free things to do in New York City
Free events for Tuesday, 10/17/23
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Free Events, Free Things to Do in New York City!  Read More

Are you looking for free things to do in New York City (NYC) on October 17, 2023?

49 free events take place on Tuesday, October 17 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 October 17 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 October . 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!

49 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Tuesday, October 17, 2023

All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Editor's Picks

free events nyc Tamizdat as a Literary Practice and Political Institution of the Cold War Era (in-person and online)
free events nyc What Makes It Italian?: Rome Environs (online)
free events nyc The Missing Picture (2013): Unique Recreation of Khmer Rouge Atrocities
free events nyc A Call for Disobedience: The Unexpected Revolution of Two Priests in Post-War Italy
free events nyc Teatro Real Artistic Director Discusses the Famous Opera House
free events nyc Music on the Concept of Rituals
free events nyc A Conversation with Award-Winning Poet Mary Szybist
More Editor's Picks for 10/17/23
        

Tour | 13 Tours, All City Neighborhoods, Any Time Of The Day, Choose One Tour Or Many


These free tours take place at various times during the day, all day long. You can make reservations for as many tours as your schedule allows. SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Heights + DUMBO 3 Hour Lower Manhattan Harlem Chelsea and the High Line 6 Hour Downtown Combined Greenwich Village Central Park Lower Manhattan Midtown Manhattan Grand Central Terminal Graffiti and Street Art Tours World Trade Center
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Workshop | Adult Zumba


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

Lecture | Fish Idols and Red Gods: (Re)inventing the Literary Canon in the Soviet Indigenous North (in-person and online)


A lecture by Klavdia Smola, Visiting Scholar, The native peoples of the north – the Evenks, Nanai, Khanty, Nenets, Chukchi, Koryak or Eskimos – became objects of assimilation, extermination, and the creation of a written culture from scratch in the early Soviet era. Their small numbers, remoteness from the cultural metropolises, in addition to the still strong ties to the traditions of their ancestors make their literary production a particularly controversial example of modernization and (post)colonial dependencies in the former Soviet state. Due to the lack of a pre-Soviet written literary tradition, “young” literatures (mladopis΄mennye literatury) were born as a symbiosis of folklore, beliefs, indigenous-Christian customs and the surrogate literary tradition of the Russian-European center: the Soviet “master plot.” Having graduated from universities in Moscow or Leningrad, the first generations of writers “(re)invented” a view of themselves as simultaneously native and Other. What was the consequence of the fact that the Siberia’s native authors internalized the role of the youngest “brother” within the “family” of Soviet national literatures? How did the northern indigenous minorities manifest their own version of the Soviet literary canon and reflect on the “cultural clash” of Sovietization in the post-Thaw period? And what happened when the local authors had experienced a cardinal reevaluation of their values in the pre-perestroika time?
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Discussion | Navigating Challenges for Migrant Workers in Labor Migration


A discussion shedding light on the human rights challenges faced by migrant workers as they navigate the precious and vulnerable landscape of labor migration, offering insights and strategies to safeguard their fundamental rights and dignity.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:10 pm
Free

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


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

Film | Poltergeist (1982): horror


Strange and creepy happenings beset an average California family, the Freelings — Steve, Diane, teenaged Dana, eight-year-old Robbie, and five-year-old Carol Ann — when ghosts commune with them through the television set. Initially friendly and playful, the spirits turn unexpectedly menacing, and when Carol Ann goes missing, Steve and Diane turn to a parapsychologist and eventually an exorcist for help. Director: Tobe Hooper Cast: JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Beatrice Straight
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | Organ Works (In Person AND Online)


Margaret Harper, organ.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Master Class | Violin Master Class


A violin master class with David Chan. Currently in his 24th season as concertmaster of New York’s MET Orchestra, David Chan has also recently served as Music Director of the APEX Ensemble, with which he earned high praise for innovative and adventurous programming, and as Music Director of Camerata Notturna, one of New York City’s foremost chamber orchestras. As Artistic Partner of Mainly Mozart’s Festival of Orchestras, he has conducted the organization’s famed All-Star Orchestra, as well as an entire festival combining musicians of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony, and another series bringing together members of the MET Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Discussion | Will the A.I. Future Be Inclusive? (online)


