free things to do in New York City
Free events for Thursday, 05/30/24
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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 30, 2024?

36 free events take place on Thursday, May 30 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 30 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!

36 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Thursday, May 30, 2024

All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Editor's Picks

free events nyc 13 Tours, All City Neighborhoods, Any Time Of The Day, Choose One Tour Or Many
free events nyc The Connections Between Christian Anti-Judaism and the Hamas Attacks of October 7th (online)
free events nyc Historical Folk Music, Traditional Scottish Tunes, and Baroque Works for Fiddle (In Person AND Online!)
free events nyc The Winter's Tale: Shakespeare's Tangled Traumas -- Outdoors
free events nyc The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged): All 37 Plays in One
More Editor's Picks for 05/30/24
        

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
10:00 am
Free

Workshop | Catch-and-Release Fishing


The Harlem Meer is a thriving aquatic ecosystem that supports a wide variety of fish, waterfowl, turtles, plants and microorganisms. Some of the fish living in the Meer include large-mouth bass, pumpkinseed sunfish, bluegill sunfish, carp, and chain pickerel. Fishing poles are available to borrow. Instruction and bait are provided.
   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 | Shakespeare's Richard III (1955) Directed by and Starring Laurence Olivier


Having helped his brother King Edward IV take the throne of England, the jealous hunchback Richard, Duke of York, plots to seize power for himself. Masterfully deceiving and plotting against nearly everyone in the royal court, including his eventual wife, Lady Anne, and his brother George, Duke of Clarence, Richard orchestrates a bloody rise to power before finding all his gains jeopardized by those he betrayed. Director: Laurence Olivier Cast: Laurence Olivier, Cedric Hardwicke, Claire Bloom, Ralph Richardson Laurence Olivier was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage of the mid-20th century. He also worked in films throughout his career, playing more than fifty cinema roles. For his on-screen work he received two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, five Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards. The National Theatre's largest auditorium is named in his honor, and he is commemorated in the Laurence Olivier Awards, given annually by the Society of London Theatre.
   New York City, NY; NYC
11:00 am
Free
11:00 am
Free

Park Walk | Island Nature Walk


A spe­cial guid­ed tour to dis­cov­er and con­nect with the wildlife that calls this place home. Led by CCNY Insect Ecol­o­gy Pro­fes­sor Amy Berkov, this tour will take par­tic­i­pants on a jour­ney through the young urban for­est of Ham­mock Grove and the immer­sive spaces at Out­look Hill and Dis­cov­ery Hill. You’ll get to learn about these resilient, built land­scapes direct­ly from the peo­ple who know them best, and get the chance to par­tic­i­pate in dif­fer­ent com­mu­ni­ty sci­ence projects.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Learn Juggling in the Park


Get in 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

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: Sue Maskaleris.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free

Book Discussion | Neo-Nazi Terrorism and Countercultural Fascism: The Origins and Afterlife of James Mason's Siege (online)


A new wave of aspiring neo-Nazi terrorists has arisen—including the infamous Atomwaffen Division, and they have a bible: James Mason’s Siege, which praises terrorism, serial killers, and Charles Manson. Spencer Sunshine's book documents the origins of Siege and shows how Mason’s vision emerged during debates in the 1970s after the splintering of the American Nazi Party/NSWPP. The second part of the book unveils for the first time how four 1980s musicians and publishers—Boyd Rice, Michael Moynihan, Adam Parfrey, and Nikolas Schreck—discovered and promoted the terrorist ideologue.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Pickleball Clinic


Check out what the buzz is all about! Learn the basic rules, strokes, and strategy at this instructor-led clinic followed by open play. Equipment is provided or bring your own. All skill levels are welcome.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Tour | Urban Farm Tour


Take a tour to learn about how they grow produce and support local wildlife in the heart of downtown New York City.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Concert | Historical Folk Music, Traditional Scottish Tunes, and Baroque Works for Fiddle (In Person AND Online!)


