free things to do in New York City
Free events for Saturday, 05/16/15
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Free Events, Free Things to Do in New York City!  Read More
53 free events take place on Saturday, May 16 in New York City.
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53 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Saturday, May 16, 2015

All events are free unless otherwise noted.
        

Concert | College Recitals


9:00 AM - 9:50 AM Solomon Mikowsky Piano Student Recital - Wenqiao Jiang 9:30 AM - 9:50 AM Concert Orchestra 10:00 AM - 10:50 AM Haebin Chang, Senior Violin Recital 11:00 AM - 11:50 AM Typher Yom, Senior Violin Recital 11:15 AM - 1:00 PM Musical Theater 2:00 PM - 2:50 PM Elizabeth Faidley, Violin Student Recital - Sarah Ma 4:00 PM - 4:50 PM Carson Greene, Senior Clarinet Recital 4:00 PM - 4:50 PM Elizabeth Faidley, Violin Student Recital - Lauren Ross 5:00 PM - 5:50 PM Ani Mouradian, Senior Piano Recital 7:00 PM - 7:50 PM Repertory Orchestra
   Upper Manhattan, New York, NY
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9:00 am
free, no reservation required

Workshop | Health and Race Walking


Enjoy views of the Park's landscapes as you get fit. Coach Lon Wilson of the New York Walkers Club leads walks at a moderate to brisk pace over mostly flat surfaces. Wear comfortable sneakers! Ages 18+.
   Central Park,
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9:30 am
free, no reservation required

Festival | Ninth Avenue International Food Festival and Street Fair


The Ninth Avenue International Food Festival has become a favorite weekend for New Yorkers since it began in 1973. Ninth Avenue closes to cars and the festival takes over. More than a million people visit the festival each year. It's unique and amazing, celebrating the joys of ethnicity through food, entertainment and every kind of street fair stall.
   New York, NY
9:30 am
free, no reservation required

Tour | Alternative New York Tour


Time to learn about the other New York City; the city that nurtured political, cultural and intellectual revolutions. The city that gave birth to punk rock, the beat poets and graffiti. The city that has survived two centuries of mass riots, crime and corruption, murder and mayhem. The city that has flourished in spite of economic and social hardship.
   Lower Manhattan,
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10:00 am
Free...

Festival | Go Fish! featuring Rani Arbo and daisy mayhem


CATCH-AND-RELEASE FISHING 10am-2pm Join Master Anglers and drop a line for some of the 30-plus species of fish that live in New York Bay (the Hudson River’s estuary). During Go Fish, barbless hooks minimize injuries to both fish and participants. Fish are placed in saltwater tanks for observation and identification before being released back into the Hudson. Live demonstrations and displays teach fish anatomy and heighten awareness of the ecology, flourishing marine life and current state of good health of the Hudson River and its estuary. Rods, reels and bait are provided for those who don’t bring their own. ART PROJECTS 11am-2pm Drop in on fish-related art projects. All materials are provided. BIRD WATCHING 11am Search with an experienced birder for species that live in or migrate through BPC Parks. Binoculars available to borrow. FAMILY PERFORMANCE 12pm Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem perform bluegrass-inflected songs filled with infectious humor and virtuoso playing.
   Lower Manhattan, New York, NY
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10:00 am
free, no reservation required

Tour | Greenwich Village Neighborhood Tour


Greenwich Village is among Manhattan's most desirable and expensive residential neighborhoods. It's history, however, betrays it's monied status. The Village, with it's quiet, shaded streets, lined with lovely brick and brownstone townhouses, was once the incubating ground of artistic, social and political movements that have helped shape US history. From the Beats to the Folk Movement, from workers rights to gay rights, the Village has often been the center of it all.
   Lower Manhattan,
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10:00 am
Free...

Tour | Harlem Tour


Although world famous, Harlem may be New York's best kept secret with some of the city's best architecture, food, music and people. Harlem's history is also one of the city's most dramatic, having gone through many ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic changes over the past roughly 400 years, which have resulted in a diverse array of places of worship, theaters, homes and eating establishments.
   Upper Manhattan,
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10:00 am
Free...

