Friday September 1, 2017
Saturday September 2, 2017
Sunday September 3, 2017
All Weekend
Looking for free and cheap things to do in New York City this weekend? We have scoured the internet to find fun, interesting, artsy, tasty, active, educational and unique experiences that you can do this weekend in the city for free or cheap.
If you’re on a budget (or even if you’re not), check out the chronological list below for ideas on what to do this weekend without breaking the bank. Whatever your interests – food, music, movies, theater, dance, comedy, classes, tours, art or games – there’s definitely something here for you!
Museum of Modern Art | Museum/Art
- 11 W. 53rd St., 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Free!)
- Free admission to the MoMA courtesy of Uniqlo
- Recurring every Friday
- Event Website
Bingo | Fun & Games
- West Harlem Piers Park, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Free!)
- BYO food & beverages to this all ages, free to enter, B-I-N-G-O night. Each game winner receives a prize!
- Event Website
“Cars 3” Screenings | Film
- Virginia Park (Bronx), 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Free!)
- Synopsis: Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast cars, the legendary Lighting McQueen finds himself pushed out of the sport that he loves. Hoping to get back in the game, he turns to Cruz Ramirez, an eager young technician who has her own plans for winning.
- Event Website
Morgan Library & Museum | Museum/Art
- Madison Ave & 36th St., 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Free!)
- Free admission to the library and museum.
- Recurring every Friday
- Event Website
Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” Performance | Theater
- Bryant Park, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Free!)
- Synopsis: When providence and sorcery land a treacherous brother and a king on an enchanted island, the exiled Duke Prospero and his daughter Miranda get a second chance to reclaim their rightful status. In this production of Shakespeare’s beloved farewell to the stage, righteous anger gives way to love and forgiveness.
- Recurs Fridays through September 8
- Event Website
“La La Land” Screening | Film
- Williamsbridge Oval (Bronx), 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM (Free!)
- Synopsis: Sebastian and Mia are drawn together by their common desire to do what they love. But as success mounts they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart.
- Event Website
Whitney Museum | Museum/Art
- 99 Gansevoort Street (Chelsea), 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM (Free!)
- Free/pay what you wish admission to the Whitney Museum.
- Recurring every Friday
- Event Website
“Captain America: Civil War” Screening | Film
- Hamilton Fish Park (Manhattan), 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM (Free!)
- Synopsis: Former Avengers teammates Iron Man and Captain America clash over ideological differences. Soon, the rest of the Marvel heroes take sides in the conflict
- Event Website
Karaoke | Music Fun & Games
- Union Hall (Brooklyn), Midnight – Late (Free!)
- Karaoke!
- Recurring every Friday night
- Event Website
Dance Class | Dance Class
- Bryant Park, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM (Free!)
- Experience the joy of dance with dancers from the Limón Dance Company
- Recurs Saturdays
- Event Website
Highline Tour: From Freight to Flowers | Tour
- The High Line, 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM (Free!)
- A 75-minute-long tours led by High Line Docents, knowledgeable volunteer guides, will offer you an insider’s perspective on the park’s history, design, and landscape.
- Recurs weekly through October
- Event Website
The Green Team | Active
- Brooklyn Bridge Park, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Free!)
- Volunteer with the Green Team: The Green Team provides essential horticultural care to the Park, including planting, mulching, and removing invasive plants. The Green Team is a wonderful opportunity to learn about gardening, enjoy nature, and make the Park look its best.
- Recurs Saturdays
- Event Website
Kayaking | Active
- Pier 2 Brooklyn Bridge Park, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Free!)
- Paddle on a sit-on-top kayak in the East River.
- Recurring Saturdays through August
- Event Website
Butt & Gut Workout | Active Class
- Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Monument (Riverside Park), 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM (Free!)
- Veteran Donald Calliste leads a class to tone and define your core, lower back, and glutes combined with cardio exercises that will maximize your fat burning potential.
- Recurs Saturdays through August
- Event Website
Hans Christian Andersen Stories | Fun & Games
- Central Park, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Free!)