The Berwick Fiddle Consort (Lydia Becker, Julia Connor, Sarah Douglass, fiddles) performs historical folk music from Cape Breton, Scotland, and Ireland, 18th-century settings of traditional Scottish tunes, and well-known Baroque pieces.
   New York City, NY; NYC
1:15 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.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Hike | Spring Wildflower Hike


Explore which plants are in bloom in our parks! Learn how to identify different species of flowers and pick up some botany basics on this engaging and educational hike.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Book Club | I Heard Her Call My Name : A Memoir of Transition by Lucy Sante


I Heard Her Call My Name: A Memoir of Transition is a 2024 memoir written by Lucy Sante. The memoir follows Sante's process of gender transition and coming out as a trans woman at age 67.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:30 pm
Free

Birdwatching | Evening Birding Tour


Discover the surprising diversity of birds that call the park home during migratory season, with guided tours led by environmental educator and urban naturalist Gabriel Willow. The park is a hotspot for avian visitors and birders alike. Past sightings include warblers, tanagers, vireos, thrushes, and even a Chuck-will’s-widow!
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Kayaking in the Park


Glide along the water this summer and fall in a protected embayment with public kayaking. Kayaking is offered throughout the summer. All levels are welcome including first-time kayakers - life vests and all equipment provided, as well as instruction. Children under 18 must have an adult guardian present.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | 3 Art Openings


Inez Storer Keeping My Head Above Water   Nancy Koenigsberg CHROMA   Joan Bankemper/Sophie Bankemper Frances Winter Bounds to Spring    
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | Areum Yang: Home of Being


In Yang’s vivid, gestural paintings, surreal environments replete with personal symbolism tell a fragmented reverie-like story about the meaning of home. Yang, who was born and raised in Korea and immigrated to New York for art school in 2019, has grappled with a feeling of in-betweenness born out of that experience. Painting has been a vehicle for her to explore what home signifies. Without providing answers, her narrative is vague and ambiguous. Is home merely a roof over one’s head? A place of safety? Where loved ones reside? A repository for meaningful objects? In one painting, a crouching figure perched on a stool is accompanied by a regal dog, conveying the importance of companionship.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | Compulsive Genius: New Work from Studio Residents


Celebrate the 2nd year of this annual exhibition that showcases artists who have completed a residency within the past year. Participating artists: Christine Albane, Nancy Caton, Bernadette Corcoran, Lauren Covey, Guiomar Giraldo-Baron, Roger Jones, Suzette Lehrer, Ambar Martinez, Tanya Nickolan, Aracelis Rivera, Angela Rogers, Alyson Vega, and Vermillion.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | Mark Morrisroe: Pre-Nympho Pia and Other Friends


Pre-Nympho Pia is the name of the lead character played by Pia Howard in the Super-8 film titled “Nymph-O-Maniac” (1984). Mark Morrisroe’s longest and most ambitious film, “Nymph-O-Maniac” typifies the artist’s trash aesthetic likely influenced by filmmakers such as Andy Warhol, Jack Smith, and John Waters. Stuart Comer, Chief Curator of Media and Performance at The Museum of Modern Art, New York, writes: “The script seems almost entirely comprised of phrases culled from phone sex lines and porn dialogue, but the gender tables are turned [from the artist’s previous films] and women play most of the roles. In rooms whose walls are covered in gay male porn magazine clippings and record covers, vamped up girls gossip, come on to each other, apply lipstick, steal drugs, burn popcorn, and discuss their boyfriends’ penis sizes.”  Mark Morrisroe cast his friends and lovers in all three of his Super 8 productions, and similarly used them as models for his highly experimental still photographs. The buxom Pia Howard is the subject of many of these images, including the print included in the exhibition shot on the set of the film. In “Nymph-O-Maniac,” there is a scene in which the camera focuses solely on Pia while she takes a bubble bath and sings about her sex life in a melodramatically breathy voice. Other recurring models in the artist’s photographs included in the exhibition include Jonathan “Jack” Pierson, Rafael Sánchez, Gail Thacker, Lynelle White, and Morrisroe himself. 
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Film | Speedy (1928) with Babe Ruth