Many commentators have sounded the alarm about bias in artificial intelligence and other digital technology. But what if such technology could instead be a powerful tool to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion? In her book The Equality Machine, legal and tech scholar Orly Lobel argues that digital technology holds tremendous promise—it can detect discrimination, close pay gaps, and challenge racial and gender stereotypes. Professor Lobel will be in conversation with Professor Kenji Yoshino, Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law and Director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, to discuss the risks and opportunities of our digital future. What are the dangers of automation? How will rapid advancements in artificial intelligence affect our workplaces and other major institutions? And most importantly, how can we harness digital technology so that it’s a driver of equality and inclusion rather than discrimination and exclusion? 
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Concert | Pop-Up Party Brass Band


Dance, sing, and celebrate with Triad Brass - a pop-up party brass band of award-winning musicians bringing you songs from the seventies, numbers from the noughties, and something for everyone in-between.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:30 pm
Free

Film | CANCELLED: The Man I Love (1947): film noir melodrama


A homesick, no-nonsense lounge singer decides to leave New York City to spend some time visiting her two sisters and brother on the West Coast. Eventually she falls in love with a down-and-out ex-jazz pianist. Director: Raoul Walsh Cast: Ida Lupino, Robert Alda, Bruce Bennett
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Book Club | Poetry Discussion Circle: Banned Poetry


Join fellow poetry enthusiasts in unpacking the layered meanings of poetry through an informal group discussion. Celebrate the freedom to read by exploring poetry that has been censored, challenged, banned, or burned. Readings are selected from Poetry Magazine and Poetry Foundation. Please note that contemporary poetry deals frankly with contemporary issues, and all works discussed are artistic expressions selected for an adult audience. 
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:30 pm
Free

Film | Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (2023) with Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates


Eleven-year-old Margaret moves to a new town and starts to contemplate everything about life, friendship, and adolescence. She relies on her mother, Barbara, who offers loving support, and her grandmother, Sylvia, who's coming to terms with finding happiness in the next phase of her life. Questions of identity, one's place in the world, and what brings meaning to life soon bring them closer together than ever before. Director: Kelly Fremon Craig Cast: Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, and Kathy Bates Rachel McAdams made her Hollywood film debut in the comedy The Hot Chick. She rose to fame in 2004 with the comedy Mean Girls and the romantic drama The Notebook. In 2005, she starred in the romantic comedy Wedding Crashers, the psychological thriller Red Eye, and the comedy-drama The Family Stone. Kathy Bates is an American actor and director. Known for her roles in comedic and dramatic films and television programs, she has received various accolades throughout her career spanning over five decades, including an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Primetime Emmy Awards, in addition to nominations for a Tony Award and two British Academy Film Awards.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Drop-In Chess


Play the popular strategy game while getting pointers and advice from an expert. Chess improves concentration, problem solving, and strategic planning -- plus it's fun. For ages 5 and up (adults welcome).
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:30 pm
Free

Lecture | Criminalized Governance: Gangs Rule in Rio


For more than four decades, drug trafficking gangs have monopolized violence and engaged in various forms of governance across hundreds of favelas (informal neighborhoods) in Rio de Janeiro. Yet these relationships vary considerably across space and time. Some gangs have developed responsive relations with local populations by resolving disputes, stimulating the local economy, and providing various forms of recreation. Other gangs have engaged in more coercive and violent behavior while offering residents few benefits. What accounts for this variation? This talk, based on 18 months of ethnographic fieldwork in several gang-controlled territories, theorizes how criminalized governance outcomes are produced by dynamic and repeated interactions between gang members and residents within specific security environments. Speaker Nicholas Barnes (Ph.D., University of Wisconsin–Madison) is a Lecturer in the School of International Relations at the University of St. Andrews and affiliated faculty at the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies and the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free

Lecture | Tamizdat as a Literary Practice and Political Institution of the Cold War Era (in-person and online)


Throughout the Soviet century, tamizdat (literally, "published over there," or abroad) comprised manuscripts rejected, censored or never submitted for publication at home but smuggled through various channels across the Iron Curtain and printed elsewhere, with or without the authors' knowledge or consent. Until perestroika, when the Curtain began to rust, these publications were used as a weapon on the cultural fronts of the Cold War. In his talk, Yasha Klots will speak about the history of tamizdat as a literary practice and political institution, as well as about its relevance today, when censorship and political persecution in Putin's Russia is back, having generated another "wave" of emigration from Russia. He will also touch on the Tamizdat Project's dedication to supporting students displaced by war or repressions in their home countries since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Speaker Yasha Klots is Associate Professor of Russian Literature at Hunter College and CUNY Graduate Center.
   New York City, NY; NYC
4:00 pm
Free

