free things to do in New York City
Free events for Thursday, 05/29/25
<

May 2025

>
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
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 May 29, 2025?

25 free events take place on Thursday, May 29 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 May 29 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 May . 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.
Join the Club!

Go!
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!

25 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Thursday, May 29, 2025

All events are free unless otherwise noted.
        

Fair | Food Fair 


Celebrate community, creativity, and culture at this vibrant street fair! Discover a colorful mix of artisan goods and local vendors. This lively outdoor event highlights the diversity and spirit of the neighborhood while supporting local nonprofits, merchant associations, and community organizations.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
10:00 am
Free
Fairs, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Food Fair&nbsp;

Film | Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966): Drama Film Starring Elizabeth Taylor


A professor and his wife, with the help of alcohol, use their young guests to fuel anguish and emotional pain towards each other over the course of a distressing night. Director: Mike Nichols Cast: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, George Segal, Sandy Dennis Elizabeth Taylor was a British-American actress acted throughout her entire life, becoming the highest-paid  movie star in the world in the 1960s. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked her seventh on its  list of the greatest female screen legends. She received several awards for her wrok, including two Academy Awards, one Golden Globe, a BAFTA, the AFI Life Achievement Award, the BAFTA Fellowship, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, and a medallion at the Kennedy Center Honors. She was one of the first celebrities to take part in HIV/AIDS activism, and even co-founded the American Foundation for AIDS Research in 1985.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
11:00 am
Free
Films, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966): Drama Film Starring Elizabeth Taylor

Discussion | Israel on Our Minds with Ambassador Ido Aharoni (in-person and online)


Even those of us who follow the news from Israeli regularly are left with more questions than insight: How should we think about Israel security in the face of a rapidly changing Middle East? What is the government doing in response to the worldwide condemnation of the Jewish State . . . and what could it do? Has the Start-Up Nation sputtered out? Can the breach between the religious and the secular populations be healed — and how? Does the Israeli government take the concerns and opinions of the Jewish diaspora seriously enough? Should it? With so many questions — and so much confusion — they have recruited the ideal person to pull back the curtain on the complicated situation: an Israel diplomat, university professor, writer and investor, Ido Aharoni.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
11:00 am
Free
Discussions, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Israel on Our Minds with Ambassador Ido Aharoni (in-person and online)

Workshop | Learn to Juggle, All Skill Levels Welcome


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.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
12:00 pm
Free
Workshops, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Learn to Juggle, All Skill Levels Welcome

Concert | Piano in the Park: Lively Swing Music with Kennedy Center Musician


A five, six, seven, eight... Come on down and swing along to the best ragtime, stride, and jazz the Big Apple has to offer. The park is pleased to present a performance by Isaac ben Ayala. Isaac ben Ayala has performed and recorded with many notable bands and greats, from Quincy Jones, Ray Charles, Louis and Bellson, to the New York City Ballet and The Sultans of Swing. He has scored numerous films and can be heard on the piano in Block Party, Evening, "The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor Honors - Carol Burnett", and more. His orchestral arrangement, Basin Street Blues, premiered at The Kennedy Center with The National Pops Orchestra and is currently being performed by orchestras around the world.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
12:30 pm
Free
Concerts, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Piano in the Park: Lively Swing Music with Kennedy Center Musician

Classical Music | Lute Works by Michelagnolo Galilei and his Contemporaries: Blending Italian Baroque and Brise (In Person AND Online!)


Richard Kolb, 10-course lute, performs a program of Michelagnolo Galilei and his contemporaries, focusing on pieces that elegantly combine features of the early Italian Baroque with the distinctive style developed by French lutenists commonly referred to as brise. This program will contrast Galilei's music with the characteristically Italian style of his contemporary Alessandro Piccinini, and the French music of Robert Ballard.Differences between Italian and French styles were endlessly discussed throughout the 17th century, but few attempts were made to combine features of both styles before the early 18th century, with Michelangelo Galilei's music was an exception.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
1:15 pm
Free
Concerts, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Lute Works by Michelagnolo Galilei and his Contemporaries: Blending Italian Baroque and Brise (In Person AND Online!)

