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free things to do in New York City
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!
34 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Thursday, November 12, 2026
All events are free unless otherwise noted.Tour | New York City Hall Guided Tour
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 also a designated interior landmark. Note: When registering, choose the "Individual Tour" option.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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10:00 am
free, registration required...
free, registration required...
Film | Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987): Road Trip Comedy Film with Steve Martin
What he really wanted was to spend Thanksgiving with his family. What he got was three days with the turkey. An irritable marketing executive, Neal Page, is heading home to Chicago for Thanksgiving when a number of delays force him to travel with a well-meaning but overbearing shower curtain ring salesman, Del Griffith. Director: John Hughes Cast: Steve Martin, John Candy Steve Martin is an American actor, writer, comedian, and filmmaker. Throughout his career, he's won five Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Honorary Academy Award, as well as nominations for two Tony Awards. He's also been awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the Kennedy Center Honors, and an AFI Life Achievement Award. In 2004, Comedy Central ranked him as sixth in a lineup of the 100 greatest stand-up comics.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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11:00 am
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Workshop | Mat Pilates Session (Beginners Welcome)
Sweet Water Dance & Yoga leads a session of mat pilates, a strengthening and lengthening exercise that focuses on conditioning your core muscles while also training your arms and legs. This class incorporates key Pilates principles such as postural alignment, breathing, strength, controlled movement, and flexibility. This class is perfect for beginners but intermediate and advanced movers will also benefit. Bring your own mat.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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11:00 am
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Birdwatching | Spotting Central Park's Autumn Migrators with an Expert
Enjoy a special spring birding experience, led by expert birder Alan Drogin, and see how many (of over 280 species of birds that have been documented in Central Park) you can spot. Whether you're a seasoned birder or a curious beginner, this program will introduce you to the basics of bird identification, including how to recognize birds by shape, behavior, and sound. Spot some of the spring migrators, such as colorful warblers, orioles, and thrushes, and explore the natural wonders hidden in the heart of the city!
Manhattan, New York, NY
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11:00 am
free, registration required
free, registration required
Workshop | Learn to Juggle in the Park
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.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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12:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Classical Music | Organ Works by J.S. Bach in a Beautiful Church (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.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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12:20 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Classical Music | Chamber Works Highlighting Underrepresented Musical Traditions (In Person AND Online!)
Guadalupe Peraza, mezzo-soprano, Jae Lee, harpsichord, Sinuhe Padilla, jarana, voice, percussion, and Swaminathan Selvaganesh, kanjira (South Indian frame drum) and konnakol. Mexamorphosis is a dynamic intercultural project that brings together traditional musical styles including early music from around the world, with improvisation and, when possible, dance. Featuring a rotating cast of global artists, it fosters cultural dialogue by highlighting shared roots and collective narratives. Mexamorphosis creates a participatory space where diverse traditions coexist, offering audiences an immersive musical experience.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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1:15 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Film | The Bride! (2026): Gothic Romance Film with Christian Bale
In 1930s Chicago, Frankenstein asks Dr. Euphronius to help create a companion. They give life to a murdered woman as the Bride, sparking romance, police interest, and radical social change. Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal Cast: Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, Penélope Cruz Christian Bale is an English actor. Known for his versatility and physical transformations for his roles, he has been a leading man in films of several genres. His accolades include an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for four BAFTAs. He was one of the highest-paid actors in 2014, and The Independent later named him one of the greatest actors of the 21st century.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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2:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Workshop | Guide Finding Photography Inpiration
In this talk, cinematographer David Geffen shares photographs and stories from productions both at home and abroad and shows how the same eye, the same handful of habits, and a desire to see more deeply carry across all facets of image-making. Whether you're just starting out or a serious enthusiast, you'll leave with practical ways to stay inspired and to find something worth photographing wherever you happen to be. After fifteen years creating images, David Geffin has come to believe almost the opposite: the best images come from how you look and what you see, simple habits anyone can develop. What you'll take away: - How to train your eye to notice light, texture, and the overlooked - Why your own backyard is one of the richest subjects you have - Simple habits that keep you creatively charged instead of waiting for inspiration to strike - Lessons in seeing that work with any camera you already own - How traveling for work or for pleasure can sharpen the way you make images at home