Film | California Split (1974): comedy-drama


Carefree single guy Charlie Waters rooms with two lovely prostitutes, Barbara Miller and Susan Peters, and lives to gamble. Along with his glum betting buddy, Bill Denny, Charlie sets out on a gambling streak in search of the ever-elusive big payday. While Charlie and Bill have some lucky moments, they also have to contend with serious setbacks that threaten to derail their hedonistic betting binge. Director: Robert Altman Cast: George Segal, Elliott Gould
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Book Discussion | Good Rebel Governance: Revolutionary Politics and Western Intervention in Syria


When a revolutionary uprising erupted in Syria during the spring of 2011, pockets of local resistance and the nascent institutions therein transformed into clusters of rudimentary participatory politics and service delivery. Despite the collective fatigue induced by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States and its allies embarked on an effort to encourage liberal, democratic politics amid the Syrian conflict. As a result, the project of 'good rebel governance' became the latest attempt at Western democracy promotion. Dipali Mukhopadhyay's book moves the scholarship on insurgent rule forward by considering how governing authority arises and evolves during violent conflict, and whether particular institutions of insurgent rule can be cultivated through foreign intervention. In so doing, the book theorizes not only about the nature of authoritative rebel governance but also tests the long-standing precepts that have undergirded Western promotion of democracy abroad.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Park Walk | Park Tour: From Freight to Flowers


Hear the story behind New York City's park in the sky: an insider's perspective on the park's history, design, and landscape.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Discussion | The Artists Roundtable (online)


A talk with New York-based photographer Richard Barnes, whose work has been shown in solo exhibitions and who has delivered lectures all over the US. Barnes was a recipient of the Rome Prize 2005-2006 and his photographs of the cabin of Ted Kaczynski, aka the “Unabomber,” were featured in the 2006 Whitney Biennial and awarded the Alfred Eisenstadt Award for Photography. He was the 2009 recipient of the Sidman Fellow for the Arts from the Institute for the Humanities at the University of Michigan. In 2010 he completed a residency from Lightwork/Syracuse University. A monograph of his work entitled Animal Logic, published in 2009, has received favorable reviews and was included in the American Institute of Graphic Arts juried competition/exhibition "50 books/50 covers" in 2010.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Book Discussion | Some People Need Killing: A Memoir of Murder in My Country (in-person and online)


Nobel Peace Prize winner and press freedom advocate Maria Ressa talks with  Filipino investigative journalist Patricia Evangelista about Evangelista's new book. The discussion will focus on Evangelista's on-the-ground account of a nation careening into a violent autocracy and the harrowing stories of those killed through state-sanctioned campaigns of violence. The book is Evangelista’s meticulously reported and deeply human chronicle of the Philippines’ drug war and its president, Rodrigo Duterte’s assault on his country’s struggling democracy. For six years, Evangelista had the distinctive beat of chronicling the killings carried out by police and vigilantes in the name of Duterte’s war on drugs – a campaign that has led to the slaughter of thousands – immersing herself in a world of killers and survivors and capturing the atmosphere of fear created when a democratically-elected president decides that some lives are without worth. The book takes its title from a vigilante, whose words reflect the psychological accommodation that many in the country have made: “I’m really not a bad guy,” he said. “I’m not all bad. Some people need killing.”
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:30 pm
Free

Workshop | Learn Juggling in the Park


Jugglers use the park throughout the year to provide free classes to the public. Stop by for a quick lesson, stay for the whole time, or just enjoy watching them put their skills to the test. They're a friendly group and open to drop-ins, even if you catch them outside of the regular juggling lessons. All skill levels welcome. Equipment is provided.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:30 pm
Free

Festival | Prelude Festival 2023


Dozens of performances, panels, artists talks, and more at various venues across the city from October 7-27. See link for details.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:30 pm
Free

Book Discussion | All the Gold Stars: Reimagining Ambition and the Way We Strive


Rainesford Stauffer's book looks at how the force of ambition and associated cultural, personal, and societal expectations are driving the burnout epidemic by funneling our worth into productivity, limiting imaginations, and dividing people further apart.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Poetry Reading | An Evening with Three Afro-Latina Poets


