free things to do in New York City
Free events for Saturday, 08/08/09
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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 August 8, 2009?

50 free events take place on Saturday, August 8 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 August 8 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 August . 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!

50 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Saturday, August 8, 2009

All events are free unless otherwise noted.
        

Hike | “Harriman State Park: Sloatsburg to Tuxedo” Hike


7.5 miles, at a moderate pace, on varied trails. The PM Trail parallels a running stream that you will cross over on the boulders of the Cascade of Slid. Lunch is on a rock shelf, breaking water by Lake Sebago. Dutch Doc Trail Shelter, and Claudius Smith Rock and Cave, add interest on the return to Tuxedo. Bring lunch and water.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:30 am
$3 plus bus...

Tour | Jersey Gold Coast Walk


Start with a cool cruise on the Staten Island Ferry and a bus ride to the Goethals Bridge. After catching the breeze on the Bridge walkway, visit the sleepy southern Italian village of Bayonne. Then a light rail ride up the coast to a second walk destination, tropical Cuba (Union City). Dress Hawaiian (and bring cameras) so that we look like tourists. Call to confirm.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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9:30 am
Free

Workshop | Chess Lecture and Simultaneous Games


This is an exciting chess lecture with "Simul" (simultaneous) games is conducted by expert Asa Hoffmann. Learn secrets to improve your game and then test your own skills against theirs. Players of any age with an official rating of 1000 or better can participate in the Simul, but they must register. Space is limited.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Workshop | Kayaking on the Hudson


Join 20-minute instructional paddles, and explore the Hudson River first hand. Please wear a bathing suit or shorts and a t-shirt, and know how to swim.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Festival | The Chinese Dragon Boat All-Day Festival


The Chinese Dragon Boat Festival - A significant holiday celebrated in China and the one with the longest history. Colorful and lively, the Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated by a day of races in narrow boats shaped like dragons. Competing teams row their boats in sync with a furious rhythm pounded out by on-board drummers. Event and Activity Schedule 10:00 am Lion Dancers open the festival and greet all. 10:30 am Queens Symphony Orchestra. A brass ensemble plays some of the great American classics. 11:30 am Dragon Dancing Team and percussions welcomes all and, together with invited dignitaries and the team parade, officially kick-off the 19th annual HKDBF in NY. 1:00 pm Lyrus Hung and her band "MEOW". Some of New York's top female musicians, plus two guys, play a mix of fun rock and R&&B mixed with hits from the '70's. Good for rockin', dancin' and groovin'. 2:00 pm Shaolin Kung Fu. Warrior monks from the Shaolin Temple perform martial arts. In the history of the Shaolin Temple, founded in 495 AD, generation after generation of monk generals and soldiers protected the temples from wars and riots of society. 3:00 - 4:30 pm Jack Hsu leads his band Hsu-Nami. Jack is most well-known for playing the Er-Hu, a Chinese violin. He has played in the classical halls, clubs and festivals. His current project is called Hsu-nami, an "ethnical fusion instrumental rock band". ARTS & CRAFTS Tent: 20 artists will be demonstrating traditional Chinese crafts including: calligraphy, rice doll making, bead stringing, kite making, jeweled ornaments, ribbon flowers, paper cutting and much more. Children will be able to try their hand at making their own crafts.
   New York City, NY; NYC
10:00 am
Free

City Walk | “Queens-International Express” Walk


A 7-mile trek from Asia to the Americas with stops in India, the Philippines, Mexico, and China as you journey under the International Express --the Flushing local No. 7-- through the most ethnically diverse area in the world. Enjoy an early lunch at an ethnic restaurant; tour the Louis Armstrong Museum, observe the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
$3 plus $8...

