free things to do in New York City
Free events for Thursday, 05/20/21
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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 20, 2021?

40 free events take place on Thursday, May 20 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 20 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!

40 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Thursday, May 20, 2021

All events are free unless otherwise noted.
        

Workshop | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Tai Chi in a Park


Learn and master this Chinese martial art for health and self-defense. All ages and levels are welcome. Classes are rain or shine. Please maintain six feet of social distance and wear a mask.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 am
Free

Museums | (IN-PERSON) Dutch Masterpieces: Paintings by Rembrandt, Hals, and Vermeer


Dutch paintings of the 17th century: the Golden Age of Rembrandt, Hals, and Vermeer. Through sixty-seven works of art organized thematically, In Praise of Painting orients visitors to key issues in 17th century Dutch culture--from debates about religion and conspicuous consumption to painters' fascination with the domestic lives of women. The presentation also provides the opportunity to conserve and display rarely exhibited paintings, including Margareta Haverman's A Vase of Flowers--one of only two known paintings by the artist. The exhibition takes its title from one of the period's major works of art theory, Philips Angel's The Praise of Painting (1642), a pioneering defense of realism in art.
   New York City, NY; NYC
10:00 am
Pay-what-you-wish for NY...

Symposium | As for Protocols: To Hold Things Together (Zoom)


A two-day symposium focusing on modes of social and institutional nodality and protocols of encounter and solidarity in our hyper-local and hyper-dispersed existence. It concludes the first year of the New School Vera List Center’s program cycle As for Protocols. Compositing real and speculative community and institutional models and proposing theoretical and practical elements of coalitional exchange, the symposium’s discursive strands seek to build aesthetic, poetic, and tactical forms of research, assembly, mobilization, and co-creation amid fraught unfolding realities.
   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

Screening | Bridging the Divide: Social and Cultural Integration of North and South Korea (virtual)


This is a discussion about obstacles and opportunities for inter-Korean social and cultural integration, featuring Dr. Hyun In-nae, Ewha University Professor and former director of the Korea Hana Foundation, and Bada Nam, Secretary General for the South Korean non-governmental organization People for Successful Corean Reunification. In an interview with Korea Society policy director Jonathan Corrado, the two draw insights from the findings of new survey research to describe inter-Korean differences in culture, education, and perception, and encourage interaction and dialogue to help bridge the divide between North and South.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Hatha Yoga (virtual)


Take an afternoon break and join Lisa for a rejuvenating Hatha Yoga class. This class puts an emphasis on posture and breathing and is an excellent way to relax the body and strengthen the mind.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Concert | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Piano Music in a Park


Piano concert series, showcasing ragtime, stride, and jazz pianists. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free

Dance Lesson | Salsa with Ballet Hispanico (Zoom)


Join Ballet Hispanico for a fun and interactive salsa workshop. Led by Rodney Hamilton, a Ballet Hispanico Teaching Artist. All levels and abilities are welcome.
   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

Classical Music | Bohemian Rhapsody: Baroque Ensemble Performs Biber and More (virtual)


Abendmusik ensemble: Margaret Ziemnicka, violin; Vita Wallace, violin; Lawrence Lipnik, viola da gamba; Patricia Ann Neely, viola da gamba; John Mark Rozendaal, viola da gamba Music from the Kromeriz Archive in Moravia, including some of the most popular, original and striking of all 5-part music by Heinrich Schmelzer, Biber, and Biber's colleague Pavel Vejvanovsky. In his capacity as librarian and copyist, Vejvanovsky, is largely to thank for assembling this vast corpus of music. His connections with the court of the Holy Roman Emperor in Vienna ensured both the performance of Czech music in the capital and the preservation of these works.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:15 pm
Free

Film | Love It Was Not (2020): Powerful Israeli Documentary (Zoom)


Flamboyant and full of life, Jewish prisoner Helena Citron found herself the subject of an unlikely affection at Auschwitz: Franz Wunsch, a high-ranking SS officer who fell in love with Helena and her magnetic singing voice. Their forbidden relationship lasted until her miraculous liberation. Thirty years later, a letter arrived from Wunsch's wife begging Helena to testify on Wunsch's behalf in an Austrian court. She was faced with an impossible decision: should she help the man who brutalized so many lives, but saved hers, along with some of the people closest to her? Director: Maya Sarfaty This exclusive program will feature a panel discussion with Sarfaty, moderated by Columbia University film professor Annette Insdorf. Attendees will also receive a private link to screen the film during the week before the discussion.
   New York City, NY; NYC
2:00 pm
Free

Discussion | Holding Space: Coping with Anxiety and Loss (virtual)