Manhattan, New York, NY
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3:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Workshop | Learn about the Traditional Medium & Practice of Wampum Carving + More Indigenous Art Practices
This session with Indigenous artist and cultural consultant Tecumseh Ceaser offers an introduction to Native history before and after first contact, examining key events, laws, and movements and their lasting impact on Indigenous communities. The Eastern Woodlands are home to Indigenous peoples whose histories, cultures, and traditions extend long before European contact and continue to shape the region today. Participants will also learn about cultural practices and traditions including language, land stewardship, wampum (quahog shell), and art. Together, these topics offer a critical lens for considering how Indigenous histories and cultures have been represented, remembered, and understood. Participants will learn about the traditional medium and practice of wampum carving, as well as the cultural significance of land, language, art, and stewardship. Educators will reflect on the ways Indigenous histories have been shaped by colonial encounters and dominant historical narratives, while considering how traditional knowledge and cultural practices continue to inform Indigenous life today.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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5:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Workshop | Full-Body Fitness Class in the Park (All-Levels Welcome)
An outdoor workout in the park for building strength, balance, and community. This full-body fitness class is designed to energize your week, boost your mood, and build community in the heart of Lower Manhattan. Every movement can be modified, making it perfect for beginners, returning exercisers, and parents looking to reset after school drop-off.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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5:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Film | Existenz (1999): Sci-Fi Horror Film from David Cronenberg
A game designer on the run from assassins must play her latest virtual reality creation with a marketing trainee to determine if the game has been damaged. Director: David Cronenberg Cast: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Ian Holm, Don McKellar, Callum Keith Rennie, Sarah Polley David Cronenberg is a Canadian filmmaker and actor. He's known as a principal originator of the body horror genre. Cronenberg is best known for exploring these themes through sci-fi horror films such as Shivers (1975), Scanners (1981), Videodrome (1983), and The Fly (1986), though he has also directed dramas, psychological thrillers, and gangster films.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Opening Reception | Low Key Shrines: French Paintings and German Ceramics -- Solo Exhibition from Pioneer of the British Black Arts Movement
A new body of work that examines the act of commemoration, reinventing the public landmarks and domestic altars we erect to honor the dead. A self-described “painter and a cultural activist,” Lubaina Himid rose to prominence in the 1980s as a pioneer of the British Black Arts Movement and a staunch advocate for the contributions of women of color to the visual arts. Organizing groundbreaking shows in community-centered or disused spaces as well as preeminent London institutions, Himid created sites for Black artists and communities to exhibit and to congregate.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Opening Reception | Meine Schule: Solo Exhibition Drawing a Line between Past & Present
Recent work by Georg Baselitz. Conceived and designed by the artist and curated by Richard Calvocoressi, Meine Schule includes his last completed paintings; his last sculpture, Strawinsky; and a second late sculpture, 1965 (2024).
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Book Discussion | New Yorker-Featured Author Shares His Latest Novel, West of Loveland
A conversation with Tom Drury to celebrate his new book, a novel that returns readers to the Midwest in a moving portrait of contemporary life in a small rural county. The conversation will be followed by a signing.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Gallery Talk | Art History Talk: Discover the Life & legacy of Joan Miro
Explore the life and work of an iconic modern artist. Miró’s works are hard to classify but do express his pride in his Catalan heritage (references to Barcelona and the countryside) and his contempt for conventional art. The unconscious and subconscious interact with a child-like wonder and dreamlike imagery so he might be dubbed a surrealist. After 1920, he spent winters in Paris and summers on the family farm near Barcelona. He directly influenced Pollock, Calder, and Rothko. His themes are sex, humor, nature, excrement, and playfulness along with fear and anger. He worked in oil, gouache, bronze, and ceramics.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
$5, RSVP required
$5, RSVP required
Concert | International Beats with DJ So Money
DJ So Money brings a thoughtfully curated approach to the evening, blending soulful rhythms and global sounds to create an atmosphere that feels elevated yet welcoming. Her sets are designed with warm, intentional selections that feel stylish without being distracting. When DJ So Money is behind the decks, the music moves with purpose, and the vibe is always right.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Classical Music | Organ Works by Handel, Buxtehude, & More (In Person AND Online!)
Dariusz Bakowski-Kois & Marcin Kucharczyk, organ. Program: Dieterich Buxtehude (1637-1707) Toccata in F, BuxWV 156 Georg Friedrich Handel (1685-1759)?Organ concerto B-dur, Op. 7 nr 3, HWV 308 Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (1732-95) Sonata A-dur zu vier Handen, W XIII Louis Vierne (1870-1937) Carillon de Westminster, op. 54 nr 6 Marcel Dupre (1886-1971) Sortie, op. 62 nr 3
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, registration required...
free, registration required...
