Friday November 17, 2017
Saturday November 18, 2017
Sunday November 19, 2017
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 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!
Winter Village | Fair/Festival
- Bryant Park, 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Free!)
- The Winter Village features ice skating, holiday shopping, food, and artisanal boutiques offering delicious eats and exquisite gifts, from distinctive apparel to decorative goods, local food vendors, and more.
- Open through the end of December.
- Event Website
Grand Central Holiday Fair | Fair/Festival
- Grand Central, 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Free!)
- 40 vendors will take over half of the historic Vanderbilt Hall to sell artwork, clothing for all ages, men’s/women’s accessories, children’s clothing/toys and home goods. A range of products and price points guarantees that New Yorkers, commuters, and tourists alike can find interesting gift items for others as well as covet-worthy items for themselves.
- Recurs through Christmas Eve.
- Event Website
Holiday Market Opening Weekend | Fair/Festival
- Union Square, 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM (Free!)
- A must-visit destination for unique gifts created by local craftsmen and artists.
- Recurs through Christmas Eve.
- Event Website
Equus Film Festival | Film Fair/Festival
- Helen Mills Theater (Manhattan), 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM (Free – Paid)
- A home to the storytellers of the horse world, with films, documentaries, videos, commercials and shorts from around the world and also cultural elements of fine equestrian art and literature. The festival highlights and rewards the diverse and creative efforts of those who pay artistic homage to the horse.
- Event Website
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
- Recurs every Friday.
- Event Website
Free Music Fridays | Music
- American Folk Art Museum, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM (Free!)
- This week’s feature includes Jeremy Aaron, Bonfire Falls, and The Fylls.
- Recurs every Friday.
- Event Website
The Writers Studio Celebrates Pushcart Press | Class
- The Strand Bookstore (Manhattan), 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Free!)
- Join The Writers Studio and Pushcart Prize editor Bill Henderson for a reading and discussion to celebrate the best of small press and the launch of their 2018 issue. Celebrated literary figures will read a few of their pieces and discuss this latest edition of their anthology.
- 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.
- Recurs every Friday.
- 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.
- Recurs every Friday.
- Event Website
Live Dubbed Sitcoms | Comedy
- Videology Bar & Cinema (Brooklyn), 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM ($5)
- Join a cast of acclaimed comedians from NBC, IFC, HBO and McSweeny’s as they improvise new dialogue over muted episodes of your favorite sitcoms.
- Tonight’s show features Thanksgiving episodes of Friends and Saved by the Bell: The College Years!
- Event Website
The Scientists | Comedy
- Union Hall (Brooklyn), 8:00 PM ($10)
- Comedians and “scientists” investigate a new scientific topic each month. From AI to romantic attraction to body decomposition, Madelyn and Blythe give an hour-long lecture with help from NYC’s funniest comedians. At the end of every show, they bring out an actual scientific authority to pester with questions and to tell them where they went wrong.
- Event Website
Monotony | Comedy
- Caveat (Manhattan), 9:30 PM ($8)
- The show that dares let your favorite comedians and storytellers go deep on their weird obsessions with seemingly boring things. Their passion and disturbing breadth of knowledge on topics like The Science of Urinal Cakes and The History of the Rubber Duck will leave you laughing — and possibly leaving with a brand new obsession of your own.
- Event Website
Shame! | Comedy
- Q.E.D. (Astoria), 9:30 PM – 11:00 PM ($6)
- Repent! Come witness the shameful confessions of some of New York’s funniest. Performers share jokes and tales of less-than-proud moments and honest experiences in this cringe-worthy comedy show.
- Event Website
Karaoke | Music Fun & Games
- Union Hall (Brooklyn), Midnight – Late (Free!)
- Karaoke!
- Recurs every Friday.
