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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!
25 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Friday, November 20, 2026
All events are free unless otherwise noted.Workshop | Autumnal Crafting Session
Make a fall-themed puffy paint window cling, or bring your own project to work on! Attention! This project takes several days to dry. Please plan accordingly to pick it up at a later date.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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11:00 am
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Workshop | Clay Sculpture Lesson (Part 2)
Participants will have the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and start hand-building their own unique sculptures using all sorts of fun tools and techniques. Whether you follow our playful prompts or go totally freestyle, you’ll leave with something truly one-of-a-kind. In part two of this sculpture workshop, the group will decorate our sculptures with paint. Come roll up your sleeves and let your imagination run wild as attendees glaze (paint) their creations from our first session to bring them to life!
Manhattan, New York, NY
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12:00 pm
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
Film | Lion (2016): Australian Biographical Drama with Dev Patel
In this heartrending drama based on a true story, a 5-year-old Indian boy is adopted by an Australian couple after he gets lost in Calcutta. Years later, he struggles with his memories of his birth family, and decides to begin a search for them. Director: Garth Davis Cast: Dev Patel, Sunny Pawar, Rooney Mara, David Wenham Dev Patel is an English actor and filmmaker. He has received various accolades, including a BAFTA and nominations for an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. In 2024, Patel was included in Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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1:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Film | Saturday Night Fever (1977): Dance Drama Starring John Travolta
Anxious about his future after high school, a 19-year-old Italian-American from Brooklyn tries to escape the harsh reality of his bleak family life by dominating the dance floor at the local disco. Director: John Badham Cast: John Travolta, Karen Gorney John Travolta is an American actor whose accolades include a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards and a BAFTA Award.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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1:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Workshop | Crafting Circle: Work on Personal Projects & Make New Friends
Freeform crafting and conversation! Bring your own project or choose something from the collection to work on. The organizers have materials for sewing, knitting, crochet, coloring, and paper crafts. All programs are subject to change or cancellation.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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1:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Film | Housekeeping for Beginners (2023): Macedonian/Romani/Serbian Drama
A story exploring the universal truths of family, both the ones we're born into and the ones we find for ourselves. Dita never wanted to be a mother, but circumstances force her to raise her girlfriend's two daughters, tiny troublemaker Mia and rebellious teen Vanesa. A battle of wills ensues as the three continue to butt heads and become an unlikely family that must fight to stay together. Director: Goran Stolevski Cast: Anamaria Marinca, Alina Serban, Samson Selim, Vladimir Tintor, Mia Mustafi, Dżada Selim
Manhattan, New York, NY
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2:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Film | Waikiki (2020): Drama
When a hula dancer on the run crashes into a broken spirit of a man, they begin a journey into a hidden world, developing a connection through humanity, nature, and culture. Director: Christopher Kahunahana Cast: Danielle Zalopany, Peter Shinkoda, Jason Quinn, Kealohi Kalahiki, Nahinu Kalahiki
Manhattan, New York, NY
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2:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Book Discussion | Historical Geographer Discusses What Has Influenced NYC’s Culture & Identity
Rashad Shabazz traces how New York City evolved from its Dutch origins to the rise of hip-hop in the South Bronx. As part of his ongoing research for a book in progress, Shabazz, associate professor in the School of Social Transformation at Arizona State University, examines how figures such as Peter Stuyvesant, John Randel Jr., and Robert Moses transformed New York City through major urban planning projects. Shabazz considers the lasting impact of these choices, including how the Cross Bronx Expressway disrupted poor Black and Puerto Rican neighborhoods in the South Bronx while unintentionally creating the conditions from which hip-hop emerged.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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2:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Book Club | Reading & Discussing Dealing With the Dead by Alain Mabanckou
