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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 5, 2026?
38 free events take place on Tuesday, May 5 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 5 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.
Are you looking for free things to do in New York City (NYC) on May 5, 2026?
38 free events take place on Tuesday, May 5 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 5 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.
Join the Club!
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!
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!
38 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Tuesday, May 5, 2026
All events are free unless otherwise noted.Editor's Picks
Workshop | Learn & Practice the Chinese Martial Art of Tai Chi in the Park
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 led by teachers and students who train nearby at CK Chu Tai Chi under the direction of Master Hyland Harris. Classes are rain or shine. All levels are welcome, and no equipment is necessary.
New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 am
Free
Free
Workshop | Cardio & Strength Workout (All Levels Welcome)
Instructor Natalie Hahn leads 45 minutes of bodyweight exercises, combining cardio and strength for a full-body workout. This class is high-energy with programming options for all levels!
New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 am
Free
Free
Birdwatching | Morning Birding in the Park with NYC Audubon
Discover the surprising diversity of birds that call New York home during migratory season with guided tours by NYC Audubon, led by environmental educator and urban naturalist Gabriel Willow. This 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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8:00 am
Free
Free
Workshop | Zumba Workout
Enthusiastic instruction and easy-to-follow Latin dance choreography working on balance, coordination, and range of motion.
New York City, NY; NYC
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10:30 am
Free
Free
Discussion | Collective Power: Art & Climate in Conversation
Join artists for an intimate salon exploring vision, resilience, and community action through creative practice. Engage in discussions on current climate-focused works, participate in an audience Q&A, and reflect on the connections among art, environmental justice, and the future we can shape together.
New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free
Free
Workshop | Learn to Juggle, All Skill Levels Welcome
This juggling class is ideal for a quick lesson, an extended practice session, or just enjoy watching jugglers 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
Free
Classical Music | Afternoon Bach
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
Free
Jazz | Piano in the Park: "Off and Running," Multi-Genre Musician
Come on down and swing along to the best live jazz, blues, and country the Big Apple has to offer, with "a multi-instrumental multi-genre musical daredevil." Ernst plays a variety of instruments, including guitar, banjo, and stride piano. He performs and records a variety of different genres, including hot jazz, swing, bluegrass, classic country, old-time, and ragtime music.
New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free
Free
Film | Wag the Dog (1997): Political Satire Black Comedy with Star-Studded Cast
Shortly before an election, a spin-doctor and a Hollywood producer join efforts to fabricate a war in order to cover up a Presidential sex scandal. Political mayhem ensues. Director: Barry Levinson Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Anne Heche, Denis Leary, Willie Nelson, Andrea Martin, Kirsten Dunst
New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free
Free
Open Studios | Mother's Day Photo Session
In this Mother's Day Photos event, organizers will be focusing on how to take beautiful Mother's Day photos. Whether you want to learn, or even want to bring Mom and have them take a photo of you with her, the studio is open! They will have a lovely backdrop to set the mood, so come practice, learn, or step in front of the camera and leave with a memory for Mom's special day!
New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free
Free
Museums | Art from All Over The World in the Most Amazing Museum
Discover a vast collection of art from a diverse range of countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Russia, France, Spain, Japan, India, United States and more. Tickets for Pay-What-You-Wish hours are available online only and released at 10 am the morning of the event.
New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
$1 min pay-what-you-wish,...
$1 min pay-what-you-wish,...
Film | Song Sung Blue (2025): Biographical Musical Drama with Hugh Jackman & Kate Hudson
Based on a true story, two down-on-their-luck musicians form a joyous Neil Diamond tribute band, proving it’s never too late to find love and follow your dreams. Director: Craig Brewer Cast: Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, Michael Imperioli, Ella Anderson, King Princess, Mustafa Shakir Hugh Jackman is an Australian actor who landed his breakthrough role as Wolverine in the X-Men film franchise and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Prominent on both screen and stage, he has received various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, and two Tony Awards, along with nominations for an Academy Award and a British Academy Film Award. Kate Hudson is an actress who has received several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a nomination for an Academy Award. Hudson made her film debut in the 1998 drama Desert Blue. She rose to prominence with her portrayal of Penny Lane in Almost Famous, for which she won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and received an Oscar nomination in the same category. Throughout the 2000s, Hudson starred in a succession of romantic comedies.