Concert | R&B, Jazz, Classical, & Hip-Hop Music Sampled from Three Musicals
Fresh off a sold-out run at Green Room 42 and a developmental reading of their first public work, Influenced with ATC Theater in Pittsburgh, writers Dwayne Washington and Brandon Jackson bring a high-energy evening of brand-new musical theater to the stage. Drawing on world music, R&B, jazz, classical, and hip-hop, the Juilliard- and Berklee-trained collaborators create a sound that is unmistakably their own. Featuring songs from three musicals currently in development, the performance celebrates Black joy, bold storytelling, and a fresh perspective on what Broadway can sound like.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Film | The Lovers on the Bridge (1991): French Romantic Drama
Centered on the Pont Neuf during its restorative closure, this film weaves a visceral romance between two drifters, Alex and Michèle. Alex, a performer grappling with addiction, finds an unlikely companion in Michèle, an artist whose world is fading due to a progressive visual impairment and a fractured past. Alongside an elder companion, Hans, they carve out an existence on Paris’s oldest bridge. As Michèle’s sight fails, her reliance on Alex intensifies, creating a fragile bond. When a medical cure surfaces and her family launches a public search, Alex, consumed by the terror of abandonment, desperately obscures the truth. The cinematic tapestry uses the 1989 Bicentennial festivities as a grand, atmospheric stage for their desperate connection amidst the city’s waterways and skies. Director: Leos Carax Cast: Juliette Binoche, Denis Lavant, Klaus Michael Grüber
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:30 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Book Discussion | Best-Selling Historian Shares His New Book on the Middle East
The Cauldron, by Simon Sebag Montefiore, takes the reader on a spectacular journey from the Ottoman sultanate to the Trump presidency, from Morocco to Iran -- a panorama brought to life by an extraordinary cast of kings, warriors, poets, terrorists, and peacemakers. A master storyteller, Montefiore reveals the origins of the world we live in. Montefiore will appear in conversation with Tom Reiss, author of The Orientalist, The Black Count, and coming this spring, We Will Never Die, about the greatest rescue effort of World War II. “Vivid and monumental . . . could not [be] more essential” – Sunday Times.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Talk | Interdisciplinary Artist Shares His Techniques of "Hallucinatory" Drawing (In Person AND Online!)
This presentation by Mark West will describe a practice that adopts methods of Finding rather than methods of Control. These include techniques of "hallucinatory" drawing utilizing the very human capacity for pareidolia, structural form-finding utilizing yielding and flexible materials, and somehow parallel sculptural findings as well. These are examples of how a longstanding fixation on Control may be softened and dissolved by surprisingly simple methods. The presentation will be followed by a Q & A.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Workshop | Intermediate Chess-Playing: Level-Up Your Game
Develop your strategies and take your game to the next level with chess expert Tamar Chanadiri from the Marshall Chess Club. Chess has many benefits, including:
Improving cognitive skills
Encouraging creativity
Building confidence
Developing problem-solving skills
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Book Discussion | MacArthur Fellow Shares Discusses Her Creative Career
An evening with Maaza Mengiste. Mengiste will be in conversation with writer and translator Lars Horn. Maaza Mengiste is a novelist, essayist, and the recipient of a 2026 MacArthur Fellowship. She is the author of the novel, The Shadow King, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and was an LA Times Book Prize Fiction finalist. Her debut novel, Beneath the Lion’s Gaze, was selected by the Guardian as one of the 10 best contemporary African books.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:30 pm
free, tickets required
free, tickets required
Book Discussion | American Book Award-Winning Poet Shares Her New Collection, The Ghost Forest
Kimiko Hahn in conversation with Sally Wen Mao. Kimiko Hahn introduces her new poetry collection The Ghost Forest. About the book: Opening with forty-three new formally inventive poems and leading the reader back in time through selections from her ten previous volumes, The Ghost Forest offers a contemplative and haunting narrative of a writer's artistic journey through craft and form while illuminating her personal history.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:00 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Concert | Evening of Creative, Improvised Music
A concert, featuring Uptown- and Bronx-based musicians performing in different combinations.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:00 pm
donations encouraged, RSVP...
donations encouraged, RSVP...