Grief expert Claire Bidwell Smith will be joined by Dr. Su Yon Pak, Rev. Dr. Cari Jackson, Rev. Linda Jaramillo, and Laura O'Loughlin, who were brought together to reflect on caring for their mothers at the end of their lives. The group will share an inspiring and informative conversation about their newly released book, Sisters in Mourning: Daughters Reflecting on Care, Loss, and Meaning.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Discussion | On Humor and Other Strategies for Survival (Zoom)


On the occasion of Nina Katchadourian’s exhibition Cumulus, the artist joins musician and comedian Reggie Watts and professor and writer Glenda R. Carpio to discuss the nature and reach of laughter. Through a shared interest in the fluid and mercurial aspects of the accented voice, to their various ways of thinking about characters and stereotypes, both Watts and Katchadourian call attention through their work to the contradictions and constructions of identity.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | (IN-PERSON, indoors) Evidence: Prints from a 50-Year Career


Ming Smith's inaugural exhibition features a combination of rare, vintage silver gelatin and never-before-exhibited archival prints, spanning the arc of Smith’s fifty-year career. The assembled pictures exemplify the artist’s keen, enduring eye and her use of the photographic medium to depict charged atmospheres and surreal states with a cast of evocative landscapes, blurred silhouettes, dynamic street scenes and revered cultural figures.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free

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

Other | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) The Art of Bubble-Making: Family Fun


Watch the art of bubble-making! We've all blown soap bubbles before but have you ever seen someone create a bubble big enough to stand inside? Or one long enough to jump over? Open your eyes to the magical world of bubbles at this family-friendly event. Please wear masks and practice social distancing.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free

Concert | (IN-PERSON) Bach, Bartok, Broadway, The Beatles and More on Strings!


String trio performs musical selections from Bach, Bartok, Broadway to the Beatles!
   New York City, NY; NYC
5:00 pm
Free

Tour | Boston: The City of Firsts (virtual, live stream)


As one of the original 13 colonies, Boston is a great place to see many "firsts" in America. Join this live tour and see where public education began even before the United States became a nation. Take in five centuries of architecture and learn the history of the city through the well-preserved buildings that tell the story of how the foundations of a nation started.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Workshop | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Crossfit Workout


End your Thursday with a little sweat. The class is open to all levels. Masks are required.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:30 pm
Free

Workshop | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Amp'd Workout


Hit the grass and push your body to new limits in this class that combines bodyweight strength and cardio, challenging both your energy systems and motor control. This class is open to all levels. Thursdays, May 6-October 28, 2021 Registration opens every Tuesday at 10:00am for classes the following week.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Workshop | (In-PERSON, outdoors) Capoeira Class: Afro-Brazillian Martial Arts Dance


Learn capoeira, an Afro-Brazillian art form which combines dance and martial arts, with instruction by Ilê de Palmares. Explore movement though music, dance, martial arts and Afro-Brazillian culture. Masks are required.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Author Reading | Bird Uncaged: An Abolitionist's Freedom Song (Zoom)


In honor of Malcolm X’s 96th birthday, author Marlon Peterson joins writer, educator, and daughter of Malcolm X Ilyasah Shabazz to discuss his memoir and the influence of the Civil Rights Movement icon on his life and writing. Bird Uncaged chronicles Peterson’s experience coming of age in Crown Heights in the 1980s and surviving incarceration.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Discussion | Hél čhaŋkú kiŋ ȟpáye (There lies the road): A Dialogue About Making Art in a Good Way (Zoom)


Oglála Lakȟóta artist Kite hosts a conversation with artistic and research collaborators Scott Benesiinaabandan, Clementine Bourdeaux, and theorist Jason Edward Lewis as a moment for reflection with on her year-long project. This exchange involves Indigenous and non-Indigenous thinkers, artists, and the general public in exploring notions of ethics, protocols, and artificial intelligence. As does Kite’s project, the panel engages with questions of how respect and reciprocity with the nonhuman, such as in Lakȟóta ontology, can inform art and world-making in a “good way.”
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Talk | Barnet or Bust: Canals on the Connecticut River (virtual)


Running from the Canadian border to Long Island Sound, the Connecticut River cuts through the heart of New England. And for a period of about 40 years, a concerted effort was made to turn the rather wild and narrow river into a transportation superhighway to rival the Hudson. Between 1792 and 1835, seven canals were built to circumvent rapids, with the dream of making the river navigable as far as Barnet, Vermont, 280 miles from the Sound. In this virtual program, Andrew Gustafson, who has paddled most of the river by canoe, will trace the history of engineering and navigation, why the effort ultimately failed, and where this disused infrastructure can still be seen today.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
$5

Discussion | Defund, Abolish, Reform the Police? The NYPD and Public Safety after the Murder of George Floyd (virtual)