Tour | Lower Manhattan, Chinatown, Little Italy and SoHo Tour


A multi-neighborhood tour of the Lower Manhattan area. The tour begins on Wall Street, where you will see the New York Stock Exchange and Trinity Church before moving on the the World Trade Center and City Hall. We then move on by subway to visit the largest Chinatown in the United States. Following Chinatown, the tour will continue on through Little Italy and on to SoHo.
   Lower Manhattan,
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10:00 am
Free...

Tour | Manhattan Street Art Tour


Join a Manhattan Street Art Tour and experience the Lower East Side - SoHo, NoHo, Nolita and Little Italy. The Lower East Side of Manhattan is a playground for street artists, Soho is known to be one of NYC first permit Joint Live-Work Quarters for artists and the area received landmark designation in 1973. Noho and Nolita’s street art is either hidden in courtyards or on the more prominent street art facades. Learn about the history of the art of many famous and unknown artist.
   Lower Manhattan,
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10:00 am
Free...

Workshop | Park Fly Fishing


Learn the basics of fly fishing for free. Join expert instructors from Orvis for lessons on fly casting and outfit rigging.
   Midtown,
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10:00 am
Free

Tour | Roosevelt House Public Tour


Roosevelt House - the former double townhouse of Franklin, Eleanor and Sara Delano Roosevelt, and now owned by Hunter College - offers visitors a chance to get closer to a family as unique as the city they inhabited, and to explore the private spaces where some of the most iconic public policy of the 20th century was shaped. Hear about FDR's rise to the presidency after his struggle with polio, Eleanor's activism for civil rights and human rights, and Sara's support for interracial and interfaith initiatives. Tour times: 10am, 12pm, and 2pm.
   Upper East Side, New York, NY
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10:00 am
$10 suggested donation...

Tour | SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown Tour


You've seen the iconic skyscrapers, attended a Broadway show, visited Lady Liberty and relaxed in Central Park. Looking for a little more of the Big Apple? Maybe it's time to visit some of Manhattan's oldest and most enchanting historic districts. Take a relaxing stroll through SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown.
   Lower Manhattan,
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10:00 am
Free...

Fair | Spring Bazaar


Silent auction, live music, and more.
   New York, NY
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10:00 am
free, no reservation required

Fair | Street Fair


Free fun for the whole family, including arts, crafts, antiques, plants, entertainment, games, and more.
   New York, NY
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10:00 am
free, no reservation required

Concert | College Recitals


Pre-College Student Recitals 11 a.m. Pre-College Student Recital 1 p.m. Pre-College Chamber Music Marathon 4pm, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm Pre-College Student Recitals 6pm, 7:30pm Choreographic Honors 8 p.m. Alexander Lieberman, Composition 8:30 p.m.
   Lincoln Square, New York, NY
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11:00 am
free, no reservation required

Park Walk | Garden Tour


Learn about the thousands of trees, flowers, shrubs, and perennials that decorate the Garden from horticulturalists who take care of this special place within the Park. Route involves a few stairs. 75 minutes.
   East Harlem,
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11:00 am
free, no reservation required

Workshop | Learn Juggling in the Park


Test your coordination and dexterity with free juggling lessons in the park. All skill levels are welcome to join in the fun. Equipment is provided. Lessons are weather permitting.
   Midtown,
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11:00 am
free, no reservation required

Workshop | Shape Up NYC Zumba


Shape Up NYC offers free fitness classes to help New Yorkers get and stay fit.
   Upper Manhattan, New York, NY
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11:00 am
free, no reservation required

Festival | Super Sabado Block Party


Celebrate the return of spring at El Museo’s Block Party. Join us for a day of art-making, performances, and dancing.
   East Harlem, New York, NY
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12:00 pm
free, no reservation required

Film | Documentary: Linda Hoaglund's The Wound and the Gift (2014)


Humans, who have long considered animals inferior, are increasingly recognizing them as emotional equals, as creatures endowed with individual spirits and personalities. 80 mins.
   Midtown East,
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12:15 pm
Free

Gallery Talk | Gallery Tour: When the Curtain Never Comes Down


Tour led by the museum’s gallery guides.
   Lincoln Square,
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1:00 pm
free, no reservation required

Slide Lecture | Stephen Jumel: The Making of a Merchant


The amazing Eliza Jumel rose from poverty to become one of New York's richest women with the help of a fortune acquired from her first husband, Stephen Jumel. His own origins, until now shrouded in mystery, will be revealed in this illustrated lecture. Margaret A. Oppenheimer, author of a forthcoming, myth-busting biography of Eliza, will disclose the details of Stephen's parentage and youth.
   Upper Manhattan, New York, NY
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1:00 pm
$5...