- Each summer on Saturday morning for the past 60 years, New Yorkers of all ages have listened to Andersen tales and other stories, folktales, and fairytales from around the world told by a group of brilliant storytellers at the Hans Christian Andersen Statue in Central Park.
- This week: Hansel & Gretal and Mother Earth
- Recurs ever Saturday through September
- Event Website
Mid-Park Welcome Tour | Tour
- Central Park, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Free!)
- Explore some of the park’s best-known features, and then marvel at the view from Belvedere Castle, on this introductory tour led by Central Park Conservancy guides. Highlights of this tour include: Balcony Bridge, Oak Bridge, the Lake, the Ramble, and Belvedere Castle.
- Event Website
Shape Up Zumba | Active Class
- West Harlem Piers Park (W. 125th St. & Marginal St.), 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Free!)
- Zumba Class
- Recurs Saturdays
- Event Website
Hester Street Fair: Lobster & Beer | Food Fair/Festival
- Hester Street (Manhattan), 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Free!)
- A lot beer, great local vendors and the best lobster the city has to offer and chill in the park for the last weekend of the summer.
- Event Website
Greenwich Village Walking Tour | Tour
- St. Marks Church (2nd Ave & 10th St.), 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM (Free!)
- Led by licensed guides, each tour lasts about 90 minutes and the Greenwich Village: steeped in artistic, political and progressively social history, Greenwich Village today remains a cultural melting pot. The ‘Village’ has been, and remains a bohemian capital, a center of the modern LGBT movement and one of the birthplaces of the ‘Beat’ and 60’s counter cultures.
- Recurring Saturdays through September 23
- Event Website
MoMA PS1 – Warm Up | Museum/Art Music
- 22-25 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, 12:00 PM (Free! for MoMA PS 1 admission, $18 for Warm Up)
- Outdoor music series, presenting the best in live and electronic music across a range of genres.
- Recurs Saturdays through September 2
- Warm Up Website
- Museum Website
Capoeira for Beginners | Active Class
- Socrates Sculpture Park, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (Free!)
- This introduction will offer guidance with balance, flexibility, and agility while also providing a brief history of capoeira traditions.
- Recurs Saturdays through October 7
- Event Website
Union Square Park Tour | Tour
- Union Square, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM (Free!)
- Explore the social and political history of the Union Square neighborhood and learn about the people and events that shaped this vibrant historical community.
- Recurring every Saturday
- Event Website
Bargemusic | Music
- Brooklyn Bridge Park, 4:00 PM (Free!)
- Walk across the gangplank of a renovated coffee barge for a one-hour, family-friendly concert by Bargemusic.
- Recurs Saturdays
- Event Website
The British Are Coming! | Music
- Alice Austen Park (Staten Island), 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Free!)
- Enjoy selections from British Invasion rock groups as well as traditional music from the British Isles.
- Event Website
Queens Night Market | Fair/Festival Food
- New York Hall of Science, 6:00 PM – Midnight (Free to enter, food and drink for purchase)
- Open-air market that celebrates the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of Queens and NYC through affordable street food, art, and performances.
- Recurring every Saturday
- Event Website
Trivia Night | Fun & Games
- One Star Bar (Manhattan), 7:00 PM (Free!)
- Hosted by Tony Hightower of TriviaNYC and John Chaneski of NPR’s “Ask Me Another“.
- Recurring every Saturday
- TriviaNYC Website
- Venue Website
“Selena” Sing-Along | Film Music
- Videology Bar & Cinema (Brooklyn), 7:00 PM & 10:00 PM Viewings ($18)
- Sing along to the film: Selena.
- Event Website
Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” Performance | Theater
- Bryant Park, 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Free!)
- Synopsis: When providence and sorcery land a treacherous brother and a king on an enchanted island, the exiled Duke Prospero and his daughter Miranda get a second chance to reclaim their rightful status. In this production of Shakespeare’s beloved farewell to the stage, righteous anger gives way to love and forgiveness.
- Recurs Saturday through September 9
- Event Website
“Beauty and the Beast” Screening | Film
- Highbridge Park (Manhattan), 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM (Free!)