This book club will be reading and discussing a fiction book set in a new country every month, with a high priority on reading books in translation that are written by authors from the countries the group is visiting. This month: Congo. Dealing With the Dead by Alain Mabanckou, translated from French by Helen Stevenson! About the book: Abruptly deceased at the age of twenty-four and trapped forever in flared purple trousers, Liwa Ekimakingaï encounters the other residents of Frère Lachaise cemetery, all of whom have their own complex stories of life and death. Unwilling to relinquish their tender bond, Liwa makes his way back home to Pointe-Noire to see his devoted grandmother one last time, against all spectral advice. But disturbing rumours swirl together with Liwa's jumbled memories of his last night on earth, leading him to pursue the riddle of his own untimely demise. A phantasmagorical tale of ambition, community and forces beyond human control, Dealing with the Dead is a scathing satire on corruption and political violence by one of the foremost chroniclers of modern Central Africa.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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4:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Museums | Friday Night Function at an Iconic Art Museum
Enjoy art, drinks, special programming, music, city views, and more! Throughout the night, there will be a few "15-minute tours," highlighting different parts of the collection.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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5:00 pm
free, tickets required
free, tickets required
Workshop | Discover the Art of the Postcard & Create Your Own
Postcard enthusiasts, also known as deltiologists, are welcome to this program! Writing and communicating with postcards is a longstanding tradition, still embraced by many today. Attend to write postcards inspired by suggested prompts, to swap postcards, and to discuss all topics postcard-related. There will be some limited supplies available but you may also bring your own to embellish a 4x6 card to write on. Postage stamps will not be provided at this program.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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5:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Museums | Friday Evening at the Famous Art Museum
This special, all-ages evening celebrates the art and the city. Explore in the galleries, get creative with drop-in drawing sessions, and see a film in the theaters. Museum stores and cafe will be open, too, so you can grab a bite, get drinks, or shop for unique design objects. Free for New York State residents but must be reserved in advance (up to two adults), and are subject to availability and proof of residency. Tickets are released one week in advance.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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5:30 pm
free for New...
free for New...
Book Discussion | Artist Shares Her New Nonfiction Book of Artistic Musings (+ Signing)
A conversation between Jarrett Earnest, host of Private Life, The New York Review of Books podcast, and Celia Paul to celebrate Paul’s new book, Objects of Desire: An Artist in Venice. Alone in Venice for an artist's residency, Celia Paul began keeping an ongoing record of her painting. Objects of Desire is a mesmerizing account of her perceptions in La Serenissima and of her preoccupations there: female desire and love, mortality, and memory. The book is a radiant record of a life devoted to art, a profound portrait of an artist who longs to confront herself and who invites the reader to do the same. After the talk, Celia Paul will sign copies of her book.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Tour | Guided Exhibition Tour Exploring Ancient Magic Practices
A walk through the current exhibition, Cursed! The Power of Magic in the Ancient World. From its integration into religious traditions in Mesopotamia and Egypt, to its marginal, often illicit status in Greece and Rome, magic played a central role in ancient societies. Cursed! examines the visualization and practice of magic between 2000 BCE and 300 CE in these communities, featuring rare objects in a variety of media-including sculpture in stone and bronze; decorated ceramics; amulets in semiprecious stones, gold, and silver; and papyrus scrolls. Taken together, these artifacts reveal a shared human desire: to influence the unseen forces shaping life and death.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Concert | Songwriting Duo Performs Original Songs with Playful Sensibility
Liam Robinson and Jean Rohe bring their distinctive blend of folk tradition, sharp lyricism, and effortless harmony to the stage. Performing on banjo, accordion, guitar, and vocals, the duo draws on American roots music while bringing a fresh, playful sensibility to their original songs. Robinson is the music director and vocal arranger of Broadway’s Hadestown, and Rohe is an award-winning songwriter recognized by the Kerrville Folk Festival and Brooklyn Arts Council. With the release of Into the Night, their cinematic collection of new songs on Righteous Babe Records, the duo offers what Anaïs Mitchell calls “a portrait of togetherness and honest, defiant joy in a messy world.”
