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Free events for Sunday, 05/18/25
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Free Events, Free Things to Do in New York City!  Read More
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Editor's Picks

free events nyc Art from All Over The World: Modern and Contemporary
free events nyc New York City Hall Guided Tour
free events nyc Tiffany Glass and Other Exhibitions
free events nyc Jazz Standards from The American Songbook in an Art Gallery
free events nyc Garment District Tour: Factories, Gangsters, Labor Unions, and More
All Editor's Picks ...
        

29 free  things to do in New York City (NYC) today:
Sunday, May 18, 2025

All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Workshop | Tai Chi in the Park for All Fitness Levels


Join Silvana Pizzuti to learn and practice Tai Chi, a slow moving martial art with health benefits for more all fitness 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. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 am
Free
Workshops, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Tai Chi in the Park for All Fitness Levels

Fair | Fabulous 5th Ave Street Fair


Celebrate community, creativity, and culture at this vibrant street fair! Discover a colorful mix of more artisan goods, live entertainment, and educational activities. This lively outdoor event highlights the diversity and spirit of the neighborhood while supporting local nonprofits, merchant associations, and community organizations. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free
Fairs, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Fabulous 5th Ave Street Fair

Fair | Street Fair


Celebrate community, creativity, and culture at this vibrant street fair! Discover a colorful mix of more artisan goods, live entertainment, and educational activities. This lively outdoor event highlights the diversity and spirit of the neighborhood while supporting local nonprofits, merchant associations, and community organizations. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free
Fairs, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Street Fair

Museums | Sunday at Pop Culture/Art Museum


Through temporary exhibitions, a growing permanent collection, and educational events, this museum explores more the enormous impact of posters on society and culture, and how they have been adapted to contemporary use. As the first poster museum in the United States, it provides a space for inquiry for all those interested in design, advertising, and public interventions, with the aim of improving design literacy among the general public. Posters explore: mass communication and persuasion the intersection of art and commerce control of the public domain less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free
Museumss, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Sunday at Pop Culture/Art Museum

Museums | Family Day at the Modern Art Museum: Activities, Adventures, and Fun!


Build your own art and architecture adventure on this free Family Day. Registration includes access more to hands-on projects and guided tours throughout the galleries. Free. Museum admission and program activities are included with advance registration; space is limited. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free
Museumss, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Family Day at the Modern Art Museum: Activities, Adventures, and Fun!

Museums | Family Fun at a Historical Site: Sailor Adventures


Enjoy interactive activities and engagement stations for visitors of all ages. Incorporate 19th-century more maritime craft traditions into your handmade Valentine's Day cards and unique trinkets for the holiday. You can also browse galleries and learn about ships, life at sea and more. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
$1, registration required
Museumss, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Family Fun at a Historical Site: Sailor Adventures

Parade | 2025 Israel Day Parade


The Theme: Hatikvah "The Hope
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:30 am
Free
Parades, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, 2025 Israel Day Parade

Museums | Sunday at a Unique Art Museum


Candid, genuine, and unexpected, this is New York City's only museum dedicated to folk & self-taught more artists. The Museum celebrates the creativity of individuals whose singular talents have been refined largely through personal experience rather than formal artistic training. The museum's collection includes more than seven thousand works of art from four centuries and nearly every continent--from compelling portraits and dazzling quilts to powerful works by living artists in a variety of mediums. From critically acclaimed exhibitions and publications to inspiring educational programs and robust community outreach, the museum's mission is to be the leading forum shaping the understanding and appreciation of folk and self-taught art across time and place. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:30 am
Free
Museumss, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Sunday at a Unique Art Museum

City Walk | Annual Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk, Featuring 125+ Local Artists


This spring, Brooklyn will come alive with creativity with over 125 local artists exhibiting their work more at 70 local businesses for the Annual Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk. This vibrant,self-guided, 1.5-mile art event will showcase the diverse talents of emerging and established artists at galleries, salons, boutiques, restaurants, and home decor shops. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience a diverse collection of art ranging from paintings, drawings, three-dimensional art, mixed media, and photography. While enjoying Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk, people are encouraged to take time to visit and support the local, small businesses and restaurants in the area. They can grab a cup of coffee for their stroll, sit and eat, pick up a unique gift, or a new spring outfit, and explore new services- all of which help to keep the businesses that make up the fabric of the neighborhood thriving. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free
City Walks, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Annual Atlantic Avenue ArtWalk, Featuring 125+ Local Artists