Museums | Film and Television Industry: History, Artifacts, Interactive Displays


This museum is dedicated to the art, history, and technology of film, television, and digital media. It houses a diverse collection of industry related objects, including cameras, scripts, costumes, production materials, as well as interactive displays, and themed installations.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
2:00 pm
Free
Museumss, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Film and Television Industry: History, Artifacts, Interactive Displays

Tour | Explore Hidden Worlds Through Nature and Discovery


Drop in for free open hours and investigate monthly educational themes. Observe local marine life in a 250-gallon aquarium, explore a large-scale park model, dive into crafts and reading, and more. Guided by expert educators, visitors of all ages are invited to uncover the hidden stories of the environment through hands-on activities and self-led exploration.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
3:00 pm
Free
Tours, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Explore Hidden Worlds Through Nature and Discovery

Talk | A Century of New York Women's Lives (Online!)


Throughout the 20th century, New York has functioned as the intellectual, political, cultural, and social epicentre of American feminism. This talk, led by Dr. Angelica De Vido, 2024-25 Robert David Lion Gardiner/Mellon Foundation Fellow, explores the changing nature of women's lives in New York, and the development of feminist activism in the city across the twentieth century. By questioning how New York women's lives have been shaped by feminist activism in the city, this talk will explore how New York has been a place of professional, cultural, and social liberation for women.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
5:00 pm
Free
Talks, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, A Century of New York Women's Lives (Online!)

Birdwatching | Evening Birding in the Park with NYC Audubon


Discover the surprising diversity of birds that call New York home during migratory season with guided tours by NYC Audubon, led by environmental educator and urban naturalist Gabriel Willow. This park is a hotspot for avian visitors and birders alike. Past sightings include warblers, tanagers, vireos, thrushes, and even a Chuck-will’s-widow!
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
5:00 pm
Free
Birdwatchings, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Evening Birding in the Park&nbsp;with NYC Audubon

Movie in a Park | Identity, Migration, and Memory: Three Short Documentaries Exploring American Chinatowns


Luka Yuanyuan Yang is a visual artist and filmmaker whose practice, characterized by interwoven documentary and archival materials, addresses themes of identity, migration, and memory, challenging conventional historical narratives and amplifying overlooked voices. During a year-long research trip across the US in 2018, Yang was captivated by the rich history of migration and adaptation in America's Chinatowns. From 1882 until the 1950s, due to the Chinese Exclusion Act and racial discrimination, Chinese Americans were largely confined to Chinatowns. During this same period, Yang began researching the stories of Chinese women in 20th-century American performing arts, seeking to uncover the experiences of Chinese women performers whose stories have been forgotten or misunderstood by history. Yang's exploration of these neighborhoods, the Chinese diaspora, and performing artists has become the central focus of her short films and feature film Chinatown Cha-Cha, and her recently published artist book Dance in Herland. In a time of rising threats to America's Chinatowns, the artist brings generations together through film, dance, and dialogue. For this screening, Yang presents Tales of Chinatown, an exhibition of three of her short films: Cantonese Tunes on Mott Street (2022), The Lady From Shanghai (2019), and Tales of Chinatown (2019). By following her protagonists on the streets, through their communities, and into their homes, Yang amplifies the voices of those often denied the chance to share their own stories--individuals who have been forgotten, silenced, or misinterpreted.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
5:00 pm
Free
Movie in a Parks, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Identity, Migration, and Memory: Three Short Documentaries Exploring American Chinatowns

Workshop | Kayaking with View of Lower Manhattan


Want to go kayaking with an amazing view of lower Manhattan and the NYC harbor? Then you've come to the right place. Glide along the water this summer and fall in a protected embayment by kayaking! 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. 20 minute timed slots.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
5:00 pm
Free
Workshops, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Kayaking with View of Lower Manhattan

Film | This Modern Age (1931): Romantic Comedy Starring Joan Crawford


Young Valentine Winters leaves America to join her ooh-la-la mama in Paris and Life begins. Soon Valentine is caught up in a whirl of hot music and cold champagne, of the right clothes and the wrong men, of all pleasure and no happiness. Then she meets an upstanding Harvard man... Director: Nick Grinde Cast: Joan Crawford, Neil Hamilton, Pauline Frederick, Albert Conti Joan Crawford was an American actress, who, during the 1920s into the 30s, was one of Hollywood's most prominent movie stars and one of the highest paid women in the U.S. 
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
6:00 pm
Free
Films, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, This Modern Age (1931): Romantic Comedy Starring Joan Crawford

Author Reading | Author Talk & Book Discussion on Audition by Katie Kitamura (In Person AND Online!)


