performers The New York Philharmonic, one of the leading world orchestras, was founded in 1842 by the American conductor Ureli Corelli Hill, with the aid of the Irish composer William Vincent Wallace. The first concert of the Philharmonic Society took place on December 7, 1842 in the Apollo Rooms on lower Broadway before an audience of 600. It is the oldest major symphony orchestra in the United States in continual existence and one of the oldest in the world. Yunchan Lim is a pianist from South Korea. In 2022 at 18 years old, Lim became the youngest person ever to win gold at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. In 2018, Lim won second prize and the Chopin Special Award in the Cleveland International Piano Competition for Young Artists. The same year, he was the youngest participant in the Thomas & Evon Cooper International Competition where he won third prize and the audience prize. Lim has performed with orchestras such as the Korea Symphony, Suwon Philharmonic, Busan Philharmonic Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, and others. Recognized worldwide for his natural ease and extraordinary collaborative spirit, American conductor James Gaffigan has attracted international attention for his equitable prowess as both a conductor of symphony orchestras and opera. Gaffigan is the newly appointed General Music Director of Komische Oper Berlin and is in his second season as Music Director of the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia, where his production of Wozzeck was widely acclaimed. He serves as Principal Guest Conductor of both the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, where he is in his ninth and final season, and the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra & Opera. He additionally serves as Music Director of the Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra, where he champions the education of promising young musicians. In June 2021, Gaffigan finished his tenure as Chief Conductor of the Luzerner Sinfonieorchester, a position he held for 10 years where he raised the orchestra's international profile with highly successful recordings and tours abroad. In the 2022/23 season, he leads productions of La Boheme and Tristan und Isolde at Valencia's Les Arts, La Boheme at the Metropolitan Opera, and Tristan und Isolde at Santa Fe Opera. Symphonically, he returns to the National Symphony Orchestra; directs the Orchestre de Paris; returns to the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl; and more.
   New York City, NY; NYC
2:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Kung Fu Workshop


Led by kung fu master David Fung from the New York Chinese Cultural Center, these family-friendly workshops give participants an excellent method of exercise and emphasize on learning basic stances, strikes, and techniques Start times: 3pm, 4pm
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | Karin Davie: To Boldly Go Where No Man’s Gone Before


The title of the exhibition references Star Trek’s original opening monologue, serving as wry commentary on the artist’s plight and quest for originality, transformation, and to express something beyond ourselves, as well as a tongue-in-cheek allusion to the seemingly impossible but not altogether implausible relationship between Feminism and abstraction. Allusions to travel—being “beamed up” to another place—and microscopic or telescopic investigation serve as metaphors for the nature of art making and the journey both artist and viewer take when ascribing meaning to abstraction.  
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Dance Lesson | Learn NY Style Mambo Dance


Alvin Ailey brings its “real classes for real people” to outdoor workshops by Ailey Extension instructors and NYC dance artists. Participate in high-spirited dance sessions this May and June with classes including Broadway jazz, hip-hop, New York-style mambo, West African dance, and more. Classes are open to people of all ages and all levels of dance experience. Today: NY Style Mambo with Katherine Jimenez
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Workshop | New Games Social


Curious about a board game or looking to try something new? Games Hosts will be teaching how to play a wide range of fun board games every Friday.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Dance Lesson | Saung Budaya Dance


Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with a family-friendly dance event! Learn a traditional Indonesian dance. Tari Indang or Tambourine Dance is usually performed in ritual or ceremonial events. Indang, which is the mini tambourine used in this dance, becomes the main rhythm with each dancer’s movement. No dance experience necessary. This event is suitable for ages 5 and up. About the Dance Company: Saung Budaya Dance was established in 2006 when dance instructor Amalia Suryani came to New York City and held dance workshops in the Indonesian Consulate. Their goal is to introduce Indonesian culture through dance and music to the Indonesian-American youths in New York City and more generally, to the wider public. Registration required.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Birdwatching | Birding Walk


Explore the park on a family-friendly bird walk in partnership with New York City Audubon.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:30 pm
Free

Workshop | Calligraphy Workshop


Led by teaching artist Angela Lai from the New York Chinese Cultural Center, this family-friendly workshop demonstrates how to write/paint with an ink brush and to learn the relationship between ancient Chinese pictographs and their modern-day ideographs. 
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:30 pm
Free

Concert | 3 Folk Music Acts (online)


6:00 pm Sam Brown - Country soul pop 6:30 pm Mary Elaine Jenkins - Dark, southern-accented folk 7:00 pm Her Dark Heaven - Heavy metal gospel
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Discussion | DREAMing Out Loud: Student Writers


DREAMing Out Loud, PEN America’s series of tuition-free writing workshops for emerging migrant writers in the U.S., brings together students from Mexico to Nigeria, Kazakhstan to Honduras, Brazil to Jamaica, South Africa to Bangladesh, and beyond. In this public reading of their work, hosted by award-winning Mexican novelist and DREAMING Out Loud founder Álvaro Enrigue (Sudden Death, Perpendicular Lives), these writers will share stories as diverse as the complex cultural moments and realities to which they are responding.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Concert | New York Chinese Cultural Center Showcase


Presented and performed by professional and student performers, this curated program celebrates AAPI communities with a taste of traditional and contemporary performances, including Eastern and Western instruments, classical Chinese dance, contemporary dance, and vocal presentation. 
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Discussion | Women Writing War