Parade | The 9th Annual Dance Parade and Festival


Dance Parade’s mission is to inspire dance through the celebration of diversity. Over 10,000 dancers will converge on the streets of New York City showcasing 75 styles of dance making the 9th Annual Dance Parade and Festival the world’s largest display of cultural diversity. Four Grand Marshals span the diversity of dance – renowned 84-year-sold contemporary theater artist, choreographer and dancer of stage and screen Carmen de Lavallade, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Choreographer and Artistic Director Robert Battle, Dancing Wheels founder Mary Verdi-Fletcher and pioneer of Indian bhangra dance in North America, DJ Rekha. There will be a free Dance Jam after Dance Parade featuring Barbara Tucker, and DJ's Q, Spinna, Brian Cox and Grand Marshal Rekha from 3-7pm in Tompkins Square Park (Avenue B & 10th Street).
   New York, NY
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1:00 pm
free, no reservation required

Staged Reading | The Instant Shakespeare Company reads Romeo and Juliet


Shakespeare's timeless tale of a love too intense for this earth.
   Lincoln Square, New York, NY
1:00 pm
free, no reservation required

Tour | Brooklyn Heights Tour


Known as America's first suburb, Brooklyn Heights is truly a gem. Travel and Leisure named it one of America's top 10 most beautiful neighborhoods, and its beauty is rivaled only by its place in American history. These quaint, tree-lined streets have been the sites of Revolutionary War battles, abolitionist activism and have inspired numerous novelists. Visit a stop on the Underground Railroad, or the home of Truman Capote, where he penned Breakfast at Tiffany's and where Jackie Robinson signed with the Dodgers.
   Downtown Brooklyn,
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2:00 pm
Free...

Tour | Bushwick Graffiti and Street Art Tour


New York City is a mecca for graffiti and street art, making it a very attractive playground for artists from around the world. Bushwick, in a working class district on the north side of Brooklyn adjacent to Williamsburg, has been attracting artists for some time now. The neighborhood has a fair collection of art studios and galleries, but it’s Bushwick’s industrial landscape that’s attracting the street artist. If you came looking for 1960′s Greenwich Village, you’ll find something brewing in Bushwick.
   East Williamsburg,
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2:00 pm
Free...

Film | Chris Columbus' Stepmom (1998): Weepy Family Drama


Stars: Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Ed Harris. A terminally ill mother has to settle on the new woman in her former husband's life who will be their stepmother. 120 min.
   Midtown,
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2:00 pm
free, no reservation required

Jazz | College Recitals


2:00 PM to 3:00 PM Caroline Santoro, Voice 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM Joseph Foster, Trumpet
   Lower Manhattan, New York, NY
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2:00 pm
free, no reservation required

Concert | Symphonic Orchestra performs Beethoven, Smetena, Berlioz, Bizet


Program: HECTOR BERLIOZ “Marche Hongroise” from The Damnation of Faust LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major GEORGES BIZET Carmen Suite No. 1 BEDŘICH SMETANA “Vlatava” from Ma Vlast
   Upper Manhattan, New York, NY
2:00 pm
free, no reservation required

Tour | Union Square-Crossroads of New York Tour


The tour explores the social and political history of the Union Square neighborhood through discussions 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!
   Midtown,
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2:00 pm
free, no reservation required

Concert | Amanda Maier: Brahms' Forgotten Friend


Program: Amanda Maier Sonata in B minor Johnannes Brahms Sonata No. 3 in D minor Cesar Franck Sonata in A major Virtuoso violinist Elmira Darvarova and pianist Linda Hall present a recital honoring Amanda Maier, the Swedish composer and violinist who advised and collaborated with Johannes Brahms.
   Lincoln Square,
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2:30 pm
free, no reservation required

