free things to do in New York City
Free events for Wednesday, 05/19/21
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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 May 19, 2021?

32 free events take place on Wednesday, May 19 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 May 19 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 May . 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!

32 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Wednesday, May 19, 2021

All events are free unless otherwise noted.
        

Birdwatching | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Bird Walk


Join experienced birding guide Gabriel Willow on a walk to observe the diversity of migrating birds that visit the park. Gabriel is an experienced birder and naturalist, and is well-versed in the ecology and history of New York City.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 am
Free

Talk | Function and Fusion: Thai Flavors in America (virtual)


How have Americans' perceptions of Thai food and culture changed over time? And how have these perceptions affected what's on the menu? Tackle these questions with Mark Padoongpatt, PhD, Associate Professor and Director of Asian and Asian American Studies at University of Nevada Las Vegas and author of Flavors of Empire: Food and the Making of Thai America, who will share how Thai immigrants have navigated food systems to recreate the "yum" of their homeland. Then head to the Baltimore-Washington area for interviews and cooking demos with two long-time Thai favorites that both feature diverse menus and incorporate a range of cultural influences. Chef Aulie Bunyarataphan and Mel Oursinsiri, the husband and wife team behind Bangkok Joe's in Georgetown, will share their story and how their concept came to include Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and French flavors alongside traditional Bangkok cuisine. Then visit with restauranteur Sireenuch Tengamnuary, owner for longtime Baltimore restaurant Thai Landing, and check in on her new restaurant, Towson, MD's Absolute Thai-Sushi, where a Japanese sushi menu complements a wide range of Thai specialities.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Workshop | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Elements of Nature Drawing


The park, with its amazing gardens and views of the Hudson River and New York Bay, is the perfect setting to practice your art. Participants are expected to bring their own drawing and painting supplies, including drawing boards and containers of water if they are planning to paint. They will supply drawing paper and watercolor paper only. • Masks and contact information required upon arrival. • Participants must maintain six feet of physical distance between households. • All programs will be held in accordance with New York State reopening guidance. Wednesdays, May 12-June 30, 2021
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

Workshop | Tee Time on the Plaza


Putt putt your way through this 7-hole mini golf course. Grab a friend and make a day of it! May 10-27, 2021
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:30 am
Free

Concert | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Piano Sing-A-Long


Jazz pianist Jon Weber has recorded and toured all over the world, winning numerous accolades for performance and composition - and scoring extensively for television since 1987. Gary Burton, Roy Hargrove, Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen, and Avishai Cohen have all recorded Jon's music. His newest critically-acclaimed release, Simple Complex, rose to #1.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free

Workshop | Lunchtime Meditation (virtual)


With Rita London. Connect with your core self. Step away from your hectic day to quiet your mind and nourish your soul with a thirty-minute meditation experience. Learn simple Kundalini Yoga breathing techniques and meditations that reduce stress, increase your focus, balance your emotions and magnify your presence.   This session takes place in a chair and will include: simple physical warm ups breathing techniques deep relaxation meditation Feel refreshed and re-energized! Beginners and experienced meditators welcome. No change of clothes or yoga mat needed.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free

Symposium | People: A Global Dialogue on Museums and Their Publics (Zoom)


Over the last year, interactions between museums and the public have shifted dramatically in response to the ongoing pandemic and international calls for social and racial justice, contributing to an ever-expanding dialogue about how museums engage with people. In this three-day series of conversations, hear from an international array of scholars, artists, writers, performers, and activists as they share their ideas about how museums engage with people locally and globally.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Talk | Historical Trauma and Cultural Healing in 2021


This program, led by Dr. Irit Felsen, explores historical trauma and cultural healing with experts from Jewish, American Indian, and African American communities.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free
3:00 pm
Regular: $35
Member: $0
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Theaters, May 19, 2021, 05/19/2021, (IN-PERSON) A Thriller by Tony Winner

Jazz | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Jazz Band: Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and More


David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band is inspired by the noble jazz pioneers Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton and more. The band breathes life and passion into America's own great art form.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free

