free things to do in New York City
Free events for Thursday, 08/15/24
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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 15, 2024?

39 free events take place on Thursday, August 15 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 15 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!

39 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Thursday, August 15, 2024

All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Editor's Picks

free events nyc Summer Thursday: Exhibitions, Crafts, Talks, Film
free events nyc Twelfth Night: Shakespeare's Shipwrecked Stranger -- in the Park
free events nyc New York City's Longest-running Dance Festival - Outdoors
free events nyc Grammy-Nominated Pianist Celebrates the Afro-Latin Roots of Jazz
More Editor's Picks for 08/15/24
        

Workshop | Rooftop Yoga


Sputnik Yoga presents yoga sessions throughout the entire summer.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 am
Free

Workshop | Pick Up Pickleball


An exciting fusion of badminton and tennis, pickleball has been proven to strengthen muscles, boost cardiovascular health, and enhance brain function.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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9:00 am
Free

Tour | 9 Tours, All City Neighborhoods, Any Time Of The Day, Choose One Tour Or Many


These tours take place at various times during the day, all day long. You can make reservations for as many tours as your schedule allows. See link for details. Scroll down to the middle of the page to find the daily (and almost daily) scheduled tours. Tours: SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown 3 Hour Lower Manhattan Harlem 6 Hour Downtown Combined Greenwich Village Central Park Lower Manhattan Midtown Manhattan Graffiti and Street Art Tours
   New York City, NY; NYC
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9:30 am
$0-$4

Fair | Street Fair


Free fun for the whole family, including arts, crafts, antiques, plants, entertainment, games, and more.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Tour | Tour of New York City Hall


One of the oldest continuously used City Halls in the nation that still houses its original governmental functions, New York's City Hall is considered one of the finest architectural achievements of its period. Constructed from 1803 to 1812, the building was an early expression of the City's cosmopolitanism. City Hall is a designated New York City landmark, and its rotunda is a designated interior landmark as well.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Film | Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) with Gene Wilder


A sweet boy from a poor family dreams of finding one of five golden tickets hidden inside chocolate bar wrappers which will admit him to the eccentric and reclusive Willy Wonka's magical factory. One after another, tickets are discovered by ghastly children - but will the lad find the last remaining one and have all his dreams come true? Director: Mel Stuart Cast: Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson, Peter Ostrum, Roy Kinnear, Denise Nickerson, Leonard Stone, Julie Dawn Cole, Paris Themmen, Dodo Denney Gene Wilder was an American actor, comedian, writer and filmmaker. He was mainly known for his comedic roles, but also for his portrayal of Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971). His first major film role was as Leopold Bloom in the 1967 film The Producers, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. It was the first in a series of collaborations with writer/director Mel Brooks, including Young Frankenstein, which Wilder co-wrote, garnering the pair an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.
   New York City, NY; NYC
11:00 am
Free

Workshop | Learn Juggling in the Park


Get in a quick lesson, stay for the whole time, or just enjoy watching them 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

Concert | Piano in the Park


Come on by and tap your toes to The Big Apple's finest ragtime, stride, and jazz pianists around! Featuring special events and performances by distinguished musicians. Today's pianist: Joel Forrester.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free

Film | Rear Window (1954) Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, Starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly


The story of a recuperating news photographer who believes he has witnessed a murder. Confined to a wheelchair after an accident, he spends his time watching the occupants of neighbouring apartments through a telephoto lens and binoculars and becomes convinced that a murder has taken place. Director: Alfred Hitchcock Cast: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter, Raymond Burr Alfred Hitchcock was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 feature films, many of which are still widely watched and studied today. Known as the "Master of Suspense," he became as well known as any of his actors thanks to his many interviews, his cameo roles in most of his films, and his hosting and producing the television anthology Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955-65). His films garnered 46 Academy Award nominations, including six wins, although he never won the award for Best Director despite five nominations. James Stewart was an American actor. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality, which he portrayed both on and off the screen, he epitomized the "American ideal" in the mid-twentieth century. In 1999, the American Film Institute (AFI) ranked him third on its list of the greatest American male actors. He received numerous honors including the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1980, the Kennedy Center Honor in 1983, as well as the Academy Honorary Award and Presidential Medal of Freedom, both in 1985. Grace Kelly, also known as Grace of Monaco, was an American actress and Princess of Monaco as the wife of Prince Rainier III from their marriage on April 18, 1956, until her death in 1982. Prior to her marriage, she starred in several significant films in the early to mid-1950s. She received an Academy Award, three Golden Globe Awards and was ranked 13th on the American Film Institute's 25 Greatest Female Stars list.
   New York City, NY; NYC
1:30 pm
Free