Chronically unemployed Yankees fan Harold "Speedy" Swift dates Jane Dillon, a girl whose beloved grandfather, Pop, runs a failing horse-drawn trolley business in a rapidly changing city where the railway is becoming king. When a crooked railroad official steals Pop's last car, hoping to force him into a shutdown, Speedy must race against the clock to find the culprits, return the car in time, and keep the service running on schedule. Director: Ted Wilde Cast: Harold Lloyd, Ann Christy, Bert Woodruff, Babe Ruth Babe Ruth was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat," he began his MLB career as a star left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, but achieved his greatest fame as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees. Ruth is regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture and is considered by many to be the greatest baseball player of all time. In 1936, Ruth was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of its "first five" inaugural members.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:00 pm
Free

Book Discussion | Splendid Settings: 100 Years of Mottahedeh Design


Wendy Kvalheim will be in conversation with Alex Papachristidis to launch Splendid Settings, celebrating a century of storied craftsmanship by Mottahedeh. With meticulous craft, attention to detail, and storied partners such as the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, the Historic Charleston Foundation, Mount Vernon, and Winterthur, Mottahedeh continues to create some of the most highly sought-after pieces on the market. For 30 years, Wendy Kvalheim has led this company into modern times. Splendid Settings: 100 Years of Mottahedeh Design is a testament to both Mottahedeh’s inimitable style and Kvalheim’s unique vision of the future. This is not your grandma’s china. In this lavishly illustrated celebration of the Mottahedeh centenary hundreds of Mottahedeh’s finest pieces are showcased; from classical dinner services in the great historical houses of America, to the placement of Mottahedeh pieces in modern New York lofts and contemporary Palm Beach, Florida dwellings, each page is an unexpected joy.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Play | The Winter's Tale: Shakespeare's Tangled Traumas -- Outdoors


Barefoot Shakespeare Company is proud to bring this production to life for their 11th Season producing free Shakespeare in Central Park. The Winter's Tale will be directed by Barefoot Artistic Director and President Emily Gallagher. Step into the web of The Winter's Tale, where time slips through fingers like grains of sand and the stubborn weed of jealousy takes root, choking out reason and sowing discord. In this tale of tangled narratives and generational trauma, powerful women stand as pillars of support and strength, cultivating gardens of forgiveness amidst the barren landscape of lost time. This is a journey where stories intertwine like vines as hope blossoms, and where the only certainty is the transformative power of love. This summer's cast includes alumni and friends: Laurel Andersen, Carl Bindman, Andrew Dunn, Johnny Gottsegen, Kelly Blaze, Malavika Nair, Joe Raik, Tyler Riley, Regina Russell, Emily Thaler, and Ray Wilbur.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:00 pm
Free

Talk | Down the Bridle Path: Vestiges of Greenwich Village’s Equine Past


For centuries New Yorkers relied on horses to transport them uptown, downtown, crosstown, and beyond, often retracing the paths created by the Native Americans on horseback who had come before them. However, nearly all of the city’s equine culture has been forgotten, supplanted by a cacophony of cars, trucks, motorcycles, and bicycles. Nevertheless, the horse in New York City’s past is not only present, but palpable in Greenwich Village, which still offers vestiges of this way of life through its former horsewalks, stables, mews and other associated objects. Architectural historian Gregory Dietrich takes you down the bridle path of this all but forgotten, yet tangible, legacy of Village horse culture.  
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | Vocal Works


A chamber group of Skylark’s world-class vocal soloists perform pieces of music curated for the location because they share thematic, historical, or artistic connections to specific works of visual art.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Book Discussion | Flights: Radicals on the Run


