- ABOUT
- CONTACT
- FAQ
- REVIEWS
- GIVE A GIFT OF CFT!
-
Join the Club!
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!
37 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Wednesday, October 7, 2026
All events are free unless otherwise noted.
Workshop | Tai Chi (Outdoors)
Improve balance, strength, and focus through gentle exercises. The sights and sounds of the harbor provide a serene background for the ancient flowing postures.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
8:30 am
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Workshop | Artist-Led Figure Drawing in the Park
Placed in a unique setting, a model will strike short and long poses for participants to sketch and draw. An artist/ educator will offer constructive suggestions and critique. Drawing materials provided, or bring your own.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
10:00 am
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Park Walk | Discover the History & Design of One of New York's Most Unique Parks
Hear the story behind New York City's park in the sky: an insider's perspective on the park's history, design, and landscape. Note: Spots are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
10:00 am
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Screening | International Events on the Big (30-foot!) Screen Outdoors: Golf & Baseball
Today's Schedule:
10:00am - 5:15pm Golf- DP World Tour Golf Spanish Open
8:30pm - 12:00am MLB Playoffs
*Scheduled programming subject to change. Seating is open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis. Wells Fargo customers receive priority seating.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
10:00 am
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Museums | New York City: History, Architecture, Social Movements, Cultural Diversity
This museum holds over 1,5 million artifacts, including photographs, paintings, decorative arts, costumes, and documents that tell the story of New York's development and its inhabitants. Explore the galleries and discover the rich history and vibrant culture of New York City!
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
10:00 am
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Tour | A Walk Through Fashion, History, and Immigration: Garment District
Join born-and-raised New Yorker Mike as he explores the Garment District of New York. Beyond discussing fashion from the Roman Empire through the Renaissance, and from Parisian Haute Couture in the 1700s through the 1800s, you'll learn how NYC's Garment District took over from Paris when the Nazis shut down the fashion industry in France. Expect to hear about iconic designers Ralph, Oscar, and Calvin, as well as the Gangsters and Labor Unions that shaped New York and this District. Tour Guide Mike has spent most of his life working in the Garment industry--expect firsthand anecdotes and wisdom.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
10:30 am
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Museums | Celebrate Chinese American Heritage & History
Step into a space dedicated to preserving, illuminating, and celebrating the rich history and contributions of Chinese in America. Connect with stories that inspire and bridge communities, honoring the legacy of generations who shaped the American narrative. Walk through galleries showcasing art, artifacts, and personal histories that reflect resilience, innovation, and cultural heritage.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
11:00 am
pay-what-you-wish for New...
pay-what-you-wish for New...
Workshop | French Petanque-Playing in the Park
Members of NYC’s oldest-running Petanque club guide a Petanque-playing session. This French lawn bowling game from the early 20th century is easy to learn, and the boules will be provided. Just bring yourself!
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
12:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Museums | If Fashion is of Interest to You... An Exhibit of Elegance Awaits!
Best known for its innovation and award-winning exhibitions, the museum has a permanent collection of more than 50,000 garments and accessories dating from the eighteenth century to the present.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
12:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation 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
Join the Club!
12:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
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
Join the Club!
12:00 pm
free, registration required...
free, registration required...
Classical Music | An Afternoon of 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
Join the Club!
12:20 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Workshop | Adult Chorus Session Open to All
Directed by Church Street School of Music, the Downtown Beats adult chorus is open to all who love to sing! Learn contemporary and classic songs and perform at community events throughout the year.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
1:00 pm
free...
free...
Concert | Weekly Outdoor Bagpipe Tribute: Honoring 9/11 Lives and Legacies
A moving weekly bagpipe tribute honors those who lost their lives on 9/11, as well as individuals affected by the lasting health impacts of that day. The tribute begins with a performance near a symbolic column preserved from the site, followed by a second performance in a nearby outdoor space.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
1:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Museums | Afternoon in a Magnificent Small Museum
Internationally recognized as a premier museum and research center, this museum is known for its distinguished Old Master paintings and outstanding examples of European sculpture and decorative arts.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
1:30 pm
pay-what-you-wish, reservation required
pay-what-you-wish, reservation required
Film | Cujo (1983): Horror Film
Cujo, a friendly St. Bernard, contracts rabies and conducts a reign of terror on an American farm. Director: Lewis Teague Cast: Dee Wallace, Daniel Hugh-Kelly, Danny Pintauro, Ed Lauter, Christopher Stone
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
2:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Workshop | Landscape Art Class (Outdoors)
Artists of all skill levels can be inspired by park surroundings to create with drawing materials, pastels, and watercolors. Embolden your artwork amidst the flower-filled and seasonally evolving palette of verdant gardens. An artist/educator will provide ideas and instruction. Materials provided, and artists are encouraged to bring their own favorite media.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
2:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Film | Fahrenheit 451 (1966): Classic Dystopian Drama Directed by François Truffaut
In an oppressive future, a fireman whose job it is to burn books begins to question the task. Director: François Truffaut Cast: Julie Christie, Oskar Werner, Cyril Cusack, Anton Diffring, Jeremy Spenser, Alex Scott François Truffaut was a French filmmaker, actor, and critic. Widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave, he came under the tutelage of film critic André Bazin as a young man and was hired to write for the latter's Cahiers du Cinéma, where Truffaut became a proponent of the auteur theory, which posits that a film's director is its true author.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
5:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Workshop | An Evening of Rowing in New York Harbor
At this rowing session, after a brief orientation, participants will be assigned to a crew with an experienced coxswain to steer the boat and a mixture of experienced and new rowers. The boats, Whitehall gigs, are stable, traditional working boats for four rowers and a coxswain. No experience is necessary and rowers of all ability levels are welcome! The rowing sessions last several hours and are designed to be excursions: groups row against the tide to a destination, take a break onshore or in a protected cove, then return home with the tide. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. Please complete the waiver before
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
5:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Museums | Explore a Curated Collection of Innovation in Craft, Art, and Design
This collection celebrates contemporary makers across creative fields, showcasing artists, designers, and artisans known for their ingenuity and skill. The work on display honors the art of making, from traditional methods to advanced technologies. Its curatorial program continues a legacy of exhibitions focused on cross-disciplinary art and design, highlighting the craftsmanship behind everyday objects and environments. The museum offers an international platform for influential practitioners shaping cultural production and innovation today.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
5:00 pm
pay-what-you-wish from 5pm...
