free things to do in New York City
Free events for Saturday, 09/30/23
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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 September 30, 2023?

44 free events take place on Saturday, September 30 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 September 30 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 September . 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!

44 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Saturday, September 30, 2023

All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Editor's Picks

free events nyc Chess Lecture and Simul with a Grandmaster
free events nyc West Side Fest: Poster House on the Pier
free events nyc Song of the Nightingale: An Outdoor Opera Based on a Hans Christian Anderson Story
free events nyc Capacity/or: The Work of Crackling: New Dance in the Park
free events nyc Maestro of the Arabic Maqam Musical Tradition
More Editor's Picks for 09/30/23
        

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 | Drawing in the Park


Paint in watercolor or use pastels and other drawing materials to capture the magical vistas of the Hudson River and the unique landscape of South Cove. An artist/educator will help participants of all levels with instruction and critique. Materials provided, and artists are encouraged to bring their own favorite media
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Workshop | Kayaking in the Park


Glide along the water this summer and fall! Kayaking is offered throughout the summer. All levels are welcome including first-time kayakers - life vests and all equipment provided, as well as instruction. Children under 18 must have an adult guardian present.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Festival | Open House: Five Borough Family Day


Lower Manhattan’s new home for the performing arts welcomes families to come create and celebrate. Join us as we invite over 100 artists to take over the day with workshops, performances, interactive creation stations, dance battles, and much more! Come rain or shine, we’ll have activities and performances for all ages throughout the day. Performances are come and go as you like. Feel free to stop by at any time.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
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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10:00 am
Free

Fair | Street Fair


Free fun for the whole family, including arts, crafts, antiques, plants, entertainment, games, and more.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Fair | Street Fair


Free fun for the whole family, including arts, crafts, antiques, plants, entertainment, games, and more.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Fair | Street Fair


Free fun for the whole family, including arts, crafts, antiques, plants, entertainment, games, and more.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

City Walk | The Murals and Mosaics of Spanish Harlem


1+ miles of slow walking for about 2.5 hours. Walk through the many colorful murals and mosaics of Spanish (AKA East) Harlem. They reveal so much about the history, culture, and politics of this neighborhood and its residents. Some are dedicated to accomplished citizens of New York and beyond. Others have strong political messages. And others include lush scenery from tropical islands.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:15 am
$5

Festival | Heiva Pasifika: Pacific Islander Festival


Heiva Pasifika is a two-day festival celebrating  Pacific Islander culture with music, dancing, singing, drumming, arts & crafts, and more. Over 37,000 Pacific Islanders live in New York—now, Te Ao Mana brings their culture and ancient genius of their tupuna, or ancestors, to the city through a free festival called Heiva Pasifika NYC. In Tahitian, the word Heiva refers to cultural activities, pastimes, physical exercise, and festivals. Music, dancing, singing, and sporting events have always held an important place in Polynesian communities, and they are the centerpiece of this two-day festival. At Heiva Pasifika NYC 2023, visitors can experience an Ori Tahiti competition, cultural showcases of Pacific Island talent, an exhibition of work by artists and artisans, an array of specialized cultural workshops and master classes, and more.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:30 am
Free

Park Walk | Monuments Tour of the Park - South


A monuments tour of the park, an Olmstead gem and one of New York City’s Scenic Landmarks. This is a guided walk that highlights the park’s development as well as its historic and commemorative monuments. The tour is approximately 1.5 miles and will involve some hills. Wear comfortable shoes.          
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:30 am
Free

Gallery Talk | Something Beautiful: Reframing La Colección


A tour to explore and discuss the on-view sections of the exhibition, the gallery's most ambitious presentation of its unique, complex, and culturally diverse permanent collection in over two decades. Start times on the hour.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Pay-what-you-wish

Workshop | Chess Lecture and Simul with a Grandmaster


Irina Krush is the reigning eight-time US Women's Chess Champion. In 2013, she became the first American woman to earn the Grandmaster title. She has been a member of the US Women's Olympiad team since she was 14 years old, representing the US in ten events. In 2004 and 2008 she helped the team earn historic silver and bronze medals, and she won an individual silver medal at the most recent Olympiad in 2018. These days, Irina frequently teaches through her company GM Chess, which offers private and group lessons for all ages and levels. She graduated from NYU in 2006 with a BA in International Relations.
   New York City, NY; NYC
11:00 am
Free

Tour | Composting: The Wonderful World of Soil


The Sustainability Team will teach you about the wonderful world of soil. They will be leading a tour of the park’s new composting site and sharing their process with you. Please wear closed-toe shoes.    
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
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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11:00 am
Free