Discussion | A Conversation with 3-Time Grammy-Winning Composer Michael Colina


Juhl Media will present three time Grammy-winning composer and producer Michael Colina in conversation with filmmaker Ching Juhl live. The program will feature Colina and Juhl listening to and discussing his works. Colina's compositional voice is the result of a unique confluence of styles, embracing classical, jazz and Latin influences.This has also characterized his award-winning work as a producer.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free

Gallery Talk | Decades in Photography (Zoom)


Julie Grahame was born in London, England, and moved to New York to manage an international photo agency. She has reviewed hundreds of portfolios, sold an untold number of prints and judged numerous competitions. She founded the website aCurator, is the senior representative for the estate of Yousuf Karsh and a photography consultant. Grahame takes you through her decades in photography, showing images from several series she has published. She’ll discuss why she selects the work, how she finds images to publish, and why there is value in submitting your photographs for publication online.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free

Discussion | Person Place Thing: Surprising Stories from Great Talkers and Thinkers (Zoom)


This installment of Randy Cohen's live radio show will be a conversation with Sarah Carroll, who is both the Chair and a commissioner on the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Person Place Thing is an interview show based on the idea that people are particularly engaging when they speak, not directly about themselves, but about one person, one place, and one thing with particular meaning to them. The result: surprising stories from great talkers and thinkers. This Zoom event will be recorded for broadcast on Northeast Public Radio.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Discussion | Keeping Children Safe: Understanding the Hague Convention and International Parental Child Abduction (virtual)


A talk on international parental child abduction and the U.S.-Pakistan treaty under the Hague Convention. Learn from experts about efforts to prevent the abduction of children, to locate missing children, and post-location care. Nausher Ali and Stuart Arias from the Office of Children's Issues at the U.S. State Department will discuss their work and the treaty, followed by a presentation by Caroline Teague and Lilybeth Ruiz of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Workshop | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Fitness on the Waterfront


Your one-stop-shop for a complete body and mind workout. Barre seamlessly blends moves from ballet, Pilates, strength training, and yoga. You will be guided through a series of micro-movements and active holds, using your body weight for resistance. These small, isolated movements yield extensive results: long, lean, sculpted lines. You’ll work muscles you didn’t even know you have and feel them for days after. What to bring/wear: Yoga or Pilates mat, water and hand towel. Wear comfortable workout clothes – pants, leggings, or capris, and a workout tank or t-shirt. Grip socks optional, bare feet welcome.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:30 pm
Free

Classical Music | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Horn Quartet Performs R. Strauss, Carlos Chavez and More


American Symphony Orchestra: Horn Quartet  Performers Chad Yarbrough, David Smith, Lawrence DiBello, and David Peel, French horns Program Nikolai Tcherepnin Horn Quartet Op. 35 Carlos Chavez Sonata for Four Horns Richard Strauss Funf Volksliedsatze Selections of Austrian hunting music Seating is available on first-come, first-served basis. Masks are required.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:30 pm
Free

Workshop | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Yoga on The Green


Join a class with Thai James. Bring your own mat. Face masks mandatory.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:30 pm
Free

Workshop | Outdoor Fitness


Get fit during this outdoor workout series aimed to help you build strength, get toned, and relax. A variety of fun and challenging classes will be taught by instructors from top NYC fitness studios. Wednesdays, May 12-September 8, 2021
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:30 pm
Free

Concert | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) R&B Hits of the 90's-00's


Step back in time with live music featuring 90s+00s R&B cover by Sanduba (Portuguese slang for "a sandwich"), led by Arnaldo Buzack and Julie Schatz (Lady Beatz). Take a seat in the courtyard and enjoy the show. Food and drinks are available for purchase.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:00 pm
Free