New York City, NY; NYC
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4:45 pm
Free
Free
Party | Make New Friends Playing Board Games Outdoors
Organizers bring a wider selection of board games to the Games Cart at this event, with games like Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, Catan, King of Tokyo and more. Not sure what to play? The Games Hosts can help you find the perfect game and match up players!
New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free
Free
Workshop | Learn to Juggle, All Skill Levels Welcome
This juggling class is ideal for a quick lesson, an extended practice session, or just enjoy watching jugglers 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
Join the Club!
5:30 pm
Free
Free
Book Discussion | From the Skyscraper to the Wildflower: Photography and New York’s Changing Landscape (Online!)
Historian Nick Yablon presents a virtual talk on the rediscovered work of amateur photographer C. G. Hine, who documented Broadway in 1905 during a period of rapid urban transformation. Through a remarkable archive of photographs, clippings, and writings, Hine captured disappearing buildings and the lives of those on the margins of the city. Drawing from his book From the Skyscraper to the Wildflower, Yablon explores how these images reveal tensions between modernization and memory, offering a vivid portrait of New York at a turning point in its history.
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free
Free
Book Discussion | New Yorker Writer Shares His New Book on Jewish Creative Figures
Distinguished longtime staff writer and critic at The New Yorker, David Denby, presents his new book, Eminent Jews: Bernstein, Brooks, Friedan, Mailer. He will be in conversation with Jewish Studies Center Director and author Leah Garrett. Celebratory yet candid, Eminent Jews presents these four creative giants—Leonard Bernstein, Mel Brooks, Betty Friedan, and Norman Mailer—with vivid complexity: as brash, yet soulful; egotistical, yet generous; vulnerable, yet larger-than-life and ferociously proud. Capturing the scale of their ambition, Denby shows how they upended the restrained culture of their forebears and changed American life.
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free
Free
Book Discussion | Book Launch: Journalist Shares Her Debut Novel
Jeanette Settembre launches her debut novel, Little Red Flags. Book Synopsis: Mia De Luce is a successful, twenty-five-year-old food writer with zest and appetite. She’s built her dream life in Manhattan while working at her family’s red sauce restaurant. But she’s missing one thing—love. Then, one thrilling weekend away in the Hamptons, she is seduced by a charismatic and attractive stranger named Ben Cohen. Caught up in the whirlwind romance, Mia ignores the little red flags she and others see—like Ben’s adrenaline-seeking tendencies and reckless attitude. She turns a blind eye because, for the first time, she feels truly seen by someone. But a single event shatters their all-consuming chemistry and forces Mia to live a double life. One as a food writer, savoring caviar bumps and champagne at the world’s best restaurants…and one in secret, filled with shame and deception.
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free
Free
Book Discussion | Journalist Stephanie Fairyington Shares Her New Book, Ugly: A Letter to My Daughter (+ Signing)
Enjoy a conversation with Stephanie Fairyington to celebrate her newest book, Ugly, a moving account of queer motherhood and an insightful interrogation of what it means to wrestle with "self-described ugliness." She will be in conversation with Svetlana Kitto, followed by a signing.
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free
Free
Book Discussion | Learn about Brazilian President Lula through Journalist's New Book
Journalist and author Richard Lapper will speak about his latest book with Brian Winter ahead of Brazil's presidential vote. In Lula: The Man, The Myth and a Dream of Latin America, Lapper offers a deeply reported account of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who's vying for his fourth term in this year's election in a race against his former rival's son, among other candidates. Drawing on decades of on-the-ground reporting and rare access, Lapper traces how a single figure came to embody so much of Brazil's modern history. With the October presidential first round vote approaching, this is a timely moment to better understand the historical, cultural, and economic forces that have shaped Latin America's biggest nation. This discussion will offer essential context for what promises to be a consequential year.
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free
Free
Workshop | Make Your Own Financial Vision Board & Speak with Financial Professionals (+ Networking)
Attend a financial vision board building workshop, where you'll use the visual power of collaging to map out your financial future, including savings goals, financial priorities, and more. Through cutting, layering, and building your vision, you'll clarify what matters most in a welcoming, supportive space, and learn directly from JPMorganChase professionals who will provide practical guidance tailored to your goals. Afterward, stay for a networking mixer designed to spark connection--between neighbors, professionals, and community members invested in Harlem's future. Ages 18+.