Film | Home From the Hill (1960): melodrama


For his entire life, Theron Hunnicut's mother, Hannah, has sheltered him from the philandering of his father, Wade. Despite her best efforts, Theron acquires his father's taste for women when the elder Hunnicutt takes a sudden interest in his upbringing. When Theron unexpectedly impregnates Libby, the daughter of a local shopkeeper he struggles with conflicted feelings about marriage and his family's legacy of infidelity. Director: Vincente Minnelli Cast: Robert Mitchum, Eleanor Parker, George Peppard, George Hamilton, Everett Sloane
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Film | If… (1968) with Malcolm McDowell


Teenage rebel Mick Travis returns to his upper-crust English public school, caught between the sadistic older boys known as the Whips and the first-year students, known as Scum, who are forced to do their bidding. The petty thefts and anti-social behavior of Travis and his two henchmen, Johnny and Wallace, soon attract the attention of both the Whips and the school's out-of-touch administration, and lead to an unexpected showdown. Director: Lindsay Anderson Cast: Malcolm McDowell, Richard Warwick, Christine Noonan, David Wood, Robert Swann Malcolm McDowell is an English actor. He first became known for portraying Mick Travis in Lindsay Anderson's if.... (1968), a role he later reprised in O Lucky Man! (1973) and Britannia Hospital (1982). His performance in If.... prompted Stanley Kubrick to cast him as Alex in A Clockwork Orange (1971), the role for which McDowell became best known.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Book Discussion | Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy (online)


Author and activist Letty Cottin Pogrebin and her daughter Robin Pogrebin delve into the depths of Letty’s memoir. Shanda tells the story of three generations of complicated, intense 20th-century Jews for whom the desire to fit in and the fear of public humiliation either drove their aspirations or crushed their spirit. While unmasking their charades and disguises, Letty and Robin will also showcase their family’s remarkable talent for resilience and reinvention as they continue to persevere in the face of adversity.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Book Discussion | Worst Case Scenario: Heart-Stopping Thriller (online)


Author T. J. Newman in a discussion of her new explosive novel. In this heart-stopping thriller, ordinary people—power plant employees, firefighters, teachers, families, neighbors, and friends— are thrust into an extraordinary situation as they face the ultimate test of their lives. Newman will be in conversation with James Patterson.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Big City Fishing


Over 200 species of fish are found in the Hudson River, including over 85 species in HRPK’s Estuarine Sanctuary waters. Anglers ages 5 and up are invited to participate at this program, with parental supervision required. Our River Project team provides all the necessary equipment and an on-site fishing tutorial. Participation is offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Beginners and experts alike are encouraged to join Big City Fishing for a relaxing and educational experience at the water’s edge.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Mah Jongg Social - Outdoors


Players of all skill level are welcome to play. Socials are hosted and organized by Linda Fisher, and players play the National Mah Jongg League style. Participants are welcome to borrow equipment, or bring their own Mah Jongg sets.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Jazz | Jazz at the Crossroads of the World


New York City’s jazz scene comes to Broadway, creating the feeling of an intimate club amidst the lights and sounds. Featuring: Akiko Tsuruga Organ Quartet
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Concert | Music and Art Under the Arch