A conversation with women on warfare, featuring Tamta Melashvili, Lusine Kharatyan, Marjan Moghaddam, and Anna Badkhen. War writing has long been a category dominated by male journalists and authors. Increasingly, women are reporting from the front lines, and writing short stories, diaries, poetry collections, and dramatic works that illuminate the political intricacies, physical and emotional extremes, unfathomable cruelties, and causes and aftermaths of war. This panel includes writers and one visual artist—Tamta Melashvili, Lusine Kharatyan, Marjan Moghaddam, and Anna Badkhen—who have chronicled conflict and its effect on civilians in war zones (as well as efforts at reconciliation) in the 2008 Russo-Georgian war, the second Nagorno-Karabakh war, and from the fronts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Africa. Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and human rights advocate Carolyn Forché (In the Lateness of the World) will moderate this discussion.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Book Discussion | Assyria: The Rise and Fall of the World's First Empire (online)


Dr. Eckart Frahm's new history of Assyria, the ancient civilization that set the model for future empires
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Sunset Singing Circle


Singer/songwriter Terre Roche leads this weekly singing program with the beautiful backdrop of the setting sun in NY Harbor. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned crooner, the singing circle is perfect for mellow melodies and healthy harmonizing.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Play | 6 Heroes of the Fourth Turning


Heroes of the Fourth Turning by Will Arberry Directed by Chandler Stephenson The Actors Studio Drama School presents its annual Repertory Season; in six weeks (through May 13) of theatre designed to introduce its graduating students to the professional world and the public in fully-professional productions of the work they have created during their three years of study. You will witness a weekly series of scenes, one-act plays, and full-length plays. Vaccination proof is required.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:30 pm
Free

Dance Performance | Continuous Replay: Seminal Dance Work


A distinctive dance experience centered on recent developments in the field: a seminal work in the legacy of Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free

Reading | DREAMing on the Stage: Student Writers


Readings with students from DREAMing Out Loud, PEN America’s series of tuition-free writing workshops for emerging migrant writers. Under the instruction of playwright Victor I. Cazares (american (tele)visions), students from DREAMing Out Loud, PEN America’s series of tuition-free writing workshops for emerging migrant writers in the U.S., gathered from different corners of the world to write epic plays that queer sacred texts, reimagine folklore, and excavate ghosts—making absolute magic in the process. DREAMing On the Stage, hosted by PEN America’s literary programs and Emerging Voices program director Jared Jackson, invites audiences into the intimate, alchemical process of watching these new writers birth new plays and theatrical forms.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free

Concert | Songs from Cuba and Puerto Rico


Arturo Castro Nogueras, guitar, performs Danzas and Songs from Cuba and Puerto Rico, and guitar works by Austin Barrios Mangore & Roberto Sierra. Program Agustin Barrios Mangore (1885-1944), La Catedral Antonio Caban Vale (1942-present), Verde Luz Manuel M. Ponce (1882-1948), Sonata III Danzas from Cuba and Puerto Rico: Ernesto Lecuona (1895-1963), La Comparsa Manuel Gregorio Tavarez (1843-1883), Margarita Olimpio Otero (1845-1911), La Cunadita Ignacio Cervantes (1847-1905), Adios a Cuba Ignacio Cervantes (1847-1905), Los Tres Golpes Jose Ignacio Quinton (1881-1925), El Coqui Registration required.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:30 pm
Free

Performance | D.D.D! Donne Donnette Donnacce: Comedy Duo Falling Apart


Two actresses, a comic duo, are on the verge of a nervous breakdown. To save themselves, they audition for the same show as sisters. Secrets, rivalries, hypocrisy, clichés and low blows typical of the entertainment world will lead to a surprising and unpredictable ending. Written, Directed and Choreographed by Tiziana Troja Performed by Tiziana Troja, Michela Sale Musio, Angelo Trofa, Valentina Fadda, Michele Sarti Original music and arrangement by Davide Sardo In Italian with English supertitles
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free

Play | Vile Isle: Testing the Limits of Faith


A group of friends who call themselves 'queer family' is on the verge of spiritual breakdown or breakthrough, depending on who you ask. A dead-of-winter trip to Fire Island is threatened by an Old Testament-style flood. And Gnocchi the Cat is being Bat Mitzvah'd, God willing. Justin Halle's Vile Isle is a passionate and provocative dark comedy about the ways we fail and forgive one another, and what faith is worth when our limits are existentially tested.
   New York City, NY; NYC
8:00 pm
Free

Concert | Brooklyn-Based Indie Pop Band


Mr Twin Sister have headlined sets at Elsewhere, Warsaw, and Bowery Ballroom. The group reimagines the space as an exclusive rock club, minus the cover. Mr Twin Sister's early EPs announced the band's signature brand of musically omnivorous dreamy disco, but they first gained international recognition when Kendrick Lamar sampled their single "Meet the Frownies" for his breakout hit "The Recipe." Four albums later, the quartet has established themselves as among the scene's most respected and influential institutions. Pitchfork said Mr Twin Sister's latest release, 2022's Upright and Even, "exists to be danced to... each song is self aware, mature and sexy."
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | Trombone Works with Metropolitan Opera Trombonist


MSM Trombone Choir and Metropolitan Opera Orchestra's principal trombonist Sasha Romero. Reservation required.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free

Movie in a Park | Soul (2020): Animated Oscar Winner


After landing the gig of a lifetime, a New York jazz pianist suddenly finds himself trapped in a strange land between Earth and the afterlife. Directors: Pete Docter, Kemp Powers Stars: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton 100 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:30 pm
Free
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