A poetry reading and conversation with three renowned Afro-Latina poets and scholars: Dr. Raina J. León, Jasminne Mendez, and Yesenia Montilla. They share poems and stories that celebrate what it means to be Black, Latinx, and Womxn. They will be in a dialogue on how the intersections of these identities inform their lives and work. The poets will be introduced by Solena Ornelas following a welcome by Uraoyán Noel, the conversation will then be facilitated by Pato Hebert.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Book Discussion | Book Launch with #1 New York Times Best Selling Author: Piecing Me Together


A reading with author Renee Watson as she sits down with Karyn Parsons to discuss her new work. Renee Watson is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. Her novel, Piecing Me Together, received a Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award. Her books include the Ryan Hart series, Some Places More Than Others, This Side of Home, What Momma Left Me, Betty Before X, cowritten with Ilyasah Shabazz, Watch Us Rise, cowritten with Ellen Hagan, and Love Is a Revolution, as well as acclaimed picture books: Maya's Song, The 1619 Project: Born on the Water, written with Nikole Hannah-Jones, A Place Where Hurricanes Happen, and Harlem's Little Blackbird, which was nominated for an NAACP Image Award. Karyn Parsons is best known for her role as Will Smith's cousin Hilary Banks on NBC's The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. After leaving acting behind, Karyn has gone on to found and produce Sweet Blackberry, an award-winning series of children's animated films, to share stories about unsung Black heroes in history, featuring narration from stars such as Alfre Woodard, Queen Latifah, and Chris Rock. The videos have been screened on HBO and Netflix, and enjoyed by schools and libraries across the country. She is the author of Flying Free: How Bessie Coleman's Dreams Took Flight, How High the Moon, and Saving the Day.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Screening | Cuckoo O'Clock: An Overview of "Mr. Underground"


Jeffrey Cyphers Wright, East Village poet, publisher, artist, and impresario, launches the book Doppelgangster, his New Romantic sonnets accompanied by beguiling artworks. In addition, there will be a screening of Cuckoo O'Clock: An Overview of "Mr. Underground." This inaugural film focuses on Jeffrey Cyphers Wright and the creative community he is part of. Filmmaker Luigi Cazzaniga rejoins Wright (Cazzaniga worked with him as Cover Mag's art director and fashion editor etc. and photographer) to create a humorous and historic portrayal. Fast paced and cram-packed with East Village lore, this is haute entertainment dressed up in rowdy downtown style.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Play bridge in a stress-free environment


One of the most popular card games of the last century, bridge is still enjoyed by professional and amateur players alike today - and now you can stop by and enjoy it too! Bring your bridge partner, or you will be matched up with someone to play as a pair. There will be instructions and the chance to observe players, making this a perfect event for beginners looking to learn how to play bridge.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Lecture | Race and International Affairs


This lecture will be centered around the cross-section between race and international affairs.  Speaker Zachariah Mampilly is the Marxe Endowed Chair of International Affairs at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, CUNY and a member of the doctoral faculty in the Department of Political Science at the Graduate Center, CUNY.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Discussion | What Makes It Italian?: Rome Environs (online)


"What Makes It Italian?" is a music listening and discussion group. The group is led by Gina Crusco, who has also guided listening at Bard LLI and Riverdale Y; acted as maestro del coro for opera in Italy; instructed music at The New School; and directed Underworld Productions. The encounter will focus on: Sacro Bosco, Bomarzo, with composer Francesco Canova da Milano and Villa Aldobrandini, Frascati, with composers Girolamo Frescobaldi and Cesarina Ricci de Tingoli Whatever the purpose of a garden - pleasure, contemplation, practicality, or botany - it is the artifact of someone taming chaos into a recognizable form. When garden forms share underlying aesthetics with music, they make the unseen tangible. In this series, we listen to works by composers associated with Italian gardens, including Leonora d'Este, Vincenzo Galilei (father of Galileo), Francesco Veracini, and Federico Campana. Like a gardener, the composer "weeds out" unwanted sounds and manipulates others into preordained forms. We explore parallels between gardens - nature organized in space - and music - noise organized in time. Just as some garden designs, like the labyrinth, defy geography and era, so music speaks an international language. Let's listen.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Stargazing in the City