- Event Website
Cranksgiving | Active Fun & Games
- Hudson Yards, 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM ($15-20 in donations)
- 19th annual Cranksgiving NYC charity bike ride! Bring a bike, a bag, a lock and ride in the original Cranksgiving in New York City. This event is free, but you’ll need $15-$20 to buy food for donation to the Bowery Mission. Navigate the streets of the city and the aisles of grocery stores as you search for specific canned goods. Once you’ve collected all your receipts, all of your food will be donated to the city’s homeless.
- Event Website
- Cranksgiving USA
American Fine Craft Show | Art Fair/Festival
- Brooklyn Museum, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM ($14)
- This two-day event will present an extraordinary selection of handmade works in ceramics, jewelry, glass, furniture, wood, metal, mixed media, wearable and decorative fiber by 90 of the nation’s finest craft artists.
- Admission to the museum is also included.
- Event Website
Renegade Craft Fair | Art Fair/Festival
- Metropolitan Pavilion (Manhattan), 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Free!)
- A festive weekend celebration of all things handmade! Find one-of-a-kind gifts for friends and family, discover top independent maker talent from around the globe, and enjoy a memorable Holiday weekend of local food vendors, craft libations, DJ sets, DIY workshops, photo ops, and more.
- Event Website
Leaf Lift | Volunteer
- Riverside Park, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM (Free!)
- With trees come leaves – and when they fall in the park, it’s necessary to clean them up. Join Riverside Park Conservancy to rake leaves off of our pathways, high-traffic areas, and lawns to prevent them from clogging storm drains, making pathways slippery, and smothering the grass.
- Event Website
Grand Central Holiday Fair | Fair/Festival
- Grand Central, 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Free!)
- 40 vendors will take over half of the historic Vanderbilt Hall to sell artwork, clothing for all ages, men’s/women’s accessories, children’s clothing/toys and home goods. A range of products and price points guarantees that New Yorkers, commuters, and tourists alike can find interesting gift items for others as well as covet-worthy items for themselves.
- Recurs through Christmas Eve.
- Event Website
Holiday Market Opening Weekend | Fair/Festival
- Union Square, 10:00AM to 8:00PM (Free!)
- A must-visit destination for unique gifts created by local craftsmen and artists.
- Recurs through Christmas Eve.
- Event Website
Equus Film Festival | Film Fair/Festival
- Helen Mills Theater (Manhattan), 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Free – Paid)
- A home to the storytellers of the horse world, with filmtous, documentaries, videos, commercials and shorts from around the world and also cultural elements of fine equestrian art and literature. The festival highlights and rewards the diverse and creative efforts of those who pay artistic homage to the horse.
- Event Website
Central Park Tour: Heart of the Park | Tour
- East 72nd and 5th Ave., 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (Free!)
- Visit some of the park’s most famous landmarks, including Conservatory Water, Loeb Boathouse, Bethesda Terrace, Bow Bridge, Cherry Hill, the lake, and Strawberry Fields.
- Event Website
Farmhouse Family Day | Fun & Games
- Wyckoff Museum, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM (Free!)
- Seasonal activities inside the historic house and around the gardens include scavenger hunts, artifact investigation, gardening, self-guided exploration, and hands-on activities.
- Recurs every third Saturday of the month.
- Event Website
From Freight to Flowers | Tour
- The High Line, 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM (Free!)
- Hear the story behind New York City’s park in the sky on a special winter walking tour! Join a 45-minute long tour led by High Line Docents, knowledgeable volunteer guides who offer you an insider’s perspective on the park’s history, design, and landscape.
- Recurs Saturdays.
- Event Website
Winter Village | Fair/Festival
- Bryant Park, 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Free!)
- The Winter Village features ice skating, holiday shopping, food, and artisanal boutiques offering delicious eats and exquisite gifts, from distinctive apparel to decorative goods, local food vendors, and more.
- Open through the end of December.
- Event Website
Native American Heritage Celebration | Fair/Festival
- Sunset Park Recreation Center, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Free!)