pay-what-you-wish from 5pm...
Workshop | Zumba Rhythms Workout in the Park
Welcome to Zumba with DeeKee in the park! Participants dance, sweat, and have a great time with friends and fellow Zumba enthusiasts. No experience is required, just come with a positive attitude and be ready to move your body to the rhythm of the music. Weather permitting. Please arrive 10 minutes before class begins.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
5:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Film | Friday the 13th (1980): Classic Slasher Film
A group of teenage camp counselors attempt to re-open an abandoned summer camp with a tragic past, but they are stalked by a mysterious, relentless killer. Director: Sean S. Cunningham Cast: Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, Laurie Bartram, Mark Nelson, Jeannine Taylor
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
6:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Book Discussion | Art Historians Discuss Their New Book, What Was America?
Elise Armani and Katy Siegel will be joined by Lauren O'Neill-Butler in a lively conversation about artists, communities, and citizens at a moment when art and culture were seen (and supported) as a civic good. Where is art going, who is it for, and what can it tell us about our world? To think these questions through, we might begin by looking back. Published this month, Elise Armani and Katy Siegel's book, What Was America? offers a prismatic view of American art and culture in the years leading up to the 1976 Bicentennial. Over ten years of planning, the Bicentennial inspired and supported an unprecedented culture boom across the United States, as artists, designers, performers, historians, writers, and participants of all kinds wrestled with the pressing issues of the day, including the environment, immigration, heritage, media, and what it means to be American. From individual artworks and blockbuster exhibitions to community quilts and time capsules, projects unfolded across wildly disparate venues, demographics, and geographies, eliciting mass participation in negotiating US history and imagining the nation's future. Many of the questions asked in 1976 resemble those of 2026, but the responses offered in that earlier moment make for an electric contrast with those of our own present--they also hold genuine potential for remaking our own future.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
6:00 pm
free, reservations required
free, reservations required
Party | Board Games Meet-Up
This event features a variety of board games, including Scrabble, Chess, Boggle, Bananagrams, Scattergories, and more! Bring a friend or join on your own--all levels are welcome. Studies have shown that playing board games can have positive effects on your mental, emotional, and physical health, including: o Improving memory and focus o Enhancing critical thinking skills o Making connections o Reducing stress (and screen time!)