Featuring: NYC Queer Music Fesival is a monthly LGBTQ festival that celebrates inclusivity but also amplifies the voices and experiences of queer artists.. The brainchild of Kiernan and Price Troche, the festival curates an entertaining lineup and revel in an evening of queer art.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Festival | Summer Thursday: Exhibitions, Crafts, Talks, Film


Full Schedule: 5 PM - 7:30 PM Craft Making Come decorate sunglasses and color in hamsas! 5:30 PM and 6:15 PM Exhibition Tour with Sara Softness, the Museum's Director of Curatorial Affairs Join Sara Softness, Director of Curatorial Affairs, for a behind-the-scenes tour of the curation of Courage to Act: Rescue in Denmark. As the Museum's first exhibition geared for audiences as young as 9, Courage to Act is excitingly multimedia: hear more about how the videos, large-scale illustrations, and scenography came together. 6:45 PM Talk with the Forward's Archivist Chana Pollack about the Catskills Summer in the Catskills made a big impression on readers of the Forverts, the Jewish immigrant community's Yiddish paper of record, with subscribers jamming the newspaper's switchboards, scrambling to switch addresses so that their beloved daily would be delivered to their Borscht Belt boarding houses, bungalow colonies and resorts upon arrival. Loaded with classified Yiddish ads for Catskills farmland, boarding houses, hotels and even Yiddish summer camps, Forverts readers and writers found a home in the Borscht Belt for well over a century. Come take a dip back into the historic Forward archives and see what the tumult was all about. 7:30 PM Screening of Dirty Dancing An innocent teen vacationing with her upper-middle-class parents at an upscale resort in the 1960s Catskills gets a jolt of culture shock when she crushes on the hotel's slick, handsome dance instructor. The soundtrack yielded the Oscar-winning Best Song "(I've Had the) Time of My Life."
   New York City, NY; NYC
5:00 pm
Free

Book Discussion | Billionaire, Nerd, Savior, King: Bill Gates and His Quest to Shape Our World


From, Anupreeta Das, the finance editor of The New York Times, comes an examination of Bill Gates--one of the most powerful, fascinating, and contradictory figures of the past four decades--and an eye-opening exploration of our national fixation on billionaires. Few billionaires have been in the public eye for as long, and in as many guises, as Bill Gates. At first heralded as a tech visionary, the Microsoft cofounder next morphed into a ruthless capitalist, only to change yet again when he fashioned himself into a global do-gooder. Along the way, Gates forever influenced how we think about tech founders, as the products they make and the ideas they sell continue to dominate our lives. Through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, he also set a new standard for high-profile, billionaire philanthropy. But there is more to Gates's story, and here, Das's revelatory reporting shows us that billionaires have secrets and philanthropy can have a dark side.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:00 pm
Free

Film | Harold and Maude (1971): romantic comedy-drama


Cort is a dead-pan, disillusioned 20-year-old obsessed with suicide, Gordon is a loveable, fun-loving, 80-year-old eccentric. They meet at a funeral and develop a taboo romantic relationship, in which they explore the tired theme of the meaning of life with a fresh perspective. Director: Hal Ashby Cast: Ruth Gordon, Bud Cort, Vivian Pickles, Cyril Cusack, Charles Tyner, Ellen Geer, Eric Christmas, G. Wood, Judy Engles, Shari Summers
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Dancing | ?Arriba! Outdoor Latin Dance Party


Groove to the live tunes of Los Hacheros and master your moves with expert dance instruction by Nieves Latin Dance Studio. You'll also enjoy an international cross-section of dance music by DJ Mickey P?rez. All ages are welcome. The event transforms from a park to an open-air dance floor where New Yorkers and visitors come together to enjoy the sounds of local salsa legends and learn dance moves from the best in NYC. Whether you're an experienced salsa dancer or just excited to learn, this intergenerational event is for all. 6 - 6:15pm | Salsa music set by DJ Mickey P?rez 6:15 - 6:45pm | Salsa lessons by Nieves Latin Dance Studio 7 - 7:15pm | Salsa music set by DJ Mickey P?rez 7:15 - 8:15pm | Live salsa performance by Los Hacheros 8:15 - 9pm | International dance music set by DJ Mickey P?rez
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:00 pm
Free