Workshop | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Sunset Yoga


Namaste! Unwind from the day with outdoor yoga. Immerse yourself in this meditative practice- surrounded by the Hudson’s peaceful aura. Strengthen the body and cultivate awareness in a relaxed environment as your instructor guides you through alignments and poses. All levels are welcome. Participants are expected to bring their own equipment: yoga mat, yoga blocks, water, etc. • Masks and contact information required upon arrival. • Participants must remain six feet of physical distance for the duration of the program. • All programs will be held in accordance with New York State reopening guidance. Wednesdays, May 12-June 30, 2021
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Discussion | A Discussion of Fox's Prodigal Son with Cast Members Michael Sheen and Catherine Zeta-Jones (virtual)


The stars, guest star and creative team of Fox's Prodigal Son, as award-winning actors Michael Sheen, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Tom Payne and creators Chris Fedak and Sam Sklaver join TheWrap's Jenny Maas for a conversation about the acclaimed thriller series as it concludes its second season.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Book Club | Nonfiction Book Group: Philip Roth's Patrimony (virtual)


The group discusses Philip Roth's National Book Critics Circle Award-winning true story that touches the emotions as strongly as anything Roth has ever written. Roth watches as his eighty-six-year-old father--famous for his vigor, charm, and his repertoire of Newark recollections--battles with the brain tumor that will kill him. The son, full of love, anxiety, and dread, accompanies his father through each fearful stage of his final ordeal, and, as he does so, discloses the survivalist tenacity that has distinguished his father's long, stubborn engagement with life.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | Orchestra of St. Luke's Perfoms J.S. Bach (virtual, live stream)


Orchestra of St. Luke's; Bernard Labadie, conductor; Tyler Duncan, baritone Program J. S. Bach Sinfonia from cantata, BWV 196 J.S. Bach Sinfonia from cantata, BWV 21 J.S. Bach Gratias from Mass in G Major, BWV 236 J.S. Bach Aria Ja, ja, ich kann die Feinde schlagen from cantata, BWV 57 J.S. Bach Cantata Ich Habe Genug. BWV 82 Alessandro Marcello Concerto for oboe in D minor About the Program Bach's cantata "Ich habe genug" (I am content) forms the backbone for the concert. At the center of the cantata is the short aria "Schlummert ein," a sublime, peaceful lullaby that suggests rejuvenation after times of trouble. This mood of reconciliation, celebration, and rebirth echoes through the other works by J.S. Bach on the program.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:30 pm
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Discussion | Covid Lessons From South Korea with Global Vaccine Expert (virtual)


Do you want to learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and the global vaccination effort? Join a conversation on COVID-19 vaccine development and distribution with Dr. Jerome Kim, Director General of International Vaccine Institute (IVI) and Tom Byrne, Korea Society President/CEO. Dr. Kim, who was named one of “The 50 Most Influential People in Vaccines” in 2014 by vaccine industry organization Vaccine Nation, will share the importance of COVID-19 vaccines in combatting this prolonged pandemic. Dr. Kim will highlight the central role of IVI in accelerating safe and effective vaccines worldwide, provide the most up-to-date COVID-19 vaccine news, and remark on the challenges surrounding global vaccination.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Talk | Forming the Coney Island Hysterical Society (Zoom)


In 1978, artist Richard Eagan was visited by a series of dreams about his beloved childhood playground, Steeplechase Park. These dreams led him back to Coney Island, where he met a young Dick Zigun and partnered with fellow artist Philomena Marano, forming the Coney Island Hysterical Society. So began an association between Coney Island USA and the Hysterical Society which sparked a revival of interest in and eventually the redevelopment of New York City’s legendary amusement beach.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
$5

Tour | Garment District History Tour: Fashion, Immigrants, Child Labor, Triangle Factory Fire, Gangsters (virtual)


"Walk" the streets of the Garment District with your tour guide Mike Kaback. Topics included: - Your guide's personal experiences in the fashion industry/district over the last half century: changes in fashion through the years; - Immigrants and the growth of the NYC apparel industry: factories and workers; visit into several factories over the years; - The Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire of 1911: unions and gangsters; - How the Garment District of today relocated to its current location: Fashion Ave and The Fashion Walk of Fame; - A look into the future of the garment industry.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:00 pm
Free