Told through the lives of the American Century's most talented and stubborn dissidents, Joel Whitney's book is the archetypal hero's journey of a group of progressives whose struggle for truth, and for freedom from persecution, sent them into exile, both literal and metaphorical. Wanted for a crime she did not commit, Professor Angela Davis went on the run in 1970, describing the struggle against panic in her nightly safehouse transfers: "Living as a fugitive means resisting hysteria, distinguishing between the creations of a frightened imagination and the real signs that the enemy is near." In her quest "to elude him, outsmart him," she recalled, "Thousands of my ancestors had waited, as I had...for nightfall to cover their steps..." Davis is just one of a rich array of refugees portrayed here by Joel Whitney, all forced to flee homes and/or friends because of their progressive stance. In these pages are compelling profiles of Seymour Hersh, Lorraine Hansberry, Graham Greene, Paul Robeson, Gabriel García Márquez, George & Mary Oppen, Frances Stonor Saunders, Malcolm X, Octavio Paz, Diego Rivera, Angela Davis, Leonard Peltier, N. Scott Momaday, Miguel Ángel Asturias, Guatemalan guerrilla fighter Everado and his American wife, Jennifer Harbury, Nobel Peace laureate Rigoberta Menchú, deposed Honduran President Manuel "Mel" Zelaya and murdered Lenca environmentalist Berta Cáceres.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
$5

Play | The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged): All 37 Plays in One


Three actors will perform all of Shakespeare's 37 plays in 97 minutes! Presented by The Hudson Classical Theater Company.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:30 pm
Pay-what-you-wish...

Book Discussion | The Last Murder at the End of the World: Atmospheric Whodunnit


Set on the foggy Greek isles, Stuart Turton's atmospheric whodunnit is wildly inventive, joyously confounding and an actual thrill to read.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Workshop | HIIT Workout on the River


At MTHD by Oscar, they take longevity seriously. Their highly methodical, holistic approach to training is based on functional movement. Start with the basics – push, pull, squat, lunge, hinge, and rotation as you build each workout. This approach optimizes strength and stability to create more balance in the body. 
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Dance Lesson | Studio 245: A Celebration of Asian Culture


In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Island Heritage Month, a celebration of Asian culture with Studio 245 who will show and teach the latest pop dance moves taking the world by storm.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Discussion | 2024 Do You Know Who You’re Voting For


Per Time magazine: “2024 is not just an election year. It’s perhaps the election year.” Globally, more voters than ever in history will head to the polls as at least 72 countries (plus the European Union)—representing a combined population of about 49% of the people in the world—are meant to hold national elections, the results of which, for many, will prove consequential for years to come. Media activist and filmmaker J. Bob Alotta explores our options for agency and accountability in the age of disinformation. Alotta will be joined by a powerhouse panel of visionary voices including Chani Nicholas, the internet’s favorite astrologer, Rachel O’Leary Carmona, Executive Director of Women’s March, and Danielle Moodie, the #WokeAF Daily podcast host. Plus, Toshi Reagon will elevate the experience with a captivating musical performance.  
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
$5

Reading | Voices of a People's History: Heroic Voices


Voices of a People’s History continues a revitalization of the work of Brooklyn-born author and scholar Howard Zinn. This live event focuses on Zinn's timeless and insightful book, A People’s History of the United States, a document of the vital everyday epics of common men and women engaged in the life and death struggle for justice: abolitionists, activists, protesters, founders of the first American unions, suffragettes who advanced women's rights, and pioneers of gay liberation. All these heroic voices will be brought to life in performance by a chorus of young student activists who have been mentored by the center's creative staff to find personal meaning in these timeless texts.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 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: Salma Zaky - Don’t Tell Comedy Shafi Hossain - Comedy Cellar Jordan Perry - New York Comedy Club Lauren Festa - Broadway Comedy Club 
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free
Complimentary Tickets

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

Performance | Acclaimed Comedian/Actor at a Major NYC Venue

Regular Price: $50
CFT Member Price: $0.00

Theater | Storytelling at its Best from Far Away

Regular Price: $51
CFT Member Price: $0.00
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