Tour | Historic Lower Manhattan Walking Tour


Step back in time on this free walking tour from Bowling Green to Collect Pond Park, tracing the evolution more of New York City from a Dutch outpost to the heart of a new nation. Uncover the hidden stories and pivotal events that shaped the city — from the early days of New Amsterdam and the Peach War, to the British takeover, the Revolutionary era, and the rise of Wall Street. Learn about the city’s transformation through the centuries and visit the sites where history still lingers beneath the modern skyline. Perfect for history buffs and curious explorers alike. Bring friends, wear comfortable shoes, and get ready to discover the secrets beneath the city streets. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free
Tours, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Historic Lower Manhattan Walking Tour

Festival | Spend the Afternoon Playing Old Skool Games--All Ages


Street games are coming back to the Lower East Side! Join the Old Skool Street Games Festival--a free, more all-ages celebration of classic pavement games. Learn skelly, stoop ball, Double Dutch, and more from neighbors ages 17-77! Bring your inner child, your kids, your grandparents! Note: Rain date June 1st less
   New York City, NY; NYC
12:00 pm
Free
Festivals, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Spend the Afternoon Playing Old Skool Games--All Ages

Museums | Tiffany Glass and Other Exhibitions


The museum is dedicated to showcasing the history, art, and culture of its area with a permanent collection more of 10,000 items. One of the exhibitions includes famous Tiffany's leaded glass objects and a valuable insight into the development of the inuctry in the US at the turn of the 20th century. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
12:00 pm
Pay-what-you-wish, reservation required
Museumss, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Tiffany Glass and Other Exhibitions

City Walk | Take a Walk in Brooklyn's Sunset Park


About 5-6 miles, mostly on city streets. This Brooklyn neighborhood walk takes in an old maritime terminal, more a new waterfront park, a chinatown lunch, Industry City, and the eponymous park itself. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
12:12 pm
$5
City Walks, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Take a Walk in Brooklyn's Sunset Park

Festival | Celebrate Everyone's Favorite Pollinator at the World Bee Day Festival


The Bee Con­ser­van­cy presents their 4th annu­al World Bee Day fes­ti­val — fam­i­ly-friend­ly more day that cel­e­brates the 20,000+ bee species that pol­li­nate 80% of the world’s flow­er­ing plants!  Dis­cov­er the fas­ci­nat­ing world of ground- and cav­i­ty-nest­ing bees, learn how to build sus­tain­able pol­li­na­tor habi­tats, and com­mit to every­day actions you can take to save the bees. Get ready for fun, edu­ca­tion­al activ­i­ties, includ­ing a look inside a hon­ey bee obser­va­tion hive, a pol­li­na­tor walk, a seed ball mak­ing sta­tion, com­mu­ni­ty sci­ence projects, hon­ey tast­ings, a com­mu­ni­ty art project, and more! Activ­i­ties for kids will include sto­ry­time read­ings, face paint­ing, and nature crafts.  Enjoy com­pli­men­ta­ry gift bags and good­ies on a first-come, first-serve basis. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free
Festivals, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Celebrate Everyone's Favorite Pollinator at the World Bee Day Festival

Workshop | Hands-On Art Demonstration: Fragrance-Making


Peek at technique and learn—through handling tools and materials—how works of art were created. Stop more by for hands-on demonstrations and conversations with educators, conservators, artists, and more! This workshop will dive into the craft of making fragrances! Demonstrations repeat every 30 minutes. For visitors of all ages. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free
Workshops, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Hands-On Art Demonstration: Fragrance-Making

Workshop | Sun Gaze Sundays


The Amateur Astronomers Association and solar gazing bring solar telescopes specifically designed to more safely look at the sun and see sunspots and prominences under a summer sky. Seating 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. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free
Workshops, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Sun Gaze Sundays