Talk | Art Talk: Justice Reflected


A talk with the director of public art about Justice Reflected, the mosaic art adorning the plaza wall. See art that tells an allegorical story of justice and injustice, freedom, and incarceration in America. Learn about the artist James Yaya Hough's life and his use of universal symbolism to express humanity's complexity. Start times: 6pm, 6:30pm
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Park Walk | Park Tour: From Freight to Flowers


Hear the story behind New York City's park in the sky: an insider's perspective on the park's history, design, and landscape.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Thai Boxing in the Park


Patrick Stout teaches the fundamentals of Thai Boxing, starting with: stance, footwork, then moving on to offense, defense, and finally techniques.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Book Discussion | Telltale Hearts: A Public Health Doctor, His Patients, and the Power of Story


Dean-David Schillinger presents a doctor's powerful meditation on what his patients taught him, and what they can teach us about listening, healing, and public health. For over three decades, Dr. Dean-David Schillinger has served in one of the country’s busiest and most important public hospitals. A public health leader and primary care physician for underserved patients, Schillinger learned that high-tech tests and novel medications are often not enough to save lives. Rather, accurate diagnosis, treatment and true healing come from listening deeply to patients and their stories.  In Telltale Hearts, Schillinger reveals what is lost when patients’ stories are ignored or overlooked, and how much is gained when these stories are actively elicited. The stories themselves, at times shocking and always revelatory, disclose secrets, prompt awe, forge unexpected connections, and even catalyze public health action. Each vignette delves into a patient's complicated life, uncovering numerous factors that influence their medical outcomes. Together, these stories provide a narrative roadmap, guiding the reader to a deeper understanding of the societal forces that shape health, disease, and recovery, and advocating for a transformative shift in medical care and public health. 
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
$5

Play | Twelfth Night: Shakespeare's Shipwrecked Stranger -- in the Park


This lush production pulls on the heart strings when a young woman is shipwrecked on a strange land and must disguise herself as a man to survive. It's a story of loss, identity and, finally, love hard won. There's also music and singing! With the Hudson Classical Theater Company.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:30 pm
Free

Workshop | HIIT Workout on the River


At MTHD by Oscar, they take longevity seriously. Their highly methodical, holistic approach to training is based on functional movement. Start with the basics – push, pull, squat, lunge, hinge, and rotation as you build each workout. This approach optimizes strength and stability to create more balance in the body.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Discussion | Language City: Five Nights, Five Boroughs


A performance about the past, present, and future of the world’s most linguistically diverse city. Each show will explore a different New York City borough, led by speakers of endangered, Indigenous, and minority languages speaking about their communities in their own words and in their own languages, alongside poetry, music, and movement, with texts based on the Ross Perlin's Language City: The Fight to Preserve Endangered Mother Tongues in New York. A multilingual soundscape will draw on ELA’s digital language archive, with its recordings in over a hundred languages, as well as visual elements from languagemap.nyc and creative translanguaging translation strategies. Conceived by Ross Perlin, Daniel Kaufman, Michael Leibenluft, the Endangered Language Alliance, and Gung Ho Projects. Directed by Michael Leibenluft.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Workshop | Memoir Writing


Hone your writing skills at free workshops in the park's outdoor setting. Learn how to bring your life to the page in this introductory workshop. You’ll learn a little craft, do a little writing, and get to hang out with your fellow writers in the heart of the city. Cullen Thomas is the author of the memoir Brother One Cell (Viking). His nonfiction has appeared in the New York Times Magazine, the Washington Post, The Daily Beast, Salon, The Rumpus, The Sonora Review, World Hum, Current Biography, and Penthouse. He has appeared on CNN, MSNBC, and the National Geographic channel and has taught at NYU. He holds a BA from Binghamton University.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Dancing | Sunset Salsa in the Park