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free
Free
Talk | New Research on Michel Foucault, Gender Dynamics, & the Idea of "Erotomania"
Benoit Loiseau (New York University / Universite Paris 8) presents new research reconstructing an encounter between Michel Foucault and a female physician and aspiring writer who, after unsuccessfully seeking his feedback on a manuscript in the late 1960s, began stalking him, leading to her institutionalization. Drawing on archival materials, this talk highlights the gendered dynamics underpinning her diagnosis of "erotomania" and the disciplinary apparatus that recast her as a deviant subject. It also situates her writings on schizophrenia and her critique of psychiatric authority within the intellectual context of postwar France, considering her as a spectral presence in Foucault's subsequent lectures on psychiatric power. Moderated by Jamieson Webster. Respondent: Elias Dakwar. Loiseau's forthcoming book, The Death of the Clinic: Radical Experiments in the Art of Medicine, will be previewed in the talk.
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free
Free
Opening Reception | Outdoor Sculpture Works: Exploring Ritual Objects from Western and Central Africa
Celebrate the opening of a new public art exhibition showcasing monumental redwood and bronze sculptures. Artist Woody De Othello's work draws on nkisi traditions, exploring ritual, spirituality, and the relationship between physical forms and unseen forces.
Enjoy brief remarks, light refreshments, and a first look at the installation.
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free
Free
Party | Play Bridge in a Stress-Free Environment
The card game of Bridge requires four people to play: two teams of two people. Join the group with your bridge partner, or you will be matched with someone to play as a pair. If you would like to learn how to play bridge, organizers can offer some instruction, and you can observe others.
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free
Free
Screening | Losing Ground (1982): Semiautobiographical Drama Film (+ Short Film & Discussion)
Losing Ground offers a radical vision of Black intellectual and emotional life with layered interior storytelling. The film follows Sara, a philosophy professor navigating love, intellect, and creative awakening during a summer upstate. Director: Kathleen Collins Cast: Seret Scott, Bill Gunn, Duane Jones The program opens with Madeleine Hunt Ehrlich's short film Cleopatra at the Mall (2024) that drifts through contemporary spaces of spectacle and consumption, reimagining mythic power within the everyday landscape of the shopping mall. Together, the films establish a dialogue across time about performance, interiority, and artistic self-definition, highlighting the enduring brilliance of Black women filmmakers as they shape their own cinematic worlds. Following the screening, Alfreda’s Cinema founder, Melissa Lyde will moderate a conversation with Nina Collins, and Madeleine Hunt Ehrlich.
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free
Free
Workshop | Dance Aerobics Class: Low Stakes & All Fun
Find your inner dancer and get your body moving with pure joy at this cathartic dance aerobics class! Low stakes, all fun, and open to all levels. Space is limited, unreserved, and available on a first-come, first-served basis. If there is heavy rain at the time of the event, the event will be canceled.
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free
Free
Workshop | Origami Group Meet-Up
This event is for people to come together and share in the beautiful art of Origami--an ancient art of folding various mediums, most commonly paper. The word comes from the combination of the Japanese verb oru (to fold) and the noun kami (paper). Other materials often folded are fabric, wire mesh, sheet metal, tissue, thin plastic, cardboard, and straws.This group meets to teach each other new models and share paper, books, and tips. This meeting is free and open to all level of folders from beginner to advanced. There will be free paper available to share. You may choose to bring your own paper and books and just show up and fold! If you have models you would like to learn, or teach, let the organizers know, and they will try our best to accommodate.
New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free
Free
Book Discussion | Daughters of Shandong Author Eve J. Chung Shares Her New Novel
Eve J. Chung launches her new novel, The Young Will Remember, in conversation with Lisa Ko. About the book: A sweeping novel about a correspondent trapped behind enemy lines during the Korean War, and the women who help her find her way home, from the national bestselling author of Daughters of Shandong.
New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free
Free
Book Discussion | Acclaimed Author Siri Hustvedt Shares Her New Memoir on Life with Paul Auster, Ghost Stories (In Person AND Online!)