Film | Documentary: Felix Moeller's Forbidden Films: The Hidden Legacy of Nazi Film


A thoughtful, provocative analysis of the 40 Nazi-produced movies still banned from broadcast or public screening in Germany (except in a scholarly context) because they are considered too inflammatory or offensive. The Third Reich’s anti-Semitic films are well-known (among them THE ETERNAL JEW, THE ROTHSCHILDS, JEW SÜSS), but less famed are their anti-British and anti-Polish dramas, featuring heroic young Germans, mercilessly bullied by greedy, deranged foreigners. Nearly 70 years after the demise of the Nazis, do Joseph Goebbels’s notorious propaganda movies still pose a threat to civil society? See this galvanizing documentary and judge for yourself. Start times: 2:30pm, 4:40pm, 7:00pm, 9:10pm
   Lower Manhattan, New York, NY
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2:30 pm
free, no reservation required

Workshop | Windows 7 Basics Workshop


Learn the basics of navigating a PC with Windows 7.
   Midtown,
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2:30 pm
Free

Film | Documentary: Linda Hoaglund's The Wound and the Gift (2014)


Humans, who have long considered animals inferior, are increasingly recognizing them as emotional equals, as creatures endowed with individual spirits and personalities. 80 mins.
   Midtown East,
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3:00 pm
Free

Poetry Reading | Poetry Reading


Celebrate the culmination of the 8-week poetry workshop, The Art of Making Poems: Creation and Craft. Participants from the workshop will be reading from selections they created during the workshop. All are welcome.
   Midtown,
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3:00 pm
Free

Talk | The Architecture of Notre Dame


A talk and tour by Meisha Hunter Burkett, expert in architectural history.
   Upper Manhattan, New York, NY
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3:00 pm
free, no reservation required

Gallery Talk | Exhibition Tour: Public Eye, 175 Years of Sharing Photography


Join a 45-minute docent led tour of the exhibition.
   Midtown,
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3:30 pm
free, no reservation required

Book Signing | Book Launch: Thomas Hirschhorn: Gramsci Monument


A conversation with Thomas Hirschhorn and curator Yasmil Raymond will occur.
   Midtown, New York, NY
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4:00 pm
free, no reservation required

Concert | Concert on Water


The concert is at the coolest classical music concerts location in New York City. Program and musicians TBA.
   
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4:00 pm
free, no reservation required

Film | Documentary: Jide Tome Akinleminu's Portrait of a Lone Farmer (2013)


A feature documentary about a Danish-Nigerian family torn apart by geography. When Jide, for the first time in five years, visits his father's poultry farm, we see through his camera the unfolding of a story about family, love, and legacy. It is a quiet and stunning portrait of a broken family trying to heal. 75 min. Q and A with director Jide Tome Akinleminu to follow screening.
   Upper Manhattan, New York, NY
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4:00 pm
$10 suggested donation

Concert | Saturday Afternoon Organ Meditation


The program features the great repertoire of the Organ on the 101 rank Pipe Organ built by Herman Schlicker and the 5 stop chamber organ built by Taylor & Boody Organ Builders.
   Lower Manhattan,
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4:00 pm
free, no reservation required

Opening Reception | Paintings: Yigal Ozeri: Bear Mountain


Yigal Ozeri is New York City based Israeli artist. He is known for large-scale cinematic portraits of young women in landscapes. His works are photo-realistic oil paintings.
   Midtown, New York, NY
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5:00 pm
free, no reservation required

Film | Documentary: Ngardy Conteh George and Allan Tong's Flying Stars (2014)


During Sierra Leone's civil war, rebels amputated countless limbs. Most of the victims are orphans, outcasts in a society that refuses to face its past. For some of them, only the amputee soccer league offers a chance at a better life. The film documents the daily challenges facing young men broken by life, trying to overcome a cruel fate. 50 min. Q and A with director Ngardy Conteh George to follow screening.
   Upper Manhattan, New York, NY
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5:30 pm
$10 suggested donation