6:30 PM: Beginner Lessons 7:15 PM: Open Dance Formerly the youngest Soloist from the National Ballet of Peru, Talía relocated to New York City to expand her dance abilities, study acting and manage some of the most successful Ballroom dance studios for over a decade. She is the producer of multiple salsa events around New York City. Her vast connection to the entertainment industry, combined with her warm, fun and inclusive approach to dance events, enables New Yorkers to fall in love with Latin Dance and Latin Culture.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Workshop | Sunset Yoga


A multi-level sunset yoga practice. Suitable for all fitness levels. Please wear loose, comfortable clothing and bring your own mat.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Talk | Sustainable Food Systems - Outdoors


Sycamore May, Director of Sustainability and Communications at Handsome Brook Farms, talks about the state of the food system in the US and where it is headed.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Film | Cat Call (2023): Woman and Feline in Love


30-year-old Fani is trapped in a world of her own imagination. Because she pictures the death of each man she finds attractive, she can never fall in love. But everything changes when a talking black cat starts courting her. Director: Rozalia Szeleczki Stars: Franciska Torocsik, Antal Agatics, Robert Alfoldi 91 min. In Hungarian with English subtitles
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Jazz | Grammy-Nominated Pianist Celebrates the Afro-Latin Roots of Jazz


A band under the direction of pianist Ariacne Trujillo for an evening of music celebrating the Afro Latin Roots of Jazz. Grammy-nominated pianist, Ariacne Trujillo, graduated with a Summa Cum Laude degree in Music from New Jersey City University and has a Master's Degree in Jazz Performance in the specialty of Voice and Piano. With her virtuosity on the piano, her powerful and flexible voice, and the freshness and peculiarity of her arrangements, she mixes the genres of his native Cuba, with passages of classical music, and the style that she has perfected in her more than 20 years in the Cosmopolitan city of New York.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:00 pm
Free

Concert | Heart of Brick: Music and Dance in the Park


Josiah Wise’s music as serpentwithfeet has long explored romantic moments, weaving abstract tones and melodies with a tender sweetness. For his theatrical dance and musical performance “Heart of Brick”, he uses the moment that two men fall in love in a gay dance hall, and in the process captures the multi-generational spirit of the Black queer community. Collaborating with MacArthur Fellow Wu Tsang and choreographer Raja Feather Kelly, Wise combines music created for the performance with both older songs and material from the forthcoming serpentwithfeet album Grip, with the aim of embodying the sweetness and sincerity at serpent’s core.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Dance Performance | New York City's Longest-running Dance Festival - Outdoors


This Dance Festival is New York City's longest-running free public dance festival. Each year, the Festival draws a combined audience of over 12,000 in-person and over 35,000 virtual viewers. It runs from Aug.11-17 and features dance performances and workshops. See link for full details.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:00 pm
Free

Dance Performance | Return to Neverland: A Ballet of Peter Pan's Friend


A complimentary community performance for all ages of Ballet and Beyond's Return to Neverland. This show is inspired by Peter Pan's friend, Wendy, as she travels through an apocalyptic world longing to find her truth and self.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Movie in a Park | Encanto (2021): Non-Magical in a Magical World


A Colombian teenage girl has to face the frustration of being the only member of her family without magical powers. Directors: Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Charise Castro Smith Stars: Stephanie Beatriz, Maria Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo 102 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free

Comedy Club | Bomb Shelter Comedy Show


Bomb Shelter is a free weekly comedy show in New York City where you'll find some of the best comedians performing. Expect free pizza. With: Bailey Pope - Fun Gutter Sheri Ciprane - Comedy Central Rufat Agayev - Don’t Tell Comedy Jay Nog - Something From Nothing 
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free
Complimentary Tickets

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

Musical | Broadway Actors in a Tony Winner's Musical Comedy

Regular Price: $89
CFT Member Price: $0.00

Classical Music | Works by Tchaikovsky, Liszt, Ravel, and More at a Landmark Venue

Regular Price: $45
CFT Member Price: $0.00
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