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:30 pm
free, RSVP recommended
free, RSVP recommended
Jazz | Award-Winning Mexican Composer & Vibraphonist Performs with Her Trio
New collaboration with the annual contemporary arts festival features the vibraphonist Patricia Brennan. Patricia Brennan is an award-winning Mexican composer and improviser that found her voice through the vibraphone and mallet percussion. She will perform with her trio, which includes Kim Cass on bass and Noel Brennan on drums.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Classical Music | Chamber Works by Schubert & Missy Mazzoli
Christine Browning, voice, Molly Aronson, cello, Kristina Giles, violin, Daniel Lamas, viola, Rebekah Greene, bass, and Allison Lander, piano. Program: Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Impromptu in G-flat Major, D. 899 No. 3 Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Du bist die Ruh Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Ständchen Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Gretchen am Spinnrade Missy Mazzoli (1980-) A Thousand Tongues Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Die Forelle Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Trout Quintet, Movements I, IV and V
Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:00 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Talk | Fashion Museum Curator Discusses the Relationship between Dolls & Fashion
As early as the fourteenth century, dolls circulated throughout Europe as miniature fashion models, showcasing the latest trends in three-dimensional detail. The first models for many aspiring creatives, dolls have inspired fashion designers from Marc Jacobs to Anna Sui. Dr. Colleen Hill, curator of The Museum at FIT’s exhibition "Doll Dressing" and author of the companion book, provides an in-depth look at the often unexpected relationship between dolls and fashion. Hill is senior curator of costume at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Since joining FIT, Colleen has curated 20 exhibitions, including "Fashioning Wonder: A Cabinet of Curiosities" (2025), and "Shoes: Anatomy, Identity, Magic" (2022). She has authored or co-authored nine books on fashion.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Jazz | Jazz Bassist Shares His Music & His New Book, My Life in the World of Music
An evening with Joe Fonda, a prolific composer, musician, recording artist, interdisciplinary performer, producer, and educator. He has appeared on over 300 recordings, performed all across North America and Europe, and collaborated with many adventurous musicians, including long associations with Anthony Braxton and Wadada Leo Smith. This event marks the release of his autobiography, My Life in the World of Music. The book will be available for purchase at the event.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:00 pm
$5 suggested donation,...
$5 suggested donation,...
Play | Accomplices: Political Family Drama
A new stage work inspired by Luchino Visconti's 1969 film The Damned. Set in Germany during the rise of fascism, the play follows one powerful family as ambition, fear, and the pursuit of power slowly transform them from bystanders into participants. Timely, provocative, and ensemble-driven, Accomplices explores how ordinary people become complicit in extraordinary events—and asks what happens when silence becomes a choice. Co-written by Arthur Makaryan, Emily Quin, Lucy Garcia, Twyla Weinstein, V Nivelle, and Clara Lupi. Directed by Arthur Makaryan Cast: V Nivelle, Mora Martinez, Shayne Ravello, Gergana Lilova, Prakhar Dixit, Lucy Garcia, Emily Quinn, Charles Cobb, Twyla Weinstein
Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Concert | THE DANISH GIRL in Concert: Music from the Newly Developed Musical
Breaking the Binary Theatre celebrates Transgender Day of Remembrance. THE DANISH GIRL in Concert marks the first time material from the musical will be seen and heard by the public. 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...
Open Mic | Hearing from Emerging Writers or Performing Your Own Work
Hear original work by local, emerging writers of all genres, or share some of your own pieces! All performers welcome! Hosted by novelist Ed Lin. Sign ups start from 7:30PM. 5-minute time slots.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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8:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Dance Performance | Original Dance Works in Varied Styles & Genres
Featuring original choreography by faculty members. Open to the public, appropriate for all ages.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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8:00 pm
$5, tickets required
$5, tickets required
Join the Club!
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