- Synopsis: In this modern retelling of a Disney classic, a bright, beautiful, and independent young woman named Belle is taken prisoner by a beast in his castle.
- Event Website
Last Stop Laughs | Comedy
- Q.E.D. (Astoria), 11:00 PM – 12:30 AM (Free!)
- Late night stand up.
- Recurs every Saturday
- Event Website
DJ Party | Dance
- Union Hall (Brooklyn), 1:30 AM (Free!)
- DJ party with dancing until late.
- Recurs most Saturdays around midnight after the shows
- Event Website
Hudson River Park Nature Walk | Tour
- Christopher St. Fountain (Manhattan), 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (Free!)
- Learn about Hudson River Park’s wildlife by joining knowledgeable naturalists on guided nature walks along the Park’s esplanade.
- Recurs every Sunday through September; Pre-registration required
- Event Website
Grand Bazaar | Fair/Festival
- 77th St. & Columbus Ave., 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM (Free!)
- Recurring every Sunday
- The largest curated weekly market on the Upper West Side: indoors & outdoors, local artist, designers, and antique/vintage dealers sell one-of-a-kind and limited edition art, antique watches, vintage collectibles and fashion, handmade jewelry and furniture.
- Event Website
Southern Welcome Tour | Tour
- Central Park, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Free!)
- An introduction to some of the southern park highlights, including Grand Army Plaza, the pond, Gapstow Bridge, Wollman Rink, Chess & Checkers House, and the Dairy.
- Event Website
Big City Fishing | Active Class
- Pier 25 (Tribeca), Pier 84 (Chelsea), 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Free!)
- Learn how to fish while engaging with trained environmental educators about river science topics. Rods, reels, and instruction provided.
- Recurs Sundays
- Event Website
Heather Garden Tour | Tour
- Fort Tryon Park (Manhattan), 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (Free!)
- Take a walking tour of the Heather Garden in Fort Tryon Park with horticulturist Madeline Byrne and learn about the dozens of plants currently in bloom. Learn about the garden’s history and how the Heather Garden compares with the plants found at the New York Botanical Garden.
- Event Website
Bronx Summer Concert Series | Music
- Orchard Beach Pavilion (Bronx), 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Free!)
- Enjoy some Salsa, Freestyle, Bachata, Merengue R& B, and Pop. Zumba will also be provided.
- Event Website
Kill Salt Marsh Tour | Tour
- Randall’s Island Park (Bronx), 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (Free!)
- Learn about the ecological importance of wetlands, and explore the waterfront adjacent to the Harlem and East Rivers.
- Event Website
Central Park Conservancy Harlem Meer Performance Festival – Salsa Dura/Bailable | Dance Music
- Central Park, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Free!)
- The 24th annual Harlem Meer Performance Festival brings the best local talent in music and dance to Central Park! Enjoy jazz, Latin, world, and gospel music while admiring the lakeside views.
- Event Website
Shell-ebrate Oysters | Active Class
- Pier 25 (Tribeca), 4:00 PM (Free!)
- Oysters filter water, engineer reef habitat, and stabilize shorelines. Work alongside Park staff to restore oysters and learn how these bivalves benefit the health of the river.
- Recurs through October 15; registration recommended
- Event Website
Trivia Night | Fun & Games
- Arts & Crafts Beer Parlor Soha (by Columbia University), 7:00 PM (Free!)
- Recurring every Sunday
- Each week features an “On This Day In History” round, a rapid-fire “Name Threes” round, the best-curated audio round in the city, and tons of prizes, including books, theater tickets, & other prizes (many of them drinkable).
- TriviaNYC Website
- Venue Website
Brooklyn Bugs Festival | Fair/Festival
- Brooklyn (Various Venues), Friday – Saturday ($25+, some sessions Free)
- Learn more about entomophagy from industry leaders and gain a cultural understanding and point of view from artists and visionaries who will be joining our presentations and workshops. Great lineup of presenters, cooking demos, cocktail socials, an outdoor market, all featuring edible bugs.