- Celebrate Native American Heritage Month at Sunset Park Recreation Center. Join for this fun-filled Pow-Wow featuring music, dance, and art and crafts by the world renowned Red Hawk Indian Arts Council.
- Event Website
Chelsea Flea Market | Fair/Festival
- West 25th Street, between 6th Ave & Broadway, 6:30 AM – 6:00 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.
- Recurs weekly.
- Event Website
Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market | Fair/Festival
- West 39th Street, between 9th & 10th Ave, 9:00 AM – 5:00 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
- Recurs weekly.
- 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
- Recurs weekly.
- Event Website
Smorg Square | Food Fair/Festival
- SoHo, 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Free to enter, food and drink for purchase)
- 75-100 food and drink vendors
- Recurs through the holidays.
- 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
Garden Highlights Walk | Tour
- Wave Hill, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Free!)
- Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights.
- 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
Create Your Own Holiday Wrapping Paper | Class Fun & Games
- Poe Visitor Center, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM (Free!)
- Adults will make their own, creative gift wrapping paper for the coming holidays. Participants will take inspiration from fall and winter seasons, as well as the holidays for each month.
- October: Fall, Poe, Halloween
- November: Fall, Thanksgiving
- December: Whimsical Winter Wonder, Christmas, and Hanukah
- Recurs Saturdays through December.
- 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
Central Park Tour: Northern Forts | Tour
- Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM (Free!)
- Highlights of this tour include McGowan’s Pass, Fort Clinton, Nutter’s Battery, and the Harlem Meer.
- 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
“Beauty and the Beast” Screening Drive-In | Film
- New York Aquarium (Coney Island Boardwalk), 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Free!)
- Synopsis: Belle, a bright and independent young woman, is taken prisoner by a beast in its castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the beast’s exterior, allowing her to recognize the kind heart and soul of the true prince that hides on the inside.
- Event Website
Found in Translation | Poetry
- Lewis Howard Latimer House (Queens), 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM (Free!)
- 3 translators working in the 3 most common non-English languages spoken in Flushing—Spanish, Chinese, and Korean—to lead a workshop on the poetry translation process with the public. Participants will NOT need to know the original language. Participants will confront the cultural, aesthetic, and ethical questions that translators face when bringing the literature of one language into another. A facilitated discussion will follow the group workshop.
- 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
“The World’s End” Screening + Beer Tasting | Comedy
- Videology Bar & Cinema (Brooklyn), 9:15 PM ($45, beer included)
- Watch “The World’s End” while sampling 12 beers from Brooklyn Brewery.
- Event Website
Versus: Dinosaurs & Paintings | Comedy
- Caveat (Manhattan), 9:30 PM ($8)
- A rotating cast of special guest experts in a battle royale of serious—and not so serious—topics. Who will come out on top? Chock-full of trivia, games, and prizes, the show will conclude with the answer to an age-old question. The winner is up to you.
- Tonight’s show: Dinosaurs versus Paintings.
- Event Website
The Rub | Music Dance
- The Bell House (Brooklyn), 10:00 PM ($10)
- Great dance music mixed well, affordable drinks, and real people; no dress code, no bottle service and no celebrity DJs.
- 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 | Music Dance
- Union Hall (Brooklyn), Midnight – Late (Free!)
- DJ Colleen Crumbcake (East Village Radio) spins a late night mix of heavy hitters starting at midnight to make your booty bounce! Hip Hop, Mainstream Dance Hits, Classic Soul, Old Skool, & Disco.
- Recurs most Saturday nights.
- Event Website
FLUSH | Film
- Caveat (Manhattan), 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM ($13)
- In honor of World Toilet Day, listen to panelists discuss the importance of effective sanitation and then join for the world premiere of “FLUSH.”
- Synopsis: Director Karina Mangu-Ward has a hunch that the unprecedented damage from Superstorm Sandy, the drought out West, and the future of our food supply have a lot to do with how we flush. So she gives herself a challenge: follow one flush from beginning to end. FLUSH is the story of everything that happens next, and the cultural, political, and corporate forces shaping the way we deal with bodily waste in America today.