Talk | National Book Award Finalist Discusses How Literature Can Shape Radical Political Moments
In this hour-long craft talk, Camonghne Felix will depart from Let the Poets Govern to reflect on poetic principles. Over the past decade, Camonghne Felix has been at the center of American politics, working in strategy, communications, and as a speechwriter. Throughout it all, she has maintained her unwavering belief in language’s foundational revolutionary potential, outside of its deployment for legislative and political ends. In Let the Poets Govern, she argues that Black radical poetic traditions model an ethical code and overcome entrenched structures of patriarchy and paternalism, inventing a new form that examines the historical and legislative, and the personal and poetic.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:00 pm
pay-what-you-wish, tickets required
pay-what-you-wish, tickets required
Poetry Reading | National Book Critics Circle Award-Winning Writer Shares Her Poetry
A poetry reading by Claudia Rankine, hosted by Terrance Hayes. The event will conclude with a reception/signing with books for sale. Claudia Rankine is the author of eight books, three plays, and numerous video collaborations. She is also the co-editor of several anthologies. In 2016, Rankine co-founded The Racial Imaginary Institute (TRII). Among her numerous awards and honors, Rankine is the recipient of the National Book Critics Circle Award, the Forward Prize, the LA Times Book Award, the Bobbitt National Prize for Poetry, the Poets & Writers’ Jackson Poetry Prize, and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Lannan Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, United States Artists, DAAD, The American Academy in Rome, The American Academy in Berlin, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
7:00 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Poetry Reading | New Works of Poetry
A reading by Heather Dubrow from her latest collection, Space Stations.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
7:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Author Reading | Psychoanalysts Discuss Their Book on Freud
Jamieson Webster and Patricia Gherovici share their new book, Case by Case. Freud’s ‘talking cure’ and its offshoots are more widespread today than ever. But as the divisive issues of our time grow more urgent, a contentious question persists: must psychoanalysis remove itself from politics altogether in order to be effective? Or is it inherently political? Specific disagreements about how clinicians should or shouldn’t engage with imperialism, violence, race, and gender identity point to the broader question of where politics is situated in our psychic life. Is it on the periphery – a symptom or displacement – or right at the heart of the matter?
Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Play | Practice: Dramatic Take on Power & Surrender
It takes grit, determination, self-awareness, and years of training to be an artist. But what does it take to be a genius? Written by Nazareth Hassan. Directed by Jasminn Johnson. Cast: Carl Collins, Kris Jai, Tom Phelan, Sean Sekino, Camila Madero, Ase' Micah Tyler, Lance Avery Brown, Joy Callwood, Eric Steven Flores, and Imran Curic. Content Warning: Practice contains mature themes and content, including: substance use, simulated vomiting and intoxication, and references to past sexual trauma, suicide, incarceration, and grief.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Musical | The Precipice: Coming-of-Age, Feminist Fairytale Musical (Premiere)
As with her previous show, Spiral Bound, composer, lyricist, and performer Miranda Ferriss Jones brings together a majority-women collective spanning generations and disciplines, including Jones herself alongside Tony Award winner Laura Benanti. With The Precipice, Jones asks the question, "What will you do when they come for your wild?" This original, feminist fairy tale follows Iris and Polly, daughters of Lady Midnight, Goddess of Dreams. Each embodies half of their mother: Polly, the dark, and Iris, the light. Separated on Earth and raised in vastly different worlds, they reunite as teenagers and must fight to preserve their identities. This mythic coming-of-age tale affirms the greatest threat to an oppressive society is a sisterhood bound together by unbridled freedom and radical love. There are two ways to access this event: 1. General Admission, first-come first-served. Just show up! 2. Fast Track opening the Monday before the event at noon.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:30 pm
free, fast-track option...
free, fast-track option...
Play | Witch: Darkly Comic Contemporary Retelling of a Jacobean Drama
A charming devil arrives in the quiet village of Edmonton to bargain for the souls of its residents in exchange for their darkest wishes. Elizabeth should be his easiest target, having been labeled a "witch" and cast out by the town, but her soul is not so readily bought. As the devil returns to convince her - and then returns again - unexpected passions flare, alliances are formed, and the village is forever changed. An inventive retelling of a Jacobean drama, this sharp, subversive fable debates how much our souls are wroth when hope is hard to come by. Written by Jen Silverman. Directed by Daniella Caggiano.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Comedy Club | Standup Show
Catch some of the best comedians at this free weekly stand-up show, featuring a lineup of rising stars and seasoned favorites. Past performers include Sheng Wang, Mark Normand, Dan Soder, Annie Lederman, and more.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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8:00 pm
free, reservation required...
free, reservation required...
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