- Event Website
Corkscrew Theater Festival | Theater Fair/Festival
- Paradise Factory (Manhattan), Friday – Sunday Various Times (Free – $24)
- Corkscrew Theater Festival is a brand-new festival coming to NYC this August that aims to increase access to production opportunities for a varied set of early-career artists, especially those who are redefining traditional creative roles and developing work through unusual collaborative models. The 2017 festival includes five new plays with eight performances each, plus a reading series of five plays in development.
- Event Website
SIP. SHOP. EAT! | Fair/Festival Food
- 103 North 3rd Street (Brooklyn), 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Free!)
- SIP. hand crafted drinks! SHOP. handmade jewelry, fashion, art and more from local NYC artisans. EAT! gourmet sweets, treats, and yummy street food.
- Event Website
Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit | Museum/Art
- Washington Square Park, Saturday – Monday (Free!)
- The event showcases fine artists and craft artisans from around the New York metropolitan area, the nation and the world. Attendees come from all over and are a cosmopolitan mix, including art lovers, tourists, faculty and students from the area’s many schools and professionals such as interior designers.
- Recurs September 9 – 10
- Event Website
Unicycle Festival | Fun & Games Active
- Manhattan & Brooklyn, Friday – Sunday (Free!)
- The festival brings together recreational riders, world-class performers, mountain and off-road unicycle enthusiasts, mono-wheel vehicle inventors, and thousands of people who have not ridden in umpteen years, along with circus enthusiasts, extreme sports viewers, and anyone seeking an unusual sight.
- Event Website
Dream Up Festival | Theater Music Dance
- Theater for the New City (Manhattan), Various Times ($12-20)
- A lineup of wide-ranging and original theatrical visions embracing drama, poetry, music, and dance.
- Recurs next weekend
- Event Website
Urban Farm Exploration Day | Class
- Randall’s Island Park (Manhattan), 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Free!)
- Explore and learn about the great variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, chickens, and even rice paddies.
- Recurs Saturdays and Sundays through mid-October
Chelsea Flea Market | Fair/Festival
- West 25th Street, between 6th Ave & Broadway, 6:30 AM – 6 PM ($1 admission)
- Features up to 135 vendors selling antiques, collectibles, ephemera, decorative arts, vintage clothing, jewelry, and other types of antiques (items more than 100 years old), vintage items (including Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern items), and other desirable items from the past
- Recurring weekly
- Event Website
Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market | Fair/Festival
- West 39th Street, between 9th & 10th Ave, 9 AM – 5 PM (Free to enter, goods for purchase)
- A place where collectors and top-notch hagglers including fashion hunters, designers, celebs, tourists, and residents shop for antiques, collectibles, vintage clothing, home decorations, furniture, ephemera, jewelry, and more
- Recurring weekly
- Event Website
Smorgasburg | Food Fair/Festival
- Willamsburg (Saturday) and Prospect Park (Sunday), 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Free to enter, food and drink for purchase)
- 75-100 food and drink vendors
- Recurring weekly, April through October
- Event Website
Long Island City Flea & Food | Fair/Festival Food
- 5-25 46th Avenue, LIC, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Free to enter, goods for purchase)
- The market has over 80 carefully curated vendors that sell items such as internationally inspired food & drink, antiques, art, furniture, fashion, jewelry, arts & crafts and much more
- Recurring weekly
- Event Website
Floating Pool | Active
- Barretto Point Park (Bronx), Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Free!)
- The only pool in NYC that sits out on a barge. Enjoy free swimming and playing in the floating pool. Sunscreen provided.
- Recurs throughout summer
- Event Website
Brooklyn Brewery Tours | Tour Food
- Brooklyn Brewery, 12:30 PM – 6:00 PM (Free!)
- Tour the brewery and learn how beer is made.
- Recurs every Saturday & Sunday
- Event Website
Shakespeare’s “Henry V” | Theater
- Riverside Park, Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, 6:30 PM (Free!)
- Performance of Shakespeare’s Henry V
- Admission is pay what you wish; Recurring through the end of August
- Event Website