- Event Website
Winter Village | Fair/Festival
- Bryant Park, 8:00 AM – 10:00 PM (Free!)
- The Winter Village features ice skating, holiday shopping, food, and artisanal boutiques offering delicious eats and exquisite gifts, from distinctive apparel to decorative goods, local food vendors, and more.
- Open through the end of December.
- Event Website
Salt Marsh Exploration Hike | Active
- Marine Park (Brooklyn), 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (Free!)
- Urban Park Ranger hiking guides will introduce you to the hidden gems of New York City. This is a moderate hike.
- Event Website
Northern Manhattan Parks Hike | Active
- Morningside Park, 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM (Free!)
- Meander through parks in northern Manhattan on this one-way hike from Morningside Park to Jackie Robinson Park. This is a vigorous hike.
- Event Website
Renegade Craft Fair | Art Fair/Festival
- Metropolitan Pavilion (Manhattan), 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Free!)
- A festive weekend celebration of all things handmade! Find one-of-a-kind gifts for friends and family, discover top independent maker talent from around the globe, and enjoy a memorable Holiday weekend of local food vendors, craft libations, DJ sets, DIY workshops, photo ops, and more.
- Event Website
American Fine Craft Show | Art Fair/Festival
- Brooklyn Museum, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM ($14)
- This two-day event will present an extraordinary selection of handmade works in ceramics, jewelry, glass, furniture, wood, metal, mixed media, wearable and decorative fiber by 90 of the nation’s finest craft artists.
- Admission to the museum is also included.
- Event Website
Grand Central Holiday Fair | Fair/Festival
- Grand Central, 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Free!)
- 40 vendors will take over half of the historic Vanderbilt Hall to sell artwork, clothing for all ages, men’s/women’s accessories, children’s clothing/toys and home goods. A range of products and price points guarantees that New Yorkers, commuters, and tourists alike can find interesting gift items for others as well as covet-worthy items for themselves.
- Recurs through Christmas Eve.
- Event Website
Holiday Market Opening Weekend | Fair/Festival
- Union Square, 11:00AM to 7:00PM (Free!)
- A must-visit destination for unique gifts created by local craftsmen and artists.
- Recurs through Christmas Eve.
- Event Website
Chelsea Flea Market | Fair/Festival
- West 25th Street, between 6th Ave & Broadway, 6:30 AM – 6:00 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
- Recurs weekly.
- Event Website
Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market | Fair/Festival
- West 39th Street, between 9th & 10th Ave, 9:00 AM – 5:00 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
- Recurs weekly.
- 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
Smorg Square | Food Fair/Festival
- SoHo, 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM (Free to enter, food and drink for purchase)
- 75-100 food and drink vendors
- Recurs through the holidays.
- 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.
- Recurs weekly.
- 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
Who? Weekly | Podcast
- The Bell House (Brooklyn), 5:00 PM ($15)
- American podcast hosts Lindsey Weber and Bobby Finger will be flaunting their good form and slim pins at an upcoming live show. Sources claim the show will feature special guests, fun games, and everything you need to know about the celebrities you don’t.
- Event Website
Trivia Night | Fun & Games
- Arts & Crafts Beer Parlor Soha (by Columbia), 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
Parks and Recreation Trivia | Comedy
- Videology Bar & Cinema (Brooklyn), 9:15 PM (Free!)
- Up to 4 per team. There will be a clips round, a picture round, two general knowledge rounds, and a surprise round.
- Event Website
Power Couple | Comedy
- Union Hall (Brooklyn), 10:00 PM ($8)
- Power couple is a new web series that takes a behind the scenes look at the hidden dynamics of history’s most famous power-duos. Make history with our episode viewing party, featuring performances from the city’s best comedians of today.
- Event Website