Other | Fishing in the Hudson River


Catch-and-release fishing gives anyone and everyone the chance to fish. It’s an appropriate and fun activity for those as young as five. All of the necessary supplies including rods, reels and bait, as well as complete instructions, are provided. Fishing poles are provided on a first come, first served basis, with a half-hour limit when others are waiting.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:30 am
Free

Other | Fishing in the Hudson River


Catch-and-release fishing gives anyone and everyone the chance to fish. It’s an appropriate and fun activity for those as young as five. All of the necessary supplies including rods, reels and bait, as well as complete instructions, are provided. Fishing poles are provided on a first come, first served basis, with a half-hour limit when others are waiting.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:30 am
Free

Tour | Cathedral Tour


Explore the Cathedral's newly cleaned and restored Nave. Learn about the art, architecture and history of this great sacred space from 1892 to the present.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
$5

Tour | Garden Tour


This tour highlights the history, design and unique plantings of the 70-year-old Garden. Led by Garden Staff.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free
11:00 am
Free

City Walk | Historic Orchard Street Tour


Take a journey down historic Orchard Street and discover the origins of New York's first discount retail district. The two-hour tour highlights the integral role that the shopping district has played in the history and development of the Lower East Side.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

Other | Skate Boarding and Roller Blading


The Skate Park is open to all skate boarders and roller bladers willing to sign a waiver and wear proper protective gear. Individuals under 18 years of age must have a waiver signed by a parent or guardian.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

Fair | Street Fair


   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

Fair | Street Fair


   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

City Walk | “3 Beaches” Walk


3 Beaches: Sheepshead Bay to Brighton Beach, easy walk. Bring snack and water, eat after walk. Rain cancels.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
$3

Tour | Greenwich Village Tour


Discover the Village with a free walking tour that weaves together the highlights of history with delicious inside stories. The free walking tours of St. Marks Place & 8th Street are led by Arthur Marks.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:30 am
Free

Festival | African Film Festival


Experience the sights and sounds of Africa. Join the African Film Festival for film screenings as well as world-class music, drumming and song in an all-day festival.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Dance Lesson | Capoeira in the Park


Capoeira is a lively martial art that originated in Brazil over 450 years ago. Self-defense techniques are concealed by graceful dance moves and spectacular acrobatics set to music. Taught by Professor Abará, classes are designed for all experience levels. Participants should wear comfortable clothing.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Tour | Wall Street and Downtown Tour


Weaves together history, events, architecture, and people of birthplace of NY, financial capital of the world, and hottest new neighborhood in the city. Stops include U.S. Custom House, Trinity Church, Wall Street, NY Stock Exchange, other architectural and cultural sites. Rain or shine.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Park Walk | West Side Stories Tour


Walk through a scenic area on the western edge of the Park, much of which is off the beaten track for most visitors. See rolling meadows, lake views, bridges of different styles, and a garden with flowers and plants mentioned by Shakespeare.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Lecture | “Renewable Energy in NYC”


Sarah Pidgeon and Colin Weatherby of Solar One talk about New York City on the cusp of a renewable-energy revolution. Learn about the latest developments and what’s possible for our city’s future.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free

Tour | Cathedral Tour


Explore the Cathedral's newly cleaned and restored Nave. Learn about the art, architecture and history of this great sacred space from 1892 to the present.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
$5

Other | Fishing in the Hudson


Discover the joys of fishing as you connect to the life living within the Hudson River. Equipment provided, but bring your own enthusiasm, some luck, and maybe a friend. Recommended for ages 10+.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Park Walk | “Cross Park Promenade”


You'll be amazed at what you'll see.... a hidden bench that tells time, miniature boats powered by the wind, a magnificent sculpture celebrating fresh water, and a glorious drinking fountain for the city's equine population. These are just some of the the sites along the way on this east to west walk through the park. Tour is approximately one hour long.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Performance | Tally Ho! or Navigating the Future - a rip-roaring musical


Elaborate assemblage of trap doors, giant puppets, smoke machines, masks, original choreography and a huge (9' x 12') running screen provids continuous movement behind the actors. The musical is a morality play about how America, facing financial failure, must set a course through the uncertainty of what's to come. The company of 27 actors, twelve crew members, two assistant directors and five live musicians shares the challenge of performing outdoors and holding a large, non-captive audience. The music varies in style from Bossa Nova to Gilbert & Sullivan. Book, lyrics and direction by Crystal Field and musical score composed by David Tice. Productions take place at various outside venues across the city.
   New York City, NY; NYC
2:00 pm
Free