Calls for abolition, defunding, and police reform are louder than ever. In our own neighborhood, years after "stop and frisk" was ruled unconstitutional, NYPD officers routinely stop Black men, women, and youth on grounds of looking suspicious or fitting a vague description, causing trauma and necessitating "the talk" Black parents give their children about what to do not if but when they will be confronted by the police. New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie and Alex Vitale, coordinator of the Policing and Social Justice Project at Brooklyn College, and author of The End of Policing lead a virtual community forum on these topics, moderated by Brenda Edwards and Deborah Mutnick of the Prospect Lefferts Gardens Neighborhood Association.    
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Screening | The History Channel’s Tulsa Burning: The 1921 Race Massacre: Advanced Screening and Conversation (virtual)


Directors and executive producers Stanley Nelson and Marco Williams of the History Channel’s upcoming documentary and Brenda Nails Alford, a descendent of Tulsa massacre survivors and Black Wall Street entrepreneur, for an advanced screening and special panel conversation moderated by The Washington Post’s Jonathan Capehart. Tulsa Burning commemorates the 100th anniversary of one of the worst acts of racial violence in American history — a ruthless, devastating attack on Tulsa’s “Black Wall Street” by a white mob — a relatively little-known episode until recent years. Hear Nelson, Williams, and Alford discuss this important new film, why the Tulsa massacre still matters, how it continues to reverberate through the city and the country, why many of the most notorious stories of racial violence are left out of history books, and more.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:00 pm
Free

Author Reading | Letters to Camondo: A Tragic Family Story (virtual)


A conversation between writers Edmund de Waal and Adam Gopnik to celebrate the launch of Letters to Camondo, a collection of fifty imaginary letters from Edmund de Waal to Moise de Camondo that reveals a captivating and ultimately tragic family story.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Author Reading | Washington's End: The Final Years and Forgotten Struggle (Zoom)


After eight years of holding office, George Washington stepped down from the presidency. Embittered by partisan criticism and eager to return to his farm, Washington assumed a role for which there was no precedent at a time when the kings across the ocean often yielded their crowns only upon losing their heads. Author Jonathan Horn discusses the astonishing true story of George Washington's forgotten last years--the personalities, plotting, and private torment that unraveled America's first post-presidency.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:30 pm
Free

Screening | Envisioning Beyond the Silence: Asian American Filmmakers Speak Their Truth (Zoom)


As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders has increased indiscriminately amidst a system already notorious for its violence against communities of color. This short film series followed by a panel discussion with the filmmakers centers the plight against communities of color on our AAPI brothers and sisters, connecting the dots between the silos of oppression and sequestered voices, constructed by white supremacy. This program intends to expand the narrative beyond silence.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:30 pm
Free

Screening | Becoming Bettie Page: An Filmed Theater Workshop (Zoom)


In 2018 Funhouse Philosophers showcased a first draft tryout of a new play about pinup icon Bettie Page. With no audience allowed in our theater they’ve recently filmed recreations of her Fetish Films for a future production of the finished play including these very films projected with a live stage show. Adam Realman will Introduce these workshops and conduct an audience Q&A after the films are shown. Starring Seedy Edie.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
$5

Gallery Talk | Artists Talk: Extracted Bodies (virtual)


Artists Patty Chang and Jes Fan as they discuss their work in the context of the gendered experience, race, and more.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Dance Performance | Four Ballets (virtual)


Dances Patrelle, a ballet company in its 33rd season, presents Reflections on our Time. Program Pair Pathetique; Choreography: Ask la Cour Solstice in Solace; Choreography: Ariel T. Rose Separation; Choreography: Francis Patrelle, Ask la Cour, Abi Stafford Music: A new score by Patrick Soluri Sing, Sing, Sing; Choreography: Daniel Ulbricht
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Discussion | The Founders’ Library: Intellectual Sources of the Constitution (virtual)


A week before the anniversary of the start of the Constitutional Convention on May 25, 1787, join scholars Richard Albert of the University of Texas at Austin, Jonathan Gienapp of Stanford University, and Colleen Sheehan of Arizona State University as they delve into the key texts, authors, and sources the founders looked to when drafting the Constitution. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Film | (IN-PERSON, drive-in theater) SHOWTIME'S Flatbush Misdemeanors: Comedy


SHOWTIME(R) presents first two episodes of the irreverent new comedy series Flatbush Misdemeanors. Rising comedians Dan Perlman and Kevin Iso play fictionalized versions of themselves: neighborhood best friends and urban millennials hilariously climbing the ladder to nowhere. But even inside the losing, Dan and Kevin find there are little wins that come from tackling hipsters, mental health issues and the rising tide of gentrification. A raw look at community and the regular people who call it home, Flatbush Misdemeanors premieres May 23rd. Rated TV-MA (for adult language and adult content) and may not be considered appropriate for all audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free

Author Reading | Loving Before Loving: A Marