58 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Saturday, June 11, 2011
All events are free unless otherwise noted.
Start at GW Bridge, end at Brooklyn Bridge. Walk for about 12 hours and cross over all of the bridges ...
more >> that we can walk over from Manhattan Island. The entire route will be 27+ miles of walking, plus two or three bus/subway rides. Bring water, sandwiches, snacks, and Metro Card. Moderately paced, plus there may be a “fast group” for those who want to walk faster and farther.
Moderate to brisk walks led by the NY Walkers Club for people 18 years and older of all abilities. This ...
more >> low-impact fitness program is perfect for those who want to get in shape, build muscle tone and strength, and increase cardiovascular health while enjoying the Park’s beautiful landscapes.
9:30 am
free, no reservation required
8+ miles, 5 hours, moderate pace with several climbs. Visit sites that offer free entertainment during ...
more >> the summer while we shuffle through parts of Greenwich Village, East Village and anywhere south of Union Square Park. Bring lunch, water, and snacks. Rain cancels.
Editor's Pick
Visitors will have the unique opportunity to view a piece of New York City’s history when the Police ...
more >> Museum displays classic patrol vehicles used by New York’s Finest at its Annual Car Show. Also on display will be original and replica cars from famous crime-fighting television series. The show takes place right outside the historic Museum. Car owners will be on hand to show off their prize possessions and answer questions.
10:00 am
free, no reservation required
Panel 1: THE LONG CHAIN OF SLAVERY FROM PLANTATION TO PRISON
10:30am-12:30pm
Eddie Ellis (Moderator), ...
more >> Gloria Browne-Marshall, Scott Christianson, Joanna Weschler
Panel 2: THE SLAVE NEXT DOOR: LOCAL AND GLOBAL LABOR 1:30-3:30pm
Ron Soodalter (Moderator), John Bowe, Benedetta Rossi, Barbara Young
Panel 3: SEX TRAFFICKING AND SLAVERY
4:00-6:00pm
Tiantian Zheng (Moderator), Jennifer MacFarlane, Norma Ramos
Sketch and paint the Hudson River and neighboring parks with an artist/educator. Materials provided.
New York City, NY; NYC
10:00 am
free, no reservation required
Join 20-minute instructional paddles, and explore the Hudson River first hand. Please wear a bathing ...
more >> suit or shorts and a t-shirt, and know how to swim. Weather permitting. No registration required. Kayaks and life vests provided.
10:00 am
free, no reservation required
10:00 am
free, no reservation required
An expert leads informal discussions in the room and answers questions. Two sessions: 10am-1pm and 1:30pm ...
more >> -3pm.
10:00 am
free, no reservation required
Take a break to enjoy the Park on this one hour walk through the Park's smallest woodland area. Learn ...
more >> its history, enjoy its peacefulness, and discover the mystery behind the waterfall. Note: Due to limited space, the first 20 people to sign in at the beginning of the tour will be able to participate!
10:00 am
free, no reservation required
11am-1pm:
Bike Swap/Safety Instruction/Helmet Fitting & Giveaway
Noon:
Parade Registration Begins
Noon-3pm: ...
more >>
Bike Decorating Workshops
3pm-3:30pm:
Parade along Vernon Boulevard
3pm-6pm:
Waterfront Celebration
The fourth annual LIC Bike Parade. Back by popular demand, this FREE family and community event will invite children of all ages to explore the creative and functional potential of adaptive reuse, by using recycled materials to repair and decorate their bikes. Weather permitting.
6 miles, moderate pace. Explore the reemerging neighborhoods of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill- See the ...
more >> Prison Ship Martyrs’ Monument, BAM, and churches. Bring lunch/water or buy at Pratt Institute. Continue through Prospect Heights and Prospect Park. Optional light meal at Tibetan Café.
Explore the Cathedral's newly cleaned and restored Nave. Learn about the art, architecture and history ...
more >> of this great sacred space from 1892 to the present.
Experience the Park's only formal garden with the Garden staff. See exuberant perennial and annual beds, ...
more >> and delight in an abundance of color and fragrance while learning about the Garden's history and design.
11:00 am
free, no reservation required
Get out on the water for kayaking and community rowing. Children under 18 must have an adult guardian ...
more >> present.
11:00 am
free, no reservation required
Free Classes in the Park. Experience the joy of movement and dance. Classes are led by former and current ...
more >> members of the internationally renowned modern dance company, Limon Dance.
11:00 am
free, no reservation required
Test your skills at state-of-the-art tables. Paddles and balls are provided free of charge.
New York City, NY; NYC
11:00 am
free, no reservation required
11:00 am
free, no reservation required
11:00 am
free, no reservation required
The picnic will feature many of Mississippi's most talented artists displaying and selling their artwork, ...
more >> Mississippi writers signing their books, as well as the ever-popular delicious southern cuisine featuring a "Taste of Mississippi." Bring a blanket, kick back, relax and enjoy down home Mississippi blues music straight from the Hospitality state being performed by Mississippi's own, Eddie Cotton. Jon Paris will be on hand to perform his "always a hit music" at the picnic as well.
Artists will include original art, pottery, sculpture, jewelry and silouettes made by Harold Miller, Haley Farris, Kevin Harrington, Tracy Brewster, Ann Blackwel, Sarah Rick, Jason "Twiggy" Lott, Sarah Johnson and Phebe Smith. Dr. Darden North, Anne Hart Preus, Allison Crews, Elizabeth Heiskell and Suzanne Young Reed will be on hand to sell their books.
12:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Four hundred master artisans from every region of the United States selected on the basis of quality ...
more >> of workmanship and uniqueness of design, will be at their displays, in addition to continuous entertainment and 19 craft demonstrations including more than 35,000 one-of-a-kind uniquely designed original creations with a total estimated value exceeding $40 million will be on display.
12:00 pm
free, no reservation required
12:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Help celebrate World Wide Knitting in Public Day by coming together and joining with 75 other knitters ...
more >> as they explore what happens when a group convenes to work together and knit a giant circle. People who know how to knit are invited to participate and will be allowed to do so on a drop in basis during the afternoon. Needles and yarn will be supplied, but not given away.
12:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Holding the Park's northern highlands was key in the American Revolution and the War of 1812 because ...
more >> armies could see their enemies approach as they sailed down the East River. History buffs will love this tour.
12:00 pm
free, no reservation required
A special book signing with Tomi Ungerer, the award-winning author and illustrator of international best-seller ...
more >> The Three Robbers.
1:00 pm
free, no reservation required
The inauguration of the Led Black Book Club with Jon Michaud, the celebrated author of When Tito Loved ...
more >> Clara, described by the author as a love letter to his Dominican wife and to Inwood. Participate in a reading of the book followed by a discussion.
Explore the Cathedral's newly cleaned and restored Nave. Learn about the art, architecture and history ...
more >> of this great sacred space from 1892 to the present.
What do the last 40 years of New York look like through the photographic lens of one of the city's most ...
more >> beloved stage actors, Joel Grey? Historian Sarah Henry, Chief Curator, and Sean Corcoran, Curator of Prints and Photographs, explore the life, legacy, and history of this iconic New Yorker.
1:00 pm
Pay-what-you-wish admission policy
This tiny lighthouse, perched on the banks of the Hudson under the George Washington Bridge, was saved ...
more >> from destruction by the children who fell in love with her through The Little Red Lighthouse and the Great Grey Bridge, the classic children’s book by Hildegarde Swift. Come see why she is so very special. Fun for all ages.
1:00 pm
free, no reservation required
This event accompanies Lior Shvil's first solo exhibition in New York. The work is characterized by Shvil's ...
more >> sense of absurdist humor, intimacy and pathos which all serve to frame political issues as larger existential problems rather then ideological positions
1:00 pm
free, no reservation required
1:00 pm
free, no reservation required
1:30 pm
free, no reservation required
2:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Explore traditional Chinese culture today with a tea ceremony/tasting, Chinese calligraphy lessons and ...
more >> traditional music from a pipa player. Chinese Arts Revival is a non-profit organization dedicated to reviving and continuing the wonder, beauty, and wisdom offered by this ancient heritage.
2:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Editor's Pick
Celtic Cross is a high-spirited & captivating pop/folk group with strong Irish traditional music influences ...
more >> from the heart of New York City. The seven-piece band is lead by local Montauk singer-songwriter, Kathleen Fee. The lively band features a solid rock rhythm section, and a talented Irish accordion, fiddle, banjo/ mandolin traditional section. Bringing together international award winning ceili playing, great vocals, fantastic originals and a rocking rhythm section are Celtic Cross hallmarks. Springing from deep Irish roots, the ensemble is immersed in Celtic dance music tradition. Yet their affinity for alt-country and rock & roll results in thoughtful pop Americana with a lively Irish flare.
2:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Editor's Pick
With Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston and Nicole Kidman.
On a weekend trip to Hawaii, a plastic surgeon ...
more >> convinces his loyal assistant to pose as his soon-to-be-divorced wife in order to cover up a careless lie he told to his much-younger girlfriend.
116 min.
Memory is a powerful component of both history and contemporary art. Local artists Andrea Arroyo, Felipe ...
more >> Galindo, Peter Hoffmeister, Jessica Lagunas, Trish Mayo and Misha McGlown created site specific works that relate to the visual memory of New York City and the Morris-Jumel Mansion, artworks will relate to personal or historical memories of the past, present or future and interpret the history of Manhattan's oldest house and the people who lived here through the visual art forms of painting, fabric/textiles, mixed-media installation, cyanotype and book art.
2:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Got knitting skills? If you are a pro or are just starting out join our Knitting Circle. They'll provide ...
more >> some materials but everyone is required to bring their own yarn.
2:00 pm
free, no reservation required
The period of the 1920s ad 1930s encompassed an extraordinary outburst of creativity by African American ...
more >> visual artists. You'll learn how black artists triumphed over formidable odds and see more than 130 paintigs, prints, photographs and sculptures by black artists. Film and lecture.
2:00 pm
free, no reservation required
The tour explores the social and political history of the Union Square neighborhood through discussions ...
more >> of the people, history, architecture, and forces that have shaped this community. You’ll hear how Union Square got its name, see where the legendary Tiffany & Co. once stood, and learn how to read the clock (yes, it’s a clock!) on “The Metronome” sculpture and so much more!
2:00 pm
free, no reservation required
As you promenade through the heart of the Park, imagine yourself living in 19th Century New York City. ...
more >> Learn about the Park's history and how its designers, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, struggled to create the magnificent "Greensward" for the enjoyment of all. Tour lasts approximately one hour.
2:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Editor's Pick
Hands on using wireless laptops. Come and explore the depths of Google. Speed your search for precise ...
more >> results & discover some of the amazing new features Google is offering.
4:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Charles Bernstein is our postmodern jester of American poesy, equal part surveyor of democratic vistas ...
more >> and scholar of avant-garde sensibilities. In a career spanning thirty-five years and forty books, he has challenged and provoked us with writing that is decidedly unafraid of the tensions between ordinary and poetic language, and between everyday life and its adversaries. Attack of the Difficult Poems, his latest collection of essays, gathers some of his most memorably irreverent work while addressing seriously and comprehensively the state of contemporary humanities, the teaching of unconventional forms, fresh approaches to translation, the history of language media, and the connections between poetry and visual art.
4:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Editor's Pick
Based on practices that enable heightened states of sensory perception, the workshop shares methods for ...
more >> reverberating mindfully with other dancers during duet and ensemble improvisation. They will focus on listening, sensing, and acting from sound, movement, and memory impulses. They will explore expansions and contractions of energy and sound in our bodies and in the space. They will trace the pathways that movement material takes between outside and inside: input - filtering - output - sending. Rather than reacting to other bodies, they will cultivate a stance that allows us to observe, consider, and respond with as much of ourselves as possible.
Editor's Pick
4:30 pm
Free-will offering
Tonight, brilliant students take the stage. The legends of tomorrow show you they're actually the stars ...
more >> of today.
The Merry Wives of Windsor is a comedy by William Shakespeare, first published in 1602, though believed ...
more >> to have been written prior to 1597. It features the fat knight Sir John Falstaff, and is Shakespeare's only play to deal exclusively with contemporary Elizabethan era English middle class life.
6:30 pm
free, no reservation required
The trio's combination of jazz, funk, "avant-noise" and a million other musical impulses is nearly impossible ...
more >> to classify. Wide open: That’s the phrase that describes Medeski Martin & Wood’s musical sensibilities, attitude, and the spirit of adventure that the band has pursued for over two decades. Although the “jazz spirit” has been ever-present in their songs, the group has won over a substantial audience that is packed with alternative-rock lovers, jam-band aficionados and jazz heads.>/br>
The King Froopy All-Stars is an electric 12-piece project from celebrated trombonist and composer Josh Roseman. Featuring some of the edgiest voices harvested from Brooklyn's new jazz scene, this electro-acoustic supergroup focuses world beat, spontaneous improvisation, dub, satire and psychedelia through Roseman's unconventional lens. Able to simultaneously compel both your feet and the neocortex, this is what AAJ has called, “jazz-tinged party music with a master's degree.”
AlasNoAxis is the culmination of famed jazz drummer Jim Black’s years of experience on stage and in the studio with some of the world’s greatest composers and improvisors. The band’s 2000 self-titled debut, established a new standard for the cross-fertilization of rock, electro-acoustic and jazz, becoming the standard-bearer of “future jazz” and thrilling listeners with its powerhouse combination of virtuosity, rock emotion and noisy catharsis.
7:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Flamenco music from the Spanish guitars of Rafael & Cristobal Cintron.
Calling all blankets, picnic ...
more >> baskets, and candles!
7:00 pm
free, no reservation required
Roam through the Park with the actors as you enjoy this delightful comedy presented by the New York Classical ...
more >> Theatre. With: Brian Cheng, Will Gallacher, Lindsey Kyler, Drew Lewis, Lauren Margaret Nordvig, Nick Plakias, Nick Salamone, and Courtney Alana Ward.
7:00 pm
free, no reservation required
A three-person improvised play performed by Laura Grey (Second City, Klepper & Grey, Laura On Laura), ...
more >> Jodi Lennon (Annoyance, Second City, IO, Exit 57) and Ari Voukydis (UCB, Conan O'Brien, The Best Week Ever).
The Moose Hall Theatre Company performs as part of the Inwood Shakespeare Festival. Bring blankets and ...
more >> chairs.
7:30 pm
free, no reservation required
All's Well That Ends Well is a fairytale for grown-ups. This beguiling fable follows the low-born Helena, ...
more >> one of Shakespeare’s most resourceful heroines, as she inventively surmounts obstacle after impossible obstacle in order to win the love of the aristocratic and haughty Count Bertram. Directed by Daniel Sullivan.
At every TBC show, we create brand new episodes of old favorites. These aren't lost episodes, and they ...
more >> aren't updated for the modern era, these are freshly written episodes performed by the TBC Players, that take place during the height of your favorite sitcom's best season.
Drink, eat, and laugh yourself silly at Comedy Night, curated by Ben Weber and Meg Griffiths and featuring ...
more >> a lineup of New York's most talented comedic performers. Comics for this installment include the ever enlightening Elon James White, writer and host of the award-winning web series This Week in Blackness, and the multi-talented actor-comic Andrea Rosen (Flight of the Conchords, The Baxter).
Come spend a night with Goldie and The Hawns, an all-female and all-hilarious improv group that features ...
more >> a different male guest for each show. Can the lucky man handle us? Let's hope so, or he just might get thrown overboard! Special guest - Kurt Braunohler.