Festival | Cote Di'voire CIDW Festival


Festivities include musical performances, food, face painting, a dance workshop, a fashion show, an art exhibit and health screening.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Film | Jacques Tourneur's Out of the Past (1947)


With Robert Mitchum, Kirk Douglas and Rhonda Fleming. A private detective is hired by a hoodlum to find his homicidal girlfriend. 97 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Theater | Lynn Rogoff's Love, Ben Love, Emma


She was an internationally known provocateur, deported from the United States in 1919, but Emma Goldman had her moments. When she wasn’t raising the blood pressure of the Establishment, she was, apparently, carrying on a torrid love affair with Dr. Ben Reitman, and the story of that affair will be seen in New York this summer.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Tour | Union Square: Crossroads of New York


The tour explores the social and political history of the Union Square neighborhood through discussions of the people, history, architecture, and forces that have shaped this community. You’ll hear how Union Square got its name, see where the legendary Tiffany & Co. once stood, and learn how to read the clock (yes, it’s a clock!) on “The Metronome” sculpture and so much more!
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Theater | William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream


Pulse Ensemble Theater's presentation of the Bard's romantic comedy about the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of amateur actors, their interactions with the Duke of Athens, Theseus, the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta, and with the fairies who inhabit a moonlit forest. The play is one of Shakespeare's most popular works and is widely performed across the world.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Film | David Lean's Summertime (1955), Academy Award Nominee


With Katharine Hepburn and Darren McGavin. A lonely American woman unexpectedly finds romance in Venice. 100 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:30 pm
Free

Discussion | “An Artist Dialogue: Art and Life”


The Spanish contemporary art critic and writer Bruno Ruibal will converse with Marietta Hoferer, the well-known German American Artist. They will talk about art and life, and discuss her installation Malibu.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:30 pm
Free

Lecture | “The Quality of Mercy: Abraham Lincoln and the Power to Pardon”


Ron Soodalter, author and historian, explores the fate of Confederate John Yates Beall, who was imprisoned on Governors Island.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:30 pm
Free

Dancing | Boys Noize/Drop the Lime, dance party


A mega-dance party led by the go-to party motivator and music producer extraordinaire. The plural in the artist’s name is a little misleading, as Boys Noize is actually a solo project from producer Alexander Ridha. Feted by artists such as Tiga, Erol Alkan, and Soulwax, the youthful Berlin-based producer creates a brash, maximalist music, sometimes recalling Daft Punk at their most boisterous moments. Ridha has also remixed tracks as diverse as Feist’s “My Moon My Man,” Depeche Mode's “Personal Jesus,” Bloc Party's “Banquet,” and Kaiser Chiefs' “Everyday I Love You Less And Less.”
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Tour | “The Castle and its Kingdom”


Take a walk around the lands dominated by Belvedere Castle, situated high on Vista Rock. Visit the tiny 55-acre realm on an eclectic tour of history and nature. Tour is approximately one hour.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Concert | Wakey! Wakey! singer-songwriter


Wakey! Wakey! (Mike Grubbs) is most often seen alone on stage, behind his piano or guitar. With inspiration drawn from soul, punk, and his classical background, his songs are extremely intimate portraits of naked emotion, sang, whispered and screamed into the consciousness of the growing crowds that currently enjoy his live shows all along the East coast.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free

Theater | Life On A Desert Island, a One-man Play


An interactive guide to surviving the wilderness and respecting the environment, based on Daniel Defoe’s 1719 classic story of Robison Crusoe, will be performed as a one-man outdoor spectacle play. The role of Robinson Crusoe will be played by either Samuel Kirk and Jason Vance, depending on the performance.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:30 pm
Free

Other | Swing-a-Ring Night


Come down to the traveling rings. There will be free demonstrations and individual instruction in ring swinging, unicycling, juggling, hula-hooping, slacklining, acroyoga, and sand sculpting by accomplished artists and performers. This week, juggler Sean Blue (featured on the Today Show) will be demonstrating.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Dancing | Dance the Tango in the Park


Beginner lessons at 7 pm. Donations of beverages or snacks are greatly appreciated)
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Theater | William Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream


This romantic comedy is one of the Bard's most popular works. The play features three interlocking plots, connected by a celebration of the wedding of Duke Theseus of Athens and the Amazonian queen Hippolyta, and set simultaneously in the woodland and in the realm of Fairyland, under the light of the moon.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Concert | Asphalt Orchestra, World-Premiere Marching Band


The world premiere of an iconoclastic 12-piece marching band conceived by Bang on a Can, showcasing works that coax funk from the funereal and would make a halftime show sparkle with sophistication. Choreographer Susan Marshall weds parade spectacle to new pieces by Tyondai Braxton (of Battles), Goran Bregovic, and Stew and Heidi Rodewald, and arrangements of songs by Björk, Meshuggah, Mingus, Nancarrow, and Zappa.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Concert | Big Daddy Kane -- Rap/Hip-hop Legend,


Big Daddy Kane, one of hip-hop's pioneers known for hits like "Smooth Operator" and "Lean on Me," performs with his band. The show will preceded by a screening of BDK: The Big Daddy Kane Story directed by Anthony Marshall. Hosted by "The worlds #1 beatboxer" Rahzel with special sets by Rahzel feat. DJ JS-1, Blitz the Ambassador & Ralph Mcdaniels’ Video Music Box.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
$3 suggested contribution...

Theater | Moliere's The School for Husbands


Two brothers work to marry off their two sisters in this outdoor presentation of Moliere's classic comedy.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:00 pm
Free

Concert | Pe de Boi: listen to samba, dance samba!


Pe de Boi is a Samba band headed by Brazilian-born Marcio Sapel. The band performs in such local clubs as S.O.B.‘s, Jazz Forum, the Blue Note, and the Village Gate.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:00 pm
Free

Concert | Two hundred electric guitars!


Two hundred electric guitars and basses line the park and plug in for the world premiere of this work by Rhys Chatham's A Crimson Grail for 200 Electric Guitars Rhys Chatham is an American composer/guitarist/trumpeter primarily active in avant-garde and minimalist music and known for his "guitar orchestra" compositions. For club-music mavens, the return of New York’s seminal breakbeat artists Liquid Liquid (pictured) is a reminder that in the beginning freestyle dancers romped and stomped to the rhythms of percussionists.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:30 pm
Free

Theater | Dancing vs. The Rat Experiment


Combining theater, dance, and installation art, this is a genre-defying theater piece by the company Witness Relocation. It is a wryly entertaining commentary, circa 2006 in the USA. Its first part plants the suggestion that human behavior may be linked to that of so-called lower orders more than we like to imagine, and its second part sneakily and satirically proves the point. A winner of three New York Innovative Theater Awards in 2007, director/choreographer Dan Safer provides a constant stream of surprises for the audience.
   New York City, NY; NYC
8:00 pm
Free

Theater | Lynn Rogoff's Love, Ben Love, Emma


She was an internationally known provocateur, deported from the United States in 1919, but Emma Goldman had her moments. When she wasn’t raising the blood pressure of the Establishment, she was, apparently, carrying on a torrid love affair with Dr. Ben Reitman, and the story of that affair will be seen in New York this summer.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free

Theater | William Shakespeare's Measure for Measure


An outdoor presentation of one of the Bard's most popular "problem plays," which is also a comedy.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free

Other | The Inwood Astronomy Project: Look at the Stars through a Telescope


THIS WILL OCCUR ONLY ON CLEAR NIGHTS, SO PLEASE CALL AHEAD TO CONFIRM. Come look through a telescope at the stars. The Inwood Astronomy Project is the largest public outreach program in New York City, hoping to get 5000 New Yorkers to come look through a telescope for the first time. They will be giving away posters, postcards, and other doodads. There is always a telescope to look through, and a knowledgeable astronomer to answer questions. Bring a flashlight for the climb to the hilltop. Call for details.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:30 pm
Free
Complimentary Tickets

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

Concert | Christmas Concert

Regular Price: $55
CFT Member Price: $0.00

Classical Music | Works by Mozart, Dvorak and More

Regular Price: $50
CFT Member Price: $0.00
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