Festival | Marine Science Festival


Come celebrate all things marine science during a fun-filled day in the park. This event brings marine science to life as you learn about NYC’s coastal waters from our River Project team and regional STEM experts. This interactive science festival invites the public to explore water topics through awesome experiments, kid-approved entertainment and much more.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

Workshop | Shape Up NYC Dance Fitness


A fun dance fitness class. Colorful outfits are encouraged.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

City Walk | Whitney Neighborhood Arts Walk


Explore the cultural highlights of the Whitney Museum’s neighborhood with a Joan Tisch Teaching Fellow, from the area’s cultural and artistic history to public art installations by leading contemporary artists. Learn about the Whitney’s architecture, including the largo and the John R. Eckel, Jr. Foundation Gallery on the Museum’s first floor. The tour is conducted outdoors.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

Dance Performance | A Performance by Alvin Ailey Dance Students (online thru Oct 3)


In celebration of the program’s 25th anniversary, stream a stunning performance by BFA students. The concert features original ballets by emerging and established choreographers who created their work on the students in the program. These talented dancers train in a conservatory setting while also earning their Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (and sometimes adding a second academic major).
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Party | Block Party


Over the last 100 years, the Lower East Side has grown to become a multicultural and diverse neighborhood. The block party is a day to celebrate this history of the Lower East Side and the extraordinary everyday stories of New Yorkers. Through activities, performances, and more, the hope is that attendees to this year’s block party will see a version of themselves through shared stories and histories.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Concert | Eastern European Folk with a Jazz Aesthetic -- Outdoors


This fiddle-forward fusion band blends Eastern European, Balkan and Gypsy dance music with a convivial jazz aesthetic. Inspired by fiddling folk bands of Romania and Hungary, Sedi Donka will get you tapping your toes to odd-meters and singing along in a myriad of languages!
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free

Tour | Southeast Bronx Art and History Adventure Walk: West Farms, Hunts Point and Longwood


Stroll through these less-traveled Bronx neighborhoods and get a taste of the area's history, local art scene and the evolving Bronx Greenway alongside the Bronx River, NYC's only major freshwater river. There will also be street art to see during the journey.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free

Workshop | Contemporary Games Social


Play your favorite contemporary board games every Saturday afternoon. Featured games include but are not limited to Chameleon, Wavelength, Avalon, Parade, Splendor, Century Spice Road, Mountain Goats, No Thanks, Codenames, Werewords, Spyfall, Azul, Letter Jam, Dixit, In Kahootz, and Captain Sonar. A new game will be selected each week.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Dance-Play-Create Movement


A fun and interactive dance workshop for everyone. Learn the BrainDance, a unique exercise that supports the reorganization of the neurological system and increases blood and oxygen flow to the respiratory system and brain. Dance with props while exploring dance concepts and building movement skills. Through dance and music, connecting and collaborating, this fun-filled workshop strengthens the mind and body while celebrating personal creativity and individual artistry. All ages welcome.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Festival | West Side Fest: Poster House on the Pier


A daylong celebration to the best of the West Side at West Side Fest. This is a fun-filled afternoon of performances and activities for all ages. Activities at the pier include: All-ages yoga with Karma Kids Yoga Interactive wheatpasting wall where you can paste up a poster like the professionals Live screenprinting with Mike King Live letterpress printing with The Arm Double-Dutch with Elite Brooklyn Jumpers Children's printmaking activities Face painting, bubbles, and more Performances at the pier include: Hosted by Glow Butler DJ April Hunt Hila The Earth The Dragon Sisters After the performances, join The Dragon Sisters for a procession through the park, ending at The Shed for the concluding event of West Side Fest.
   New York City, NY; NYC
1:00 pm
Free

Film | Emily (2022): biographical drama


In this semi-fictional account, Emily Brontë desires personal and artistic freedom but struggles within the boundaries of her family and society. She finds a way to channel her creative ability into writing a novel. Director: Frances O'Connor Cast: Emma Mackey, Fionn Whitehead, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Alexandra Dowling, Amelia Gething, Adrian Dunbar, Gemma Jones
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Opera | Song of the Nightingale: An Outdoor Opera Based on a Hans Christian Anderson Story


The world premiere of a site-specific opera that tells the story of a collector looking to gather up the world's most beautiful objects. This opera is adapted from Hans Christian Anderson's "The Nightingale."
   New York City, NY; NYC
2:00 pm
Free

Film | Academy Award Winner The Shape of Water (2017) Directed by Guillermo del Toro