Workshop | Community Knitting & Crocheting 


Enjoy the beautiful, warm weather and practice your knitting skills with HKnits and friends. Meet new more people, learn new patterns, and share your yarn with the group!  less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free
Workshops, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Community Knitting & Crocheting&nbsp;

Classical Music | Music on the Water: Premiering Six Ensemble Works by Korean-American Composers


String ensemble 'Dari' (Salley Koo, violin, Dawn Dongeun Wohn, violin, Daniel McDonough, cello, and Alexander more Solomon, piano) performs six new works by Korean-American composers find common ground between performance and teaching communities, and between the new music and student communities. Premieres by Texu Kim, Juri Seo, Kyong Mee Choi, Hee Yun Kim, Leo Chang, and Matthew Pellegrino less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free
Concerts, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Music on the Water: Premiering Six Ensemble Works by Korean-American Composers

Poetry Reading | The Magic of Poetry on the High Seas


This group poetry reading returns aboard a historic ship. Poets have been invited to participate in micro-residencies more aboard ships in New York Harbor, where they have been inspired to write and create poetry while being surrounded by the city’s bustling waters. Now, these poets will gather on the deck of this ship for a group reading, sharing their creative works with the audience. Advance registration is encouraged, walkups are welcome. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the magic of poetry on the high seas! Access to the ship involves climbing a few stairs, walking up an angled gangway, and descending a few stairs onto the deck. The lower decks are accessible via stairs, while the upper deck requires navigating steep ladder-like stairs. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Online registration begins...
Poetry Readings, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, The Magic of Poetry on the High Seas

Performance | Theater Show Exploring Asian-American Jewish Identity


What Do I Do with All This Heritage? is the first-ever theatre show to explore the lives of Asian American more Jews, a whimsical and thought-provoking journey into their lives as they reveal their true stories of holding two age-old traditions in their hearts. . less
   New York City, NY; NYC
2:30 pm
Free
Performances, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Theater Show Exploring Asian-American Jewish Identity

Tour | Historic Lower Manhattan Walking Tour


Step back in time on this free walking tour from Bowling Green to Collect Pond Park, tracing the evolution more of New York City from a Dutch outpost to the heart of a new nation. Uncover the hidden stories and pivotal events that shaped the city — from the early days of New Amsterdam and the Peach War, to the British takeover, the Revolutionary era, and the rise of Wall Street. Learn about the city’s transformation through the centuries and visit the sites where history still lingers beneath the modern skyline. Perfect for history buffs and curious explorers alike. Bring friends, wear comfortable shoes, and get ready to discover the secrets beneath the city streets. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free
Tours, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Historic Lower Manhattan Walking Tour

Play | New Play from Kennedy Center-Featured Writer: We the People of these Fifty Acre Woods


Inspired by A.A. Milne's classic characters, the beloved 100 Acre Wood is in the midst of a civil war. more Throughout this multi-year conflict, childhood friends Winnie, Christopher, and H.P. Piglet find themselves on different paths. H.P. struggles with the moral dilemmas of being a soldier, Christopher discovers what can happen when the powerless gain power, and Winnie is on the run for dodging the draft. Part war epic, part whimsical absurdism, this play looks at how people justify violence, the lengths you'll go to defend what you believe in and if fire is fought with fire - will the acres just burn to the ground? Playwight: Andrew Michael Reid less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:30 pm
Free
Plays, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, New Play from Kennedy Center-Featured Writer: We the People of these Fifty Acre Woods

Play | Award-Winning Comedy-Drama Play from Italy: Like an Octopus in a Guitar


When the protagonist of Like an Octopus in a Guitar decides that he no longer wants to leave the house, more he develops an obsession with death and begins to spend his days imagining his funeral. A funny and absurd journey inside the mind of an individual who is slowly losing his memories, where the actors' bodies become a metaphor and instrument for remembering. In this suspended world, where even the names of the characters have been forgotten, dreams and reality merge to tell the story of a man's internal battle. A battle between the desire to heal and the temptation to remain, forever, playing with death. Playwright: Marco Ziello Directors: Licia Amarante and Marco Ziello Cast: Annachiara Castorino, Gerardo D'Amato, Francesco Del Gaudio, Sabrina La Regina, Paola Santamaria, Marco Ziello In Italian with English subtitles. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
4:00 pm
Free
Plays, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Award-Winning Comedy-Drama Play from Italy: Like an Octopus in a Guitar