At this book club/author talk, the book will be Katie Kitamura's Audition, an exhilarating, destabilizing Mobius strip of a novel that asks whether we ever really know the people we love. Synopsis: Two people meet for lunch in a Manhattan restaurant. She's an accomplished actress in rehearsals for an upcoming premiere. He's attractive, troubling, young--young enough to be her son. Who is he to her, and who is she to him? In this compulsively readable, brilliantly constructed novel, two competing narratives unspool, rewriting our understanding of the roles we play every day - partner, parent, creator, muse - and the truths every performance masks, especially from those who think they know us most intimately. The author and readers everywhere will join a live conversation, in-person or online.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
6:00 pm
Free
Author Readings, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Author Talk & Book Discussion on Audition by Katie Kitamura (In Person AND Online!)

Poetry Reading | Exploring Poetic Landscapes


This evening of contemporary poetry features two acclaimed voices whose work spans lyric experimentation, classical influence, and literary collaboration. Marcella Durand, winner of the 2024 Poetic Justice Institute Prize, reads from her upcoming collection A Winter Triangle (Fordham University Press, 2025). Vincent Katz shares selections from his extensive body of poetry and translations, including Daffodil, Broadway for Paul, and his acclaimed translations of Sextus Propertius.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
6:00 pm
Free
Poetry Readings, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Exploring Poetic Landscapes

Opening Reception | Inside the Studios: Portraits and Conversations with 50 Artists


Discover a vibrant, intimate look into the creative worlds of 50 artists through the lens of photographer Jaime Lopez and the words of journalist and curator Coco Myers. Their new book captures artists both in portrait and through powerful interviews, offering rare insights into the personal and artistic spaces where inspiration thrives.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
6:00 pm
Free
Opening Receptions, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Inside the Studios: Portraits and Conversations with 50 Artists

Discussion | Understanding the Influence of Broadway Scenic Designer Robin Wagner


Robin Wagner was one of the most inventive and prolific scenic designers on Broadway in the last decades of the 20th century. From the deceptively simple set of A Chorus Line, which allowed for the use of Tharon Musser’s first-of-a-kind computerized lighting design, to the boundary pushing automated scenery in Dreamgirls, Wagner helped to bring scenic design into the digital age. In 2023, months before his death, Wagner released his papers and designs, and they are now processed and available for researchers to use. Several of Wagner’s closest colleagues gather for a panel discussion of Wagner’s influence on the artform to celebrate his gift and his remarkable career.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
6:00 pm
Free
Discussions, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Understanding&nbsp;the Influence&nbsp;of Broadway Scenic Designer Robin Wagner

Workshop | Dance Aerobics Class: Low Stakes & All Fun


Find your inner dancer and get your body moving with pure joy at this cathartic dance aerobics class! Low stakes, all fun, and open to all levels. Space is limited, unreserved, and available on a first-come, first-served basis. If there is heavy rain at the time of the event, the event will be canceled.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
6:30 pm
Free
Workshops, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Dance Aerobics Class: Low Stakes & All Fun

Concert | Indie-Pop in the Park


The indie vibes, pop hooks, melodies, and lyrics of the Casino People spread positivity and good time vibes with genuine, heartfelt tunes.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
6:30 pm
Free
Concerts, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Indie-Pop in the Park

Workshop | Jump into Double Dutch with the Pros


Learn to double dutch! Coach Kyra Lee and The Double Dutch Aunties will teach you the fundamentals of street-style and competitive jump rope.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
6:30 pm
Free
Workshops, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Jump into Double Dutch with the Pros

Screening | Documentary with Director Q&A: 50 Children: The Rescue Mission of Mr. and Mrs. Kraus