Acclaimed novelist Siri Hustvedt reflects on the loss of her husband, Paul Auster, and her searing memoir of love and grief. In Ghost Stories, Siri Hustvedt reflects on the 43 years she shared with her husband, writer Paul Auster, tracing their life together from their early days in 1980s New York to his death in 2024. The memoir gathers memories of their daily rituals alongside Auster’s final writings, including letters and an unfinished work addressed to his grandson. Moving between personal recollection and philosophical inquiry, Ghost Stories is a meditation on memory, love, and the lives we continue to carry. The Library is proud to hold the papers of Paul Auster, which date from 1963 to 2022 and contain all aspects of his professional work, including typescript and holograph drafts, notebooks, correspondence, audio and moving image recordings, clippings, and ephemera. Hustvedt speaks with physician and literary scholar Rita Charon about how grief reshapes time and the self, and how a loved one’s presence lingers even after they’re gone.
New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free
Free
7:00 pm
Regular: $50
Member: $0
Regular: $50
Member: $0
Join the Club!
Book Discussion | Historian Shares Often-Overlooked Story, Credit to the Nation: Jewish Immigrant Bankers and American Finance
Attend a compelling book talk celebrating Credit to the Nation: Jewish Immigrant Bankers and American Finance, 1870–1930. Historian Rebecca Kobrin uncovers a powerful and often overlooked story: how Jewish immigrants, shut out of traditional financial institutions, built their own systems of credit to survive and thrive in the United States. At once a story of innovation and caution, Credit to the Nation connects the past to the present, asking what happens when access to credit is denied and how marginalized communities respond. Kobrin will be joined in conversation with Michael R. Cohen, Executive Director of the Grant Center for the American Jewish Experience and Stuart and Suzanne Grant Professor of the American Jewish Experience at Tulane University.
New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
pay-what-you-wish, tickets required
pay-what-you-wish, tickets required
Screening | Most Watched International Sporting Events on the Big (30-foot!) Screen Outdoors: Baseball
Today's Schedule:
7:00pm - 10:00pm MLB NYY vs Texas
8:40 - 10:00pm MLB Mets v Colorado
*Scheduled programming subject to change. Seating is open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis. Wells Fargo customers receive priority seating.
New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free
Free
Poetry Reading | National Book Award-Winner Shares Her New Book of Sonnets, Transitions
Enjoy a reading and discussion with poet, translator, and critic Marilyn Hacker for her newest book, Transitions. Over the course of her celebrated fifty-year career, Marilyn Hacker has continuously proven to be a timely, fearless, and lauded poet highly skilled in a wide variety of forms—most famously, the sonnet. Transitions is her first volume, consisting entirely of the beloved form.
New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free
Free
Dance Performance | Open Performance Showcase
A program of non-curated shared showings of experimentation and work-in-process, for artists at all stages of their development, selected through a randomized lottery. The events are centered around a moderated discussion between the artists and audience, providing an opportunity to experiment with different feedback methods to support and inform the artists’ process.
New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free
Free
Book Discussion | Pushcart Prize-Nominated Author Shares His New Book, Abundance
Attend a celebration of Hafeez Lakhani's Abundance, featuring Victor Suthammanont. About the book: In suburban Miami, sixty-year-old Sakeena--co-owner of a Dunkin' franchise along with her husband, Ramzan--has nine months to live unless she consents to an organ transplant. Thirty years ago, at Ramzan's behest, she left her beloved Rawalpindi, India, for the United States. In the years that followed, she compromised her belief in naseeb, the Muslim notion of destiny, and acquiesced to fertility treatments. This time, she is adamant that she should live as intended--without medical intervention. As her health deteriorates, Ramzan desperately seeks to reunite their grown children with the hope of convincing Sakeena to extend her life.
New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free
Free
Comedy Club | Super Story Party
Enjoy a lively night of true stories and comedy as seasoned performers and fresh voices take the stage for an energetic storytelling showcase. Hosted by a veteran producer and storyteller, the evening showcases both established and emerging storytellers, including Rachel Parenta, Kelli Dunham, Calvin Cato, and Alexander Scott. The night also features a "Magic Hat Open-Mic," giving audience members a chance to share their own tales.
New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free
Free
Concert | Intimate Evening with a Contemporary Vocal Ensemble
Experience "Unplugged," a contemporary vocal ensemble exploring popular and folk styles in an intimate, acoustic setting. Under the direction of Jamon Maple, the group serves as a creative laboratory where singers can discover new depth and versatility in their voices.
New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free
Free
8:30 pm
Regular: $35
Member: $0
Regular: $35
Member: $0
Join the Club!
9:30 pm
Regular: $35
Member: $0
Regular: $35
Member: $0
Join the Club!
Join the Club!
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