Classical Music | Music on the Water: Premiering Six Ensemble Works by Korean-American Composers


String ensemble 'Dari' (Salley Koo, violin, Dawn Dongeun Wohn, violin, Daniel McDonough, cello, and Alexander more Solomon, piano) performs six new works by Korean-American composers find common ground between performance and teaching communities, and between the new music and student communities. Premieres by Texu Kim, Juri Seo, Kyong Mee Choi, Hee Yun Kim, Leo Chang, and Matthew Pellegrino less
   New York City, NY; NYC
4:00 pm
Free
Concerts, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Music on the Water: Premiering Six Ensemble Works by Korean-American Composers

Museums | Historical and Modern Design Spanning Centuries


The museum is dedicated to showcasing the history, influence, and importance of design in everyday life. more Housed in a historic mansion, the museum features a diverse collection of design objects, including decorative arts, architecture, graphic design, textiles, and industrial design. Free admission is daily 5 pm - 6 pm. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
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Museumss, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Historical and Modern Design Spanning Centuries

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 more 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. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
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Movie in a Parks, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Identity, Migration, and Memory: Three Short Documentaries Exploring American Chinatowns

Classical Music | Organ Scholar Performs in a Beautiful Gothic Revival-Style Church


Organist Jonathan Bolena is the Organ Scholar at Saint Thomas Church and Choir School, where he was a more chorister. Over the past two summers, Jonathan has traveled across the country to study and play at several summer courses, including Indiana University's inaugural Schola Cantorum and RSCM West. Most recently he joined the Choir of Trinity Episcopal Church, Staunton, Virginia, where he accompanied their week-long residency at the Cathedral. Next year, he will begin undergraduate study at Oberlin Conservatory. less
   New York City, NY; NYC
5:15 pm
Free
Concerts, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, Organ Scholar Performs in a Beautiful Gothic Revival-Style Church

Theater | The Imaginary Invalid: Moliere's Comedy-Ballet Starring Broadway Actor


Argan is ill. But is he? Argan is dying. But aren't we all? Argan wants absolute control. But is that more ever achievable? After a series of upside down attempts to snap him out of it, a solution is found. But will it save him? The Imaginary Invalid is the last play that legendary French playwright Moliere wrote and was originally conceived as a Comedy-Ballet where theater, dance, and music are intertwined. It explores the fear of disease and the exploitation it breeds through infinitely humorous dialogue and in-your-face satire. This production will feature original choreography by FlexN dancer Cal Hunt, original music by cellist Johnathan Moore, and stars Tony and Olivier Award nominee Sahr Ngaujah. Director and Translator: Lucie Tiberghien Choreographer and Dancer: Cal Hunt Composer and Cellist: Johnathan Moore Cast: Dante Bonner, Mary Bacon, Rory Furey-King, Doron JePaul, Naomi Lorrain, Sahr Ngaujah, Shayvawn Webster less
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:30 pm
Free
Theaters, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, The Imaginary Invalid: Moliere's Comedy-Ballet Starring Broadway Actor

Play | New Play from Kennedy Center-Featured Writer: We the People of these Fifty Acre Woods


Inspired by A.A. Milne's classic characters, the beloved 100 Acre Wood is in the midst of a civil war. more Throughout this multi-year conflict, childhood friends Winnie, Christopher, and H.P. Piglet find themselves on different paths. H.P. struggles with the moral dilemmas of being a soldier, Christopher discovers what can happen when the powerless gain power, and Winnie is on the run for dodging the draft. Part war epic, part whimsical absurdism, this play looks at how people justify violence, the lengths you'll go to defend what you believe in and if fire is fought with fire - will the acres just burn to the ground? Playwight: Andrew Michael Reid less
   New York City, NY; NYC
8:00 pm
Free
Plays, May 18, 2025, 05/18/2025, New Play from Kennedy Center-Featured Writer: We the People of these Fifty Acre Woods
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