Head to the park for a walk and a chance to take a closer look at the stars. Peer through high-powered telescopes provided by the knowledgeable members of the Amateur Astronomers Association to see rare celestial sights. No experience is necessary and telescopes will be provided. Starts at dusk.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:15 pm
Free

Screening | A Call for Disobedience: The Unexpected Revolution of Two Priests in Post-War Italy


The event will feature the screening of a newly rediscovered previously un-broadcast short documentary about Don Mazzolari by Italian director Ermanno Olmi Two of the most radical thinkers and influential public intellectuals of the 20th century in Italy are two priests whose names are almost unknown in the US. They belonged to different generations, different social classes, different geographic contexts, and exhibited very different temperaments, coming - as they did - from very different cultural backgrounds. They exchanged a few letters but never met in person. Yet, they shared the same values: they sided with the poor, the disenfranchised, and other people normally kept at the margins of society. They were strong advocates of workers' rights, social justice, and the promotion of lasting and just peace. Because of this, they were both treated harshly by the Church authorities of their time. It was only in 2017 that Pope Francis, with his unexpected visit to the tombs of the two priests, recognized their greatness and the shortsightedness of their persecutors. Father Primo Mazzolari was a controversial and prophetical figure who marked the Italian socio-political panorama of the 20th century. A strong anti-fascist and a radical pacifist, Mazzolari was the very first figure inside the Roman Catholic Church to voice the revolutionary concept of conscientious objection. His "standing obedience" remains the lasting feature of his existence, one ruled by a ceaseless investigation of moral obligations and social justice. In the aftermath of World War 2, Father Lorenzo Milani dedicated his life to educating both the young working class and the children of farmers. Restricted by Pius XII's Church to a small parish in Tuscany, he wrote - together with his pupils - two books that received international resonance: L'obbedienza non e piu una virtu (Obedience is No Longer a Virtue) and Lettera a una professoressa (Letter to a Teacher). Translated into many languages, these works allowed the voice of this country priest to become a point of reference to radical pedagogy all around the world, placing him side by side with Ivan Illich and Paulo Freire.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:30 pm
Free

Book Discussion | King of the Armadillos by Wendy Chin-Tanner


In King of the Armadillos, Victor Chin’s life is turned upside down at the tender age of 15. Diagnosed with Hansen’s disease, otherwise known as leprosy, he’s forced to leave the familiar confines of his father’s laundry business in the Bronx – the only home he’s known since emigrating from China with his older brother – to quarantine alongside patients from all over the country at a federal institution in Carville. At first, Victor is scared not only of the disease, but of the confinement, and wants nothing more than to flee. But soon he finds a new sense of freedom far from home – one without the pull of obligations to his family, or the laundry business, or his mother back in China. Inspired by Chin-Tanner's father’s experience as a young patient at Carville, King of the Armadillos is a captivating look at a forgotten radical community and a lyrical exploration of the power of art. At this event, Chin-Tanner speaks with author Joe Osmundson about her new book and about other topics related to biology, race, and geography. 
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Book Discussion | Miracles and Machines: A Sixteenth-Century Automaton and Its Legend


A talk with sculptor and National Academician Elizabeth King to celebrate the publication of her new book co-authored with W. David Todd and with photographs by Rosamond Purcell. The book tells the singular story of an uncanny, rare object at the cusp of art and science: a 450-year-old automaton known as “the monk.” The walking, gesticulating figure of a friar, in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, is among the earliest extant ancestors of the self-propelled robot. According to legend connected to the court of Philip II of Spain, the monk represents a portrait of Diego de Alcalá, a humble Franciscan lay brother whose holy corpse was said to be agent to the miraculous cure of Spain’s crown prince as he lay dying in 1562. In tracking the origins of the monk and its legend, the authors visited archives, libraries, and museums across the United States and Europe, probing the paradox of a mechanical object performing an apparently spiritual act. They identified seven kindred automata from the same period, which, they argue, form a paradigmatic class of walking “prime movers,” unprecedented in their combination of visual and functional realism. While most of the literature on automata focuses on the Enlightenment, this enthralling narrative journeys back to the late Renaissance, when clockwork machinery was entirely new, foretelling the evolution of artificial life to come.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Film | The Missing Picture (2013): Unique Recreation of Khmer Rouge Atrocities


Rithy Panh uses clay figures, archival footage, and his narration to recreate the atrocities Cambodia's Khmer Rouge committed between 1975 and 1979. Director: Rithy Panh 92 min. In French and Khmer with English subtitles Discussion follows
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:30 pm
Free