Elisa is a mute, isolated woman who works as a cleaning lady in a hidden, high-security government laboratory in 1962 Baltimore. Her life changes forever when she discovers the lab's classified secret — a mysterious, scaled creature from South America that lives in a water tank. As Elisa develops a unique bond with her new friend, she soon learns that its fate and very survival lies in the hands of a hostile government agent and a marine biologist. Director: Guillermo del Toro Cast: Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, Octavia Spencer Guillermo del Toro is a Mexican filmmaker and author. A recipient of three Academy Awards, three BAFTA Awards, and an Emmy Award, his work has been characterized by a strong connection to fairy tales and horror, with an effort to infuse visual or poetic beauty in the grotesque. He has had a lifelong fascination with monsters, which he considers symbols of great power. He is also known for his use of insectile and religious imagery, his themes of Catholicism, anti-fascism, and celebrating imperfection, underworld motifs, practical special effects, and dominant amber lighting.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Birdwatching | Island Bird Tour


Nearly 240 bird species have been spotted on Governors Island, which provides excellent habitat all year round. Whether you’re an expert birder or a beginner, these tours will help you discover all of the birdlife the island has to offer. Binoculars are available to borrow.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Dance Performance | Outside Site-Specific Dance


Jody Sperling and her Time Lapse Dance ensemble take root with a captivating site-specific performance.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Park Walk | Pollinator Walk


With an experienced guide, you will learn about and hunt for New York City’s pollinators and the habitats that support them. Come relax, observe, and explore nature through the lens of pollinators — and contribute to scientific research in the process. They invite you to download the iNaturalist app on your phone in advance of this event so you can participate in impactful community science activity. During the walk, you will photograph pollinators and upload them to our “A Bee or Not a Bee?” iNaturalist project, collaborating with naturalists around the world to determine whether the insect buzzing by is a bee, wasp, fly, or other common bee doppelgänger. Also referred to as “citizen science,” community science projects galvanize the time, passion, and participation of concerned, curious people to get in the field to collect data or take other action that fuels research. You don’t need a degree or experience in a lab to participate – all you need is the desire to help out.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Screening | 13th Annual SocDoc Thesis Showcase


Featuring documentary works-in-progress from the class of 2023. 3pm Sulite Bao - Dark Denim 4pm Sohee Jeon - I'm Here for You 5:10pm Echo Su - Fighting Back 6:30pm Hannah Rafkin - Keeper 7:50pm - Jessy Price - New Masculinities Filmmakers' Reception 9-10:30pm
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Author Reading | Norman’s Cousin & Other Writings by Ron Singer


In Singer's latest book, the engine is story-telling, but beneath the plots lurk layers of madness and magic, as well as startling, genre-busting juxtapositions. For example, two related stories, Buying a Car and Selling a Car, are NY City picaresques combined with technical automotive detail and the history of a marriage. Written almost three decades apart, these two stories mirror their times, from the 1970s recession to the wave of immigration that was a by-product of the war in Afghanistan. The play Voir, Dear, is also about an immigrant (Russian-Jewish); its themes are race, justice, language, and family relationships. Race and justice are also the themes of Simple, and family relationships are at the heart of Norman’s Cousin. The final piece in the collection, Flagman, is about a Cuban immigrant, but the narrator is a racist and nativist. A constant note in this edgy, passionate collection is mockery of public officials. A leitmotif is the inexorable rise in the cost-of-living, as well as other important changes to life in the city. Norman’s Cousin & Other Writings is full of allusions to literature and the other arts. Simple takes its title from Langston Hughes, and alludes to the history of rhythm-and-blues. Carla, the Copy-Shop Girl, a satirical libretto, is an analogue to Melville’s Bartleby, The Scrivener, with echoes of Horatio Alger. The Rented Pet combines several genres, including local color, animal saga, and Grade-B Hollywood melodrama.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Dance Performance | Mothership Five Dance and Music Festival in the Park


Harlem Dance Club presents Mothership Five, an interactive voyage of music and dance. 3:00 DJ Steph Stylez Spins Soul & Funk 4:00 Drumming 5:00 Dance Performances 6:00 DJ JOHNNY D Spins House & Disco Live Drumming, Stepping, Swing, West African, Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Praise, Classical Indian Dance and more.
   New York City, NY; NYC
3:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | Serene organ meditations in an intimate venue (In Person AND Online)


Enjoy a program of hymns, anthems, and voluntaries for the organ.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free

Dance Performance | Capacity/or: The Work of Crackling: New Dance in the Park


Kinesis Project dance theatre and Opera On Tap will present a site-specific dance performance. This stunning, large-scale dance and opera work offers audiences a dynamic and engaging experience of the riverfront from visual and sonic perspectives. A very special pre-show talk will be offered by the project's collaborating geologist, Dr Martha "Missy" Eppes. Audiences should be prepared to move through the park.
   New York City, NY; NYC
5:00 pm
Free