Film | (IN-PERSON, drive-in theater) Inside Out (2015): Oscar-Winning Animated Comedy


Pixar's Pete Docter (supervising animator and co-writer of Toy Story) directed this thoughtful animated comedy that takes us inside the mind of a girl whose emotions are plunged into chaos after she moves into a new home. Exploring the ups and downs of growing up, this family film explores questions around mental health and adolescence with beautifully crafted animation. Winner of the Best Animated Feature Academy Award. With the voices of Diane Lane, Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free

Author Reading | Phase Six: The Next Pandemic (virtual)


Award-winning author Jim Shepard presents his spare and gripping new novel. This harrowing story about the next pandemic—completed before COVID-19 emerged—reads like a fictional sequel to our current crisis. Both a chamber piece of multiple intimate perspectives and a more omniscient glimpse into the megastructures (political, cultural, and biological) that inform such a disaster, the novel reminds us of the crucial bonds that form in the midst of catastrophe, as a child and several hypereducated adults learn what it means to provide adequate support for those they love.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free

Classical Music | American Mosaic: A Fusion of Visual Art and Chamber Music (virtual)


Ensemble Connect invites you to a fascinating fusion of visual art and chamber music. American Mosaic showcases the many identities, cultures, and styles that 20th- and 21st-century composers in America bring to their music. This program calls attention to the ever-expanding boundaries of what it means to be an artist and musician in the diverse cultural mosaic that is the United States while also celebrating one’s own personal identity. American Mosaic features renowned visual artist Kevork Mourad, who brings the program to life in a stunning visual display.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free

Concert | Percussion Duo: From DIY Instruments to Massive Multi-Percussion Set-ups (virtual)


"Points of Interest" by the Grover von Kampen Percussion Duo. The repertoire and concept for the concert emerged over several years as ensemble members invited composers into a percussion space filled with instruments and encouraged them to explore sounds and techniques. This process and the composers' own predilections ignited the spark that spurred on the creation of new works by: Owen Hopper, Tyler Kline, Drew Nolan, Emma O'Halloran, Qingye Wu, and Mark Zanter. The works span the gamut from the new complexity to indie rock from DIY instruments to massive multi-percussion set-ups.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free

Jazz | Jim Ridl and Joe Locke: Jazz in Performance (virtual)


Jim Ridl is in high demand as a New York City jazz pianist, composer, teacher and band leader. His ongoing residency at the internationally known jazz club The 55 Bar is in its fifth year, where he and his quartet perform his original compositions monthly. Jim performs worldwide with a variety of jazz artists, including The Joe Locke Quartet, The Dave Liebman Big Band, The Paul Jost Quartet and the Mingus Big Band. Long known to be a soloist capable of stunning physical power and broad emotional range, it was not until the last decades that Joe Locke emerged as the composer, bandleader and conceptualist that he is considered today. This is in no small part due to his solo projects since the beginning of the 2000s. This is in no small part due to his prolific solo projects, notably Four Walls of Freedom, a 6 movement suite featuring the late tenor saxophonist Bob Berg; Live in Seattle (Origin) by The Joe Locke / Geoffrey Keezer Group which won the 2006 EarShot award for Concert of the Year and his eloquent and vibrant quartet Force Of Four (Origin).
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Pay-what-you-can

Discussion | Mystery Drama The Dry (2021) Star Eric Bana in Conversation (virtual)


In The Dry, a federal agent returns to his arid hometown to investigate a killing and opens old wounds. Based on the 2016 global bestseller of the same name by Jane Harper. Join a conversation with star Eric Bana (Lone Survivor, Munic, Troy, Black Hawk Down). Moderated by Ken Nolan, screenwriter and novelist.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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9:00 pm
Free
Complimentary Tickets

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

Theater | Family Theater Showcase

Regular Price: $49.50
CFT Member Price: $0.00

Dance Performance | High-Energy Dance by Acclaimed Choreographer

Regular Price: $49
CFT Member Price: $0.00
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