Opening Reception | 3 Art Shows: Andrea Galvani / Halmos / Katie Torn


EXHIBITIONS OPENING: Andrea Galvani: The End Halmos: INCUBATORACCELERATOR Katie Torn: Myopia’s Toil
   Lower Manhattan, New York, NY
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6:00 pm
free, no reservation required

Theater | Shakespeare Outdoors: The Two Gentlemen of Verona


Presented by The Drilling Company.
   Midtown,
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6:30 pm
free, no reservation required

Concert | College String Chamber Music Concert


From the Program in String Performance.
   Lower Manhattan, New York, NY
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7:30 pm
free, no reservation required

Tour | Ghosts of Greenwich Village Tour


New York Ghost tours capture the spiritual side of the Big Apple through stories. famed explorers, native tribes, lost opportunities and political intrigue. With almost every step one takes through the West Village, one encounters the ghosts and spirits of New York City’s past. Every corner has its stories, every building has its haunted spirits.
   Lower Manhattan,
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7:30 pm
Free...

Film | Documentary: Electra Weston's Maybe Dreams Can Come True (2014)


In this contemporary mix of narrative, experimental and documentary filmmaking, Chocolat is torn between nurturing her love relationship in the USA and maintaining a booming entertainment career in Europe. Looking for answers to her deepest questions, she uses a small video camera to explore and question her life by interviewing her friends abroad. 100 min. Q and A with director Electra Weston to follow screening.
   Upper Manhattan, New York, NY
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8:00 pm
$10 suggested donation

Tour | Midtown Manhattan Night Tour


New York is a skyscraper city and there is no better time to view Manhattan’s icons than after the sun sets and the lights go on. Fueled by competition and a dash of audacity, New York City is still producing one of mankind’s most remarkable skyline. NOTE** THIS TOUR SPENDS MUCH TIME INDOORS OR IN SUBWAYS AND GREAT FOR ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS. Please note they do utilize the subway on this tour so you will need $5 for subway tickets.
   Midtown East,
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8:00 pm
Free...

Concert | New York Repertory Orchestra performs works by Vaughn Williams, Barber, Proto


Program: Samuel Barber: School for Scandal Overture Frank Proto: Saxophone Concerto No. 2 Rick VanMatre, saxophone Ralph Vaughan Williams: A Pastoral Symphony
   Theater District, New York, NY
8:00 pm
$10 suggested donation

Concert | Philharmonic Orchestra performs Mendelssohn, Bartok, Liszt, Chadwick


Program: FELIX MENDELSSOHN Overture to Ruy Blas, op. 95 BÉLA BARTÓK Concerto for Viola and Orchestra, Sz. 120, BB 128 FRANZ LISZT Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major GEORGE CHADWICK Symphonic Sketches, op. 70
   Upper Manhattan, New York, NY
8:00 pm
free, no reservation required

Concert | Talujon performs works by Harrison, Reich, Rzewski


Program: Lou Harrison: The Song of Queztecoatl Alexandre Lunsqui: Entresons.Recreo Talujon: Their Four and Sow Three Steve Reich: Drumming, Part I Frederic Rzewski: Coming Together
   Lincoln Square,
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8:00 pm
free, no reservation required

Concert | Gifrants and SEGWE, Intoxicating Mixers of Jazz and Caribbean Sounds


For over thirty years, Boston-based singer and guitarist Gifrants has been combining the intoxicating sounds of his native Haiti with thrilling dashes of jazz and pan-Caribbean music. The resulting compositions set soothing melodies to seductive rhythms. For this performance, Gifrants is accompanied by his backing band SEGWE, comprised of some of Boston’s leading jazz luminaries.
   Fort Greene,
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9:00 pm
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Complimentary Tickets

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

Discussion | Major Political Correspondent in Conversation

Regular Price: $40
CFT Member Price: $0.00

Concert | Gospel, Pop, Folk Artist at a Major Venue

Regular Price: $40
CFT Member Price: $0.00

Performance | Erotic Burlesque Show

Regular Price: $135
CFT Member Price: $0.00