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
6:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Concert | Carnegie Hall-Featured, NAACP Image Award–nominated Singer-Songwriter
New York City–born and raised musician Kayla GC brings her smooth, amber-toned vocals to the stage. A dynamic artist whose career has taken her from Carnegie Hall and The Blue Note to national television, Kayla has collaborated with an extraordinary range of artists, including Wyclef Jean, Terence Blanchard, Tank and the Bangas, Dionne Warwick, Black Thought, and Jon Batiste. Her credits also include the NAACP Image Award–nominated soundtrack for Judas and the Black Messiah.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
6:00 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Book Discussion | Design Firm Founders Share The New Book, Post Company: Character Studies (+ Signing)
Jou-Yie Chou, Leigh Salem, and Ruben Caldwell celebrate their new book, a beautifully illustrated monograph conveying their firm's signature projects. The conversation will be moderated by Spencer Bailey, followed by a signing.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
6:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Workshop | Discover Coputational Poetry & Create Your Own Infinite Verse
Led by computational poet Prof. Allison Parrish and artist Prof. Blair Simmons (ITP/IMA, NYU Tisch), this workshop takes inspiration from Alison Knowles’s The House of Dust (1967), one of the earliest computer-generated poems. Coded in FORTRAN, the automated combinations of materials, locations, light sources, and inhabitants that populate the stanzas of this pioneering text are generated infinitely and printed in real time on a dot matrix printer. Participants will discover the ongoing value of Knowles’s creative methods and execute their own infinite poems. By experimenting with the materiality of written words and different printing technologies—including dot matrix, thermal, and inkjet—the group will explore how the meaning of a poem shifts dramatically depending on how it is made. Bring your laptop and experience the surprisingly liberating potential of printers in poetry! No prior creative writing or coding experience is necessary.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
6:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Workshop | Evening Yoga (Outdoors, All Levels Welcome)
Strengthen the body and cultivate awareness in a relaxed environment as your instructor guides you through alignments and poses. All levels are welcome. Bring your own mat, as provided accessories are first come first serve. For adults 18+.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
6:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Dancing | Salsa Dancing on the Plaza (Lesson + Open Dance Floor)
Teachers with Mi Salsa Dura Baile lead an evening of Latin rhythm and dancing! Each class starts off with a lesson followed by an open dance floor.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
6:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Film | I Accidentally Wrote a Book (2024): Hungarian Family Comedy-Drama
Nina loves to make up stories, she wants to become a writer. Though she has her creative talent from her filmmaker father, there's just one problem: Her clumsy magician brother Junior is bored of her stories. And since her mother died early, it's difficult for Nina when a new love comes into her dad's life. With the guidance of a bohemian writer next door, Nina uses writing to process the loss of her mother and open her heart to a new family member and first love. And suddenly, Nina realizes, her life is becoming a novel! Director: Nora Lakos Cast: Villo Demeter, Laszlo Matray, Vivien Rujder, Kati Zsurzs In Hungarian with English subtitles.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
6:30 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Screening | The Little Sister (2025): French Coming-of-Age Drama
Fatima, the youngest child at seventeen, navigates the delicate balance of her evolving identity, queer attraction, and deep devotion to her French-Algerian relatives. As she begins her studies in Paris, she experiences a newfound social life while facing a poignant struggle: how to remain authentic when her world feels split in two? Director: Hafsia Herzi Cast: Nadia Melliti, Park Ji-min, Amina Ben Mohamed, Rita Benmannana Doors open at 6:00 pm.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
6:30 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Classical Music | Multidisciplinary Theatrical Journey through the History of Opera
A performance by classical singers and piano featuring two prominent Spanish female voices. These two women were both singers and composers in their own right. Through this project, the audience will learn the stories of two Spanish-born divas, Colbran, the wife and muse of composer Gioachino Rossini of Barber of Seville fame, and Malbran, one of the first great divas in the history of bel canto, daughter of tenor Manuel Garcia and sister of Paluline Viardot. The concert will feature excerpts from roles that made the two women famous as well as letters and music composed by all three historical figures.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
6:30 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Staged Reading | Bosie: Original Period Drama
Branded "The Man Who Killed Oscar Wilde", Bosie Douglas sets out on yet another ill-fated libel case to clear his own name. Finally given a chance to tell his side of the story, the Greatest Villain of Literary History will tell all about his troubled family, his artistic ambitions, and his doomed romance with Britain's infamous genius. But can anyone who lives in the past truly move forward? Written by Lily Welsh. Directed by Vincent Scott.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
7:00 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Poetry Reading | Artist/Poet Shares Her Latest Pieces
A reading by Alice Attie in celebration of her newest collection, Maybe. About the book: A collection of poems that explores transformation, dissolution, and renewal—and how language itself can become a site of regeneration.
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
7:00 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
7:00 pm
Regular: $60
Member: $0
Regular: $60
Member: $0
Join the Club!
Classical Music | Works by Ravel & More for Strings & Piano
Momenta Quartet (Emilie-Anne Gendron and Alex Shiozaki, violins, Stephanie Griffin, viola, and Michael Haas, cello) with Steven Beck, piano. Program: Julian Carrillo (1875-1965) String Quartet #9 Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) Piano Quintet #2, Op. 115 Matthew Greenbaum (1950-) In Transit
Manhattan, New York, NY
Join the Club!
7:00 pm
free, RSVP required,...
free, RSVP required,...
Jazz | Swing & Bebop with Vocalist & 6-Piece Ensemble
Blossom is a budding jazz vocalist hailing from Central Park, NYC, whose ascent to stardom has captured imaginations and attention worldwide. Blossom is backed by a brand new six-piece ensemble, The Shrub-Tones, who help create a set of swing and bebop for all ages. Experience the spirited sound and exciting improvisations of this unique and delightful jazz act. 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
Join the Club!
7:30 pm
free, fast-track available
free, fast-track available
Join the Club!
Complimentary Tickets
to shows, concerts ... (CFT Deals!)
Classical Music | "Virtuoso" Pianist Performs Works by Liszt & More
Regular Price: $50CFT Member Price: $0.00
Today's Events
All 1057 Events
Free Events This Week
Free Events This Weekend
Contact FAQ Reviews About Terms of Use Privacy Policy
All events are free unless otherwise stated. All programs subject to change. Please confirm before going.Contact FAQ Reviews About Terms of Use Privacy Policy
© Copyright Club Free Time. All rights reserved.