Park Walk | Brooklyn Sunset Waterfront Walk


Docents leads a tour to learn about the history of the Brooklyn waterfront, the park's's sustainable design, and how the park came to life. Wear comfortable shoes, as these tours traverse the beautiful park landscape.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Lecture | Flower of Tigray: The Imperialist Echo of Italian Colonial Songs


Italian colonial experience was expressed by a huge number of songs. Using upbeat rhythms and catchy melodies, they often mixed exoticism, positive images of the soldier, stereotyped notions of black female beauty, and derision of other cultures. Gianpaolo Chiriaco of the University of Innsbruck explores its musical and lyrical components, showcasing elements of continuity with present-day Italy.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Concert | Intercultural String Trio in the Garden


A magical evening of music. Interwoven, an intercultural string trio, will perform arrangements of traditional Chinese songs featuring Andy Lin on the Erhu, along with a selection of Western classical music.  
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Workshop | Origami Meetup


OMG NYC (Origami Meetup Group! New York City) is a group 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.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Book Discussion | Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe


A moving account of raising, then freeing, an orphaned screech owl, whose lasting friendship with the author illuminates humanity’s relationship with the world. When ecologist Carl Safina and his wife, Patricia, took in a near-death baby owl, they expected that, like other wild orphans they’d rescued, she’d be a temporary presence. But Alfie’s feathers were not growing correctly, requiring prolonged care. As Alfie grew and gained strength, she became a part of the family, joining a menagerie of dogs and chickens and making a home for herself in the backyard. Carl and Patricia began to realize that the healing was mutual; Alfie had been braided into their world, and was now pulling them into hers. Alfie & Me is the story of the remarkable impact this little owl would have on their lives. The continuing bond of trust following her freedom—and her raising of her own wild brood—coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a year in which Carl and Patricia were forced to spend time at home without the normal obligations of work and travel. Witnessing all the fine details of their feathered friend’s life offered Carl and Patricia a view of existence from Alfie’s perspective.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:00 pm
Free

Book Discussion | The House of Doors: Maugham in Malaysia (online)


Tan Twan Eng’s latest novel is a masterpiece of historical fiction about William Somerset Maugham’s time in Malaysia and his entanglement with a mysterious couple staying with him at the Cassowary House. The great novelist’s career and fortunes are both in decline, and his ability to lead a double life—married to a woman, in love with his secretary, Gerald—depends on his ability to find the subject for a new novel.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
$5-$10 suggested donation...

Discussion | An Innovative Communicator: Artist Constance DeJong


A performance by Constance DeJong and a conversation with Rebecca Cleman, Executive Director of Electronic Arts Intermix. Constance DeJong is an artist of language. Her work takes multiple forms: books, audio objects and installations, live performance with video and audio. That her work is time-based is elaborated by the way she expands time within her narratives. DeJong’s writing, while taking on many historical topics and material, has always been situated in the interior space of the mind. Like one’s thoughts, her words jump from era to era, from past to present to future and back, without notice. The evening will feature a performance by DeJong and a conversation with Rebecca Cleman, Executive Director of Electronic Arts Intermix. DeJong has performed at several institutions such as The Renaissance Society, Hauser & Wirth, Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Kitchen, Bureau Gallery, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Whitney Museum, ICA Boston, MoMA PS1, and Club Cumming.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Discussion | Books That Live, with Bestselling Author Neil Gaiman


Celebrate Books That Live with internationally renowned author Neil Gaiman and pioneering scholar and translator Emily Wilson, in a conversation moderated by acclaimed writer and translator Maria Dahvana Headley. This event marks the centenary of W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., the nation's largest independent, employee-owned book publisher.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Discussion | Climate Change and Societal Impacts: Where We've Been, Where We Are, and Where We Are Going (in-person and online)


Summer 2023 saw unprecedented temperatures and weather events across the globe. July was the hottest month on record. Deadly heat waves, massive wildfires, and flooding impacted communities here in the United States and around the world. Severe weather is becoming increasingly commonplace, resulting in loss of life, economic damage, food shortages, and forced climate-related migration. This is an important conversation about climate change, the drivers behind these and other worrying trends, and what it all means for our collective future.  Moderator: Jeffrey Schlegelmilch, Director, National Center for Disaster Preparedness, Climate School Panelists: -- Alex de Sherbinin, Senior Research Scientist, Deputy Director and Adjunct Professor of Climate, Center for International Earth Science Information Network, Climate School -- Kristina G. Douglass, Associate Professor of Climate,Climate School -- Radley Horton, Professor of Climate, Climate School
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | Music on the Concept of Rituals


