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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!
30 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Wednesday, October 21, 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
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8:30 am
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Workshop | Autumn Indoor Yoga
Yoga instructor Meg SantaMaria leads a morning practice. Suitable for all fitness levels. Please wear loose, comfortable clothing and bring your own mat.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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9:30 am
free...
free...
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
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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
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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
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10:00 am
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation 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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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1:30 pm
pay-what-you-wish, reservation required
pay-what-you-wish, reservation required
Film | Shaun of the Dead (2004): Zombie Comedy from Edgar Wright
The uneventful, aimless lives of a London electronic salesman and his layabout roommate are disrupted by the zombie apocalypse. Director: Edgar Wright Cast: Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Nick Frost, Dylan Moran, Bill Nighy Edgar Wright is an English filmmaker who is known for his fast-paced and kinetic, satirical genre films, which feature extensive use of expressive popular music, Steadicam tracking shots, dolly zooms, and a signature editing style that includes transitions, whip pans, and wipes.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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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
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2:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Master Class | Explore the Ins & Outs of Great Cello Performance
Martti Rousi--internationally recognized Finnish cellist who won second prize at the Tchaikovsky International Competition--imparts skills and techniques for cello mastery.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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4:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Book Discussion | Novella Discussion: Classic of Satirical, Feminist Horror, The Stepford Wives
The group is reading Ira Levin's 1972 book. About the Book: Joanna Eberhart, a talented photographer, wife, and young mother who suspects that something in the town of Stepford is changing the wives from free-thinking, intelligent women into compliant wives dedicated solely to homemaking. As her friends slowly transform, Joanna realizes the horrific truth.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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4:30 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
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5:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration 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
Film | Scream (1996): Modern Classic Slasher from Wes Craven
In the small town of Woodsboro, California, a masked killer known as Ghostface begins murdering high school students, and a group of friends must use their knowledge of horror movies to unmask the killer. Director: Wes Craven Cast: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan Wes Craven has been recognized as one of the masters of the horror genre. Craven worked primarily in the horror genre, particularly slasher films, where he mixed horror cliches with humor. Craven has been recognized as one of the masters of the horror genre.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration 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
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6:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Tour | Mid-Century Experimental Artist Retrospective Exhibition Walkthrough
Micaella Sanchez, Graduate Curatorial Assistant at the Grey Art Museum and MA candidate at NYU’s Institute of Fine Arts, will give a guided walkthrough of by Alison Knowles: A Retrospective (1920–2022).
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Dance Performance | Open Rehearsal: A Choreographic Journey
Artists host an intimate first look at the creative process of our developing work, Exposed. This rehearsal was followed by a Wine and Cheese Reception. Exposed is an evening-length work that explores vulnerability, vision, and courage. The scenic design creates an ever-changing landscape of pathways, levels, and partitions that conceals, distorts, confounds, beckons, and demands resilience. The choreography traces a journey from fragmentation and restraint to openness and release, unfolding through fluid partnering, interconnected ensemble work, sweeping phrases, buoyant lifts, and soaring moments of suspension that embody trust and transformation.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, tickets required
free, tickets 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
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6:00 pm
free, no reservation required
free, no reservation required
Staged Reading | Youth Without God: Selected Passages of a Examining of Conformity, Ideology, & Moral Responsibility
The novel follows a teacher who observes his students learning to think in terms of race and obedience rather than compassion and truth. He remains silent, becoming complicit in the process. When one of his students dies, his indifference is shattered, forcing him to confront what it means to look away in the face of injustice. The novel tells the story of a generation of young people who have lost their moral compass, and of a man torn between conformity and conscience who seeks his own path back to responsibility. In this staged reading, two voices bring selected passages of the novel to life: the detached perspective of the narrator and the voices of young people growing up caught between ideology and inner emptiness. Cellist Tamar Sagiv accompanies the reading with her own compositions.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:30 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Poetry Reading | Multilingual Poetry Night: Quantum Age
Discover the concepts of Quantum Age Poetry and Quantum Poetics with this multilingual poetry event exploringinnovative poetic frameworks.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:30 pm
free, registration required
free, registration required
Screening | Korean Film Festival: The Love of Truman (2025) -- Korean Sci-Fi Romance
Hyun-shik happens to meet Jee-yeon on the subway. The film begins with the story she tells him. Jee-yeon claims that their world is an artificial reality, like the set of The Truman Show. She explains that strange phenomena known as "errors" occasionally occur. When an "error" happens, the people in this world repeat whatever they were doing before gradually coming to a stop. Only a Truman remains unaffected by the "error" and can move freely. Saying that she is searching for another Truman besides herself, Jee-yeon asks Hyun-shik an enigmatic question: Director: Kim Duk-joong Cast: Bae Yu-ram, Lee Ju-woo, Kim Shin-bi, Kang Jin-ah English subtitles available.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:00 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Poetry Reading | New Books of Poetry: 4 Readings
Celebrate new work from Four Way Books press! Featuring David Orr and M.M. Kelly, with additional readings by Howard Levy and Donna Masini.
Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:00 pm
free, RSVP required
free, RSVP required
Concert | Bata-Drumming Channeling Ancestral Expression
Singer, percussionist, composer, dancer, and educator Brenda Navarrete is an ambassador of Afro-Cuban culture whose work is both grounded in tradition and groundbreaking in its expansiveness. She is an expert of the bata--a double-headed Yoruba drum traditionally played by men--and uses the instrument to channel ancestral expression. Navarrete performs her first solo album, 2018's Mi Mundo. Gather together and experience the ways drumming creates a universal language. 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 available
free, fast-track available
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Complimentary Tickets
to shows, concerts ... (CFT Deals!)
Classical Music | "Virtuoso" Pianist Performs Works by Liszt & More
Regular Price: $50CFT Member Price: $0.00
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