free things to do in New York City
Free events for Friday, 09/18/26
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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 18, 2026?

16 free events take place on Friday, September 18 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 18 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!

16 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Friday, September 18, 2026

All events are free unless otherwise noted.
        

Workshop | Tai Chi (Outdoors)


Improve balance, strength, and focus through gentle exercises. The sights and sounds of the harbor provide a serene background for the ancient flowing postures.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:30 am
Free
Workshops, September 18, 2026, 09/18/2026, Tai Chi (Outdoors)

Workshop | Zumba Workout for All


Enthusiastic instruction and easy-to-follow Latin dance choreography working on balance, coordination, and range of motion.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:30 am
Free
Workshops, September 18, 2026, 09/18/2026, Zumba Workout for All

Workshop | Clay Sculpture Lesson (Part 2)


Participants will have the opportunity to roll up their sleeves and start hand-building their own unique sculptures using all sorts of fun tools and techniques. Whether you follow our playful prompts or go totally freestyle, you’ll leave with something truly one-of-a-kind. In part two of this sculpture workshop, the group will decorate our sculptures with paint. Come roll up your sleeves and let your imagination run wild as attendees glaze (paint) their creations from our first session to bring them to life!
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free
Workshops, September 18, 2026, 09/18/2026, Clay Sculpture Lesson (Part 2)

Workshop | Learn to Juggle in the Park


This juggling class is ideal for a quick lesson, an extended practice session, or just enjoy watching jugglers put their skills to the test. They're a friendly group and open to drop-ins, even if you catch them outside of the regular juggling lessons. All skill levels welcome. Equipment is provided.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free
Workshops, September 18, 2026, 09/18/2026, Learn to Juggle in the Park

Classical Music | An Afternoon of Organ Works by J.S. Bach in a Beautiful Church (In Person AND Online!)


Take a momentary respite from a busy day to enjoy a selection of organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach in an intimate venue.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:20 pm
Free
Concerts, September 18, 2026, 09/18/2026, An Afternoon of Organ Works by J.S. Bach in a Beautiful Church (In Person AND Online!)

Tour | Art Deco Architecture Tour


Guides lead a walking tour focusing on iconic buildings in the area.
   New York City, NY; NYC
1:00 pm
Free
Tours, September 18, 2026, 09/18/2026, Art Deco Architecture Tour

Party | Autumnal Garden Party


Gardeners can celebrate the end of summer and say hello to the cooler days of fall.  Activity with Local Nature Lab and garden treats to share. All are welcome!
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free
Partys, September 18, 2026, 09/18/2026, Autumnal Garden Party

Birdwatching | Evening Birding with NYC Audubon


Discover the surprising diversity of birds that call the park home during migratory season, with guided tours led by environmental educator and urban naturalist Gabriel Willow. The 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
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5:00 pm
Free
Birdwatchings, September 18, 2026, 09/18/2026, Evening Birding&nbsp;with NYC Audubon

Party | Play New Games like Blood on the Clocktower (BOTC)


Curious about a board game or looking to try something new? The Games Hosts will be teaching how to play a wide range of fun board games. Many come to play the social deduction game, Blood on the Clocktower (BOTC).
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free
Partys, September 18, 2026, 09/18/2026, Play New Games like Blood on the Clocktower (BOTC)

Opening Reception | Array Collective: In the Round -- Prize-Winning Works on Political Resistance


The Belfast-based Array Collective creates collaborative actions in response to socio-political issues affecting Northern Ireland. They employ craic and collaboration as a means of resistance. Their show draws from a wider trajectory of work developed over the past several years, including the Turner Prize-winning installation The Druthaib's Ball; An Dun, created for the Irish Museum of Modern Art's (IMMA) 2023-2024 Self-Determination: A Global Perspective project; and The Goose and the Common, an exhibition commissioned by Rua Red South Dublin Arts Centre that upends the language of protest, surveillance, defense, and displacement. Reception to follow.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free
Opening Receptions, September 18, 2026, 09/18/2026, Array Collective: In the Round -- Prize-Winning Works on Political Resistance

Movie in a Park | How To Train Your Dragon (2010): Animated Fantasy Film (Outdoors)


On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart. The inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast Hiccup defies centuries of tradition when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society. Directors: Chris Sanders, Dean DeBlois Cast: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, America Ferrera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kristen Wiig, T.J. Miller Guests are welcome to bring their own food for picnicking and are encouraged to support nearby park concessions and neighborhood restaurants. Popcorn, water, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages (for those 21+) will be available for sale on-site. Attendees are encouraged to bring picnic blankets or small soft cushions, but reminded that lawn chairs and dogs are not permitted on the lawn, and glass bottles and outside alcohol are never allowed in the park.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:00 pm
Free
Movie in a Parks, September 18, 2026, 09/18/2026, How To Train Your Dragon (2010): Animated Fantasy Film (Outdoors)