City Walk | Whitney Neighborhood Arts Walk


Explore the cultural highlights of the Whitney Museum’s neighborhood with a Joan Tisch Teaching Fellow, from the area’s cultural and artistic history to public art installations by leading contemporary artists. Learn about the Whitney’s architecture, including the largo and the John R. Eckel, Jr. Foundation Gallery on the Museum’s first floor. The tour is conducted outdoors.
   New York City, NY; NYC
5:00 pm
Free

Festival | 12th Annual LUNGS Harvest Arts Festival


Schedule: 6:30 p.m. - Trio Daphne with Rie Yamaguchi-Borden (b) Steve Nelson (g) and Reid Taylor (b) will visit sentimental jazz standards for intimate Autumn Serenade with some uplifting swing numbers in the beautiful La Plaza Community Garden. 7:30 p.m. - KID JAVA is a NYC‑based band that plays “Blue Note Americana”, ie., music that is deeply indebted to the blues, but mix it up with other rootsy genres and often with a contemporary feel. Sometimes we’ll play a down-home traditional blues, other times more swing-oriented material, and then there is the New Orleans second-line or funk tune thrown in to keep things lively. KID JAVA has shared bills with such blues greats as Albert King, Otis Rush, Pinetop Perkins, and Johnny Copeland. There will be music, poetry, art, games, puppets, workshops, dance, and more!      
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Play | Bakkhai: Euripides' Most Controversial Play


Using Anne Carson's translation of Euripides' most subversive - and controversial - play, Bakkhai is about conflicts and the circle of death and rebirth. Dionysus's world of instincts and senses clashes disastrously with a world of order and oppression. Dionysus, the liberator, is the god of beginnings, a god who dies and is reborn perpetually. A god whose nature is ambiguous. One thing is certain: every new beginning starts with death. A student production.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Movie in a Park | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022): More Marvel Superheroics, with Benedict Cumberbatch


Doctor Strange teams up with a mysterious teenage girl from his dreams who can travel across multiverses, to battle multiple threats, including other-universe versions of himself, which threaten to wipe out millions across the multiverse. They seek help from Wanda the Scarlet Witch, Wong and others. Director: Sam Raimi Stars; Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Chiwetel Ejiofor 126 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:00 pm
Free

Opera | Song of the Nightingale: An Outdoor Opera Based on a Hans Christian Anderson Story


The world premiere of a site-specific opera that tells the story of a collector looking to gather up the world's most beautiful objects. This opera is adapted from Hans Christian Anderson's "The Nightingale."
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | Violin, Viola, Cello, and Piano Works by Haydn, Robert Schumann, and More


Momenta Quartet (Emilie-Anne Gendron, violin; Alex Shiozaki, violin; Stephanie Griffin, viola; Michael Haas, cello); Amy Yang, piano. Program Han Lash (b. 1981), Suite Remembered and Imagined Matthew Greenbaum (b. 1950), More Venerable Canons Haydn (1732-1809), String Quartet in F minor, Op. 20 No. 5 Robert Schumann (1810-1856), Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 44
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Concert | Maestro of the Arabic Maqam Musical Tradition


Lebanese vocalist, oud player, educator, and maestro of the Arabic maqam musical tradition, Firas Andari began his musical studies at the age of 6. Andari acquired his classical repertoire from his teachers by ear, a critically grounding asset for an oral musical methodology that dates back over 800 years. His teachers' musical lineage trace directly to great masters in Egypt and the Levant, giving Andari access to a music culture that is all but lost - maqam performance with a richness in intonation and style unadulterated by western standard notation and the colonial influences of the 20th century. In his U.S. debut, Andari performs maqam music from regions historically of the Ottoman and Persian empires; namely the Middle East, Egypt, Turkey, and North Africa--presenting the different forms characteristic to maqam's many offshoots, including muwashahat, tawashih, qudud, adwar, mawawil, and qasa'id.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:30 pm
Free

Festival | A Celebration of Ideas (In a Park)


Morningside Lights performs The Open Book, a celebration of the free exchange of ideas and an homage to the libraries that preserve access to knowledge and affirm our freedom to read. Each of the 50+ community-built lanterns will pay tribute to a book that inspires, enlightens, and shapes how we see the world. After dusk, witness a luminous catalogue of "Great Books" where each glowing volume will honor a unique perspective, while renewing the collective resolve to keep libraries free and minds open.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free
Complimentary Tickets

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

Performance | Acclaimed Comedian/Actor at a Major NYC Venue

Regular Price: $50
CFT Member Price: $0.00

Theater | Storytelling at its Best from Far Away

Regular Price: $51
CFT Member Price: $0.00
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