A concert by the Austrian string quartet, The Auner Quartett, compromised of violinists Daniel and Barbara Auner, violist Maximilian Bratt, and cellist Konstantin Zelenin. The concert will take you on a fascinating journey through the concept of rituals and how they have influenced classical music compositions. From ancient religious ceremonies to modern-day social gatherings, rituals have played a significant role in the cultural history of humanity. The composers featured in this program - J. Doderer, K. Gourzi, R. Zahra - have all been inspired by rituals and have created unique musical interpretations of them. The idea for this program was created during a charity concert for pharmacists without borders, which the Auner Quartett initiated after Russia's invasion of Ukraine at the Emperors Palace in Vienna, where the ensemble holds a concert residency. This project represents their continued commitment to bringing awareness to important issues through the universal language of music. This concert is particularly special, as most of the works being performed will be premieres. The Auner Quartett's exceptional performances will transport you to different worlds of sound, evoking the atmosphere of these rituals and inviting you to experience their emotional and spiritual dimensions. The quartet is committed to sharing the beauty of chamber music and engaging with diverse communities through workshops and outreach events, all while maintaining a deep connection to the Viennese musical tradition.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:00 pm
Free

Book Discussion | New Queer Fiction: Let's Go Let's Go Let's Go / Muscle Memory / The Lookback Window


A night of readings from Cleo Qian, Kyle Lopez, and Kyle Hertz's recent books — and discussion centered around queer longing. The electric, unsettling, and often surreal stories in Qian's Let's Go Let's Go Let's Go explore the alienated, technology-mediated lives of restless Asian and Asian American women today.  Equal parts jovial and furious, Lopez's Muscle Memory is a debut with teeth. Hertz's The Lookback Window offers a startling glimpse at the unraveling of trauma in a young man who has lived through three years as a victim of sex trafficking.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Lecture | Teatro Real Artistic Director Discusses the Famous Opera House


Artistic Director Joan Matabosch discusses his work at Teatro Real, Spain's leading opera house. The Teatro Real (Royal Opera of Madrid) is one of the world's leading opera houses. Founded in 1818, the theater is located in front of the Palacio Real and was inaugurated in 1850 with Donizetti's La Favorita. It has hosted the most renowned singers and composers of the past two centuries, including Giuseppe Verdi, Diaghilev, Nijinsky, and Stravinsky. Teatro Real was awarded the Best Opera House in the World at the International Opera Awards 2021. Artistic Director Joan Matabosch will discuss his work at the theater, its current initiatives, and its future. The evening will also include a performance by cellist Pablo Ferrandez.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:00 pm
Free

Discussion | A Conversation with Award-Winning Poet Mary Szybist


Mary Szybist is most recently the author of Incarnadine, winner of the 2013 National Book Award for Poetry. She is the recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Rona Jaffe Foundation, the Witter Bynner Foundation in conjunction with the Library of Congress, and the Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Center.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:30 pm
Free

Staged Reading | New York City's Longest-Running Cold Play Reading


Naked Angels was formed in 1986 by a group of artists intent on creating a creative home for new voices. Forming a community of writers, directors, actors, producers, and designers, our founders crafted an open environment for expression, experimentation, and production. The company took its name from the John Tytell book, which referred to Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs and other Beats as “a generation that wanted to break out of convention and scream.” As a young group, the Naked Angels artists felt the same way; needing a place where, through the medium of theater, they could show the world a different perspective of the times. Sometimes outraged, often irreverent, occasionally absurd, and always intelligent, enthusiastic and fun, Naked Angels’ work was a spark to which audiences were quickly drawn. The Space, as their theater on 17th Street was known, soon became a vital, thriving crossroads where talented theater artists met and collaborated: the destination of choice for those seeking a truly celebratory theatrical experience.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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9:00 pm
Free
Complimentary Tickets

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

Musical | Broadway Actors in a Tony Winner's Musical Comedy

Regular Price: $89
CFT Member Price: $0.00

Classical Music | Symphony Orchestra at a Landmark Venue

Regular Price: $89
CFT Member Price: $0.00
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