In the spring of 1939, a Jewish couple from Philadelphia traveled into the heart of Nazi Germany to carry out a daring mission – rescuing Jewish children from the oncoming horrors of the Holocaust and bringing them to safety in the United States. Nominated for an Emmy award for Outstanding Historical Programming, 50 Children tells the never-before-told story of Gilbert and Eleanor Kraus and how they were able to save the lives of a group of young children who otherwise would likely have perished in the Holocaust. Following the screening, there will be a talkback with the film’s director and producer, Steven Pressman.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
7:00 pm
Free
Screenings, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Documentary with Director Q&A:&nbsp;50 Children: The Rescue Mission of Mr. and Mrs. Kraus

Author Reading | Exploring the Writings of Legendary New Yorker Author John McPhee


Looking for a Story is the first complete reader's guide to John McPhee's vast body of work, chronicling his groundbreaking approach to nonfiction and exploring his decades of writing for The New Yorker, Time magazine, and beyond. Rubinton sheds light on McPhee's innovative techniques, his little-known early articles, and his influential teaching career at Princeton University, inspiring generations of writers. With an introduction by Peter Hessler, this guide offers an invaluable look at one of America's most revered literary figures.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
7:00 pm
Free
Author Readings, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Exploring the Writings of Legendary New Yorker Author John McPhee

Tour | Manhattanhenge Historical Architecture Tour


Guides lead a walking tours focusing on iconic buildings in the area, focusing on historical architecture. This tour coincides with Manhattanhenge, when the sunset lines up perfectly with the city's street grid. It will end at a location ideal for Manhattanhenge viewing!
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
7:30 pm
Free
Tours, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Manhattanhenge Historical Architecture Tour

Concert | Voices of a People’s History: Performance Based on Howard Zinn's Books


The works of Brooklyn-born author and historian Howard Zinn (1922–2010), particularly the classic bestsellers A People's History of the United States and Voices of a People’s History of the United States, continue to shine a light on the extraordinary history of those engaged in struggles for freedom and justice in America. Voices of a People's History, a non-profit organization of artists and educators who seek to keep Zinn's message of grassroots egalitarianism alive. The heroic voices featured in Zinn's books will be brought to life in performance by a chorus of young student activists who have been mentored by artist-activists to find personal meaning in these timeless texts. Using the words of the rebels, dissenters, and visionaries of our past and present as a blueprint, this evening will inspire us all to take collective action to shape our future.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
7:30 pm
Free
Concerts, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, Voices of a People&rsquo;s History: Performance Based on Howard Zinn's Books

Talk | The Future of American-Russian Relations (In Person AND Online!)


The war in Ukraine has put the United States’ relationship with Russia at a crossroads. How should the US respond to Putin? Is Vladimir Putin’s Russia a long-term adversary of the United States? Or should the Trump administration normalize relations with Russia, and bring it back into the group of leading nations? That debate is one of the single most important challenges facing the Trump administration as it works to end the war in Ukraine and reset relations with Moscow. Critics of the administration argue that Russian aggression remains a threat not only to Ukraine, but to NATO and the US itself. What kind of US-Russia relationship is in our national interest? What concessions to Moscow, if any, should we push for in Ukraine to achieve peace? And how can the US lead the way toward peace and diplomacy? PBS NewsHour’s Nick Schifrin moderates this vital conversation between Evelyn Farkas, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia in the Obama Administration, who argues for continued US support for Ukraine — warning that there are dangers of a rushed Ukraine-Russia Peace Deal — and Thomas Graham, distinguished fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and former senior director for Russia on the National Security Council, who believes the Trump administration is right to take steps to restore normal diplomatic relations with Russia. Take part in this timely, important conversation about the road to peace in Ukraine — and how the US and Russia will share the world stage.
   New York City, NY; NYC
Join the Club!
Go!
8:00 pm
Free
Talks, May 29, 2025, 05/29/2025, The Future of American-Russian Relations (In Person AND Online!)
Complimentary Tickets

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

Musical | Hit Show Musical Parody

Regular Price: $58.50
CFT Member Price: $0.00

Classical Music | Large Chorus and Orchestra at a Landmark Venue

Regular Price: $55
CFT Member Price: $0.00
Join the Club!

Go!