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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!
24 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Tuesday, October 20, 2026
All events are free unless otherwise noted.Workshop | Dance Workout on the Plaza
Lively movement and emotional catharsis combine for a workout led by Viva Soudan. No experience necessary!
Manhattan, New York, NY
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9:30 am
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Workshop | Learn To Play the Classic Card Game Canasta
Learn the rules and practice Canasta with games expert Susan Richards.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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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
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10:30 am
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Workshop | Zumba Workout for All
Enthusiastic instruction and easy-to-follow Latin dance choreography working on balance, coordination, and range of motion.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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10:30 am
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
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12:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Classical Music | Piano Works by J.S. Bach, Debussy, Beethoven, & More
Pianist Lucas Amory. Program: J.S. Bach (1685-1750) Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp Major, BWV 872 Claude Debussy (1862-1918) Selected Etudes J.S. Bach (1685-1750) Prelude and Fugue in C-sharp Minor, BWV 873 Thomas Ades (1971-) Traced Overhead Ludwig Van Beethoven (1770-1827) Piano Sonata in A Major, Op. 101
Manhattan, New York, NY
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12:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation 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
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12:20 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Film | 28 Years Later (2025): Post-Apocalyptic Coming-of-Age Film with Ralph Fiennes
Survivors of the rage virus live on a small island scavenging on the mainland. A boy discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors there on his first trip out. Director: Danny Boyle Cast: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Williams, Ralph Fiennes Ralph Fiennes is an English actor, film producer, and director. A Shakespeare interpreter, Fiennes excelled onstage at the Royal National Theatre before having further success at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Widely regarded as one of Britain's most well-known and popular actors, he has received various accolades, including a BAFTA Award and a Tony Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards and an Emmy Award.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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1:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Book Club | Read & Analyze Poetry of Migration
Poetry enthusiasts unpack the layered meanings of poetry through an informal group discussion. Each session focuses on a theme that celebrates the diversity and range of the poetic form and contemporary poetry culture. This month, read poems that chart memories and histories of migration across the world. Please note that contemporary poetry deals frankly with contemporary issues, and all works discussed are artistic expressions selected for an adult audience.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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2:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Book Club | Poor Things Book Discussion
Dscussion of a postmodern, feminist novel inspired by Frankenstein, set in Victorian Glasgow, about a woman named Bella Baxter who is resurrected with the brain of an infant. Themes: Weird science, feminism, identity, the nature of reality, the relativity of truth, and the critique of Victorian patriarchy. Accolades: Winner of the Whitbread Award and the Guardian Fiction Prize.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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4:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Museums | Art from All Over The World in the Most Amazing Museum
Explore the premier collections of modern and contemporary art in one of the world's most iconic architectural landmarks. Tickets for Pay-What-You-Wish hours are available online only and released at 10 am the morning of the event.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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4:00 pm
$1 min pay-what-you-wish,...
$1 min pay-what-you-wish,...
Film | Antonioni's Blowup (1966): Classic Psychological Mystery Starring Vanessa Redgrave
A fashion photographer accidentally captures a death on film after following two lovers in a park. Director: Michelangelo Antonioni Cast: Vanessa Redgrave, David Hemmings, Sarah Miles Michelangelo Antonioni was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and editor. His films have been described as "enigmatic and intricate mood pieces" that feature striking visual composition, subdued narratives, and a preoccupation with modern landscapes. His work substantially influenced subsequent world art cinema, including the slow cinema movement. Antonioni received numerous awards and nominations throughout his career, winning the Palme d'Or, the Golden Lion, the Golden Bear, and the Golden Leopard. In a career spanning eight decades, Vanessa Redgrave's accolades include an Academy Award, a Tony Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Volpi Cup, and an Olivier Award, making her one of the few performers to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting. She has also received various honorary awards, including the BAFTA Fellowship Award, the Golden Lion Honorary Award, and an induction into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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5:00 pm
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
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5:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
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
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5:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Talk | Architectural Historian Journeys through the Structural Remnants of Early New York