Galleries | Emma McIntyre: Solo Exhibition Embracing Unconventional Substances for Creating Art


An exhibition of new paintings and works on paper by New Zealand–born and Los Angeles–based artist Emma McIntyre. Thrumming with color and gestural energy, McIntyre’s abstractions explore the alchemical possibilities of the painted medium. The artist initiates a call and response between her hand and her materials, which include oils as well as unconventional substances such as oxidized iron. She pours and combines these pigments across the canvas, creating atmospheric and multilayered works that revel in a state of flux; slipping between order and chaos, spontaneity and deliberation, their surfaces constantly shift as the artist works, and as the viewer beholds them. Further broadening her experimentations with medium, scale, and hue, this will be McIntyre’s third solo show with the gallery, following An echo, a stain in New York in 2023 and Among my swan in Hong Kong in 2025.  
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free
Galleriess, September 18, 2026, 09/18/2026, Emma McIntyre: Solo Exhibition Embracing Unconventional Substances for Creating Art

Movie in a Park | The Addams Family (1991): Supernatural Black Comedy (on the Plaza)


When a man claiming to be long-lost Uncle Fester reappears after 25 years lost, the family plans a celebration to wake the dead. But the kids barely have time to warm up the electric chair before Morticia begins to suspect Fester is fraud when he can't recall any of the details of Fester's life. Director: Barry Sonnenfeld Cast: Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd Bring your own blankets or portable chairs and enjoy this cinematic experience. Limited seating will be provided on a first come, first serve basis, with or without a ticket.This movie screening will have a special surprise activation, photo opportunity, or freebie to create a memorable experience for attendees.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free
Movie in a Parks, September 18, 2026, 09/18/2026, The Addams Family (1991): Supernatural Black Comedy (on the Plaza)

Festival | Immersive Outdoor Light Festival


Step into a park where interactive art, dazzling installations, and live DJs transform the night. Explore, play, and dance under the stars in a luminous experience.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free
Festivals, September 18, 2026, 09/18/2026, Immersive Outdoor Light Festival

Play | Moliere's Don Juan: Provocative Tragicomedy with Live Music (in the Park)


Don Juan has abandoned Elvira, whom he seduced into breaking her vows and marrying him. Over the course of a single adventure-filled day, he and his loyal sidekick, Sganarelle, encounter many of the people Don Juan has betrayed. As he seduces women, defies social conventions, mocks religion, and revels in provocation, his appetite for transgression seems impossible to satisfy. Yet the signs are unmistakable: the walls are closing in. Will he truly repent? Or will he just pretend to, like so many around him, and continue down the same path to the bitter end? Playwright: Moliere Translator/Adaptor: Stephen Wadsworth Director: Lucie Tiberghien Cast: Keshav Moodliar, Kaliswa Brewster, Naomi Lorrain, Daniel Pearce, Michelle Veintimilla This presentation will feature live original cello music by Drama Desk-nominated composer Johnathan Moore.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free
Plays, September 18, 2026, 09/18/2026, Moliere's Don Juan: Provocative Tragicomedy with Live Music (in the Park)

Dancing | Step Back in Time with Grammy-Nominated Swing Band


New Swing Sextet first graced a New York stage at the 1965 World's Fair; 60 years later they are still swinging throughout the city. Known for their blend of Latin jazz, pop, and salsa – as well as contributions to the NYC-born genre of boogaloo — New Swing Sextet recorded four albums for Cotique Records before disbanding in the early 1970s. Following a 25-year hiatus, the group reunited to release new material – including the Grammy-nominated Back on the Streets via Fania in 2008. Today, the band shares their classic New York sound with contemporary audiences: big percussion, vibrophone, harmonies, and swinging rhythms for salsa dancers.  There are two ways to access this event: 1. General Admission, first-come first-served. Just show up! 2. Fast Track opening the Monday before the event at noon.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free
Dancings, September 18, 2026, 09/18/2026, Step Back in Time with&nbsp;Grammy-Nominated Swing Band
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Complimentary Tickets

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

Concert | "Tough, Insightful Rock and Roll" at a Major Venue

Regular Price: $40
CFT Member Price: $0.00

Concert | Oscar and Grammy Nominee at One of the World's Most Famous Venues

Regular Price: $45
CFT Member Price: $0.00