A virtual tour from the comfort of the this historic building to architectural landmarks - some of national importance, some unknown, scattered all over Manhattan Island. The number of pre- and post- Revolutionary structures surviving in The City That's Never Finished keeps growing. From a grand country mansion, to a farmhouse, taverns, townhouses, churches, and the earliest park in New York City, discover remnants of early New-York from one tip of Manhattan to the other.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Book Discussion | Book Launch: Getting Even / Letting Go
Julian Tepper shares his new novel. About the book: On a single spring afternoon in New York City, Gene Mills—a once-successful writer now living on fumes—hosts friends in his apartment while waiting for an art auction that could change everything. The paintings on the block were made by his ex-wife, now a global art star. They depict her affair, her ambition, and the life she detonated when she left him. Gene believes selling them is justice. Or survival. Or both. Getting Even/Letting Go is a novel about what remains when intimacy turns transactional, and whether freedom can ever be purchased without exacting a final, private price.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Workshop | Origami Group Meet-Up
This event is for people to come together and share in the beautiful art of Origami--an ancient art of folding various mediums, most commonly paper. The word comes from the combination of the Japanese verb oru (to fold) and the noun kami (paper). Other materials often folded are fabric, wire mesh, sheet metal, tissue, thin plastic, cardboard, and straws.This group meets to teach each other new models and share paper, books, and tips. This meeting is free and open to all level of folders from beginner to advanced. There will be free paper available to share. You may choose to bring your own paper and books and just show up and fold! If you have models you would like to learn, or teach, let the organizers know, and they will try our best to accommodate.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Party | Play Bridge in a Stress-Free Environment
The card game of Bridge requires four people to play: two teams of two people. Join the group with your bridge partner, or you will be matched with someone to play as a pair. If you would like to learn how to play bridge, organizers can offer some instruction, and you can observe others.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Workshop | Stargazing in the Park
Immerse yourself in the wonders of the night sky. The friendly team from the Amateur Astronomers Association will be there with high-powered telescopes, ready to reveal the secrets of the cosmos.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:15 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Dance Performance | Commedia and the Dance: The New York Baroque Dance Company Performs Comic Dances (+ Live Music)
This performance is a look at The New and Curious School of Theatrical Dancing, a collection of dances inspired by Gregorio Lambranzi in Germany and published in 1716. Have you seen a Blindfolded Juggler or a man with three legs? Can one create a dance with spoons, goblets, and plates? Four members of The New York Baroque Dance Company and live music. Bringing to the stage choreography by Artistic Director Catherine Turocy, inspired by Lambranzi's descriptions, will be a unique experience sure to delight!
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Book Discussion | Vanity Fair-Featured Writer Shares Her New Book on cultural icon Jane Birkin
Bestselling author Marisa Meltzer discusses the life, style, and legacy of a fashion star, as captured in her dazzling biography It Girl, in conversation with the chief fashion critic of The New York Times, Vanessa Friedman. Jane Birkin was synonymous with chic. Her effortless style and artistic legacy have been immortalized through her music and film career. And, of course, she was the inspiration behind one of the world's most coveted bags, the Hermes Birkin. But who was the real woman behind the it girl? Now, New York Times bestselling author Marisa Meltzer sheds new light on Birkin's enigmatic life and explores her profound influence on generations in a rigorously reported biography unlike any other.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Talk | Panel Exploring Architecture's Roles in the Dynamics of Fascism and Antifascism (In Person AND Online!)
A conversation about the historical links between architecture, fascism, and anti-fascism, and what the past can teach us about acting in the present moment. The history of modern architecture includes troubling and well-documented entanglements between architecture and fascism. Less well-known, but perhaps even more important today, are examples of antifascist design and organizing. In a time of rising authoritarianism, what can we learn from the histories of fascism and antifascism? The term "fascism" originated in Italy in 1919 before spreading across Europe, naming a range of populist political movements that exalted ethno-nationalism, militarism, centralized autocratic rule, and the rejection of liberal democracy. Since its birth, fascism has invited resistance efforts, both peaceful and armed, organized and informal. This panel will explore architecture's roles in the dynamics of fascism and antifascism, particularly as it takes form in cultural centers, housing, spaces of detention, and memorials.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Jazz | Original, Contemporary Jazz Works for Saxophone, Bass, & Drums
Jacques Schwarz-Bart hosts a concert celebrating the release of his new album, Resistance. He will perform with Or Bareket (bass) and Samuel Bolduc (drums).
Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:00 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Performance | Performers Try Out New Comedic or Storytelling Material
A “workout show,” wherein talented performers are encouraged to play. The audience is invited to hang out afterward to share feedback, shoot the breeze, and get on the mic themselves.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:00 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Join the Club!
Complimentary Tickets
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Classical Music | "Virtuoso" Pianist Performs Works by Liszt & More
Regular Price: $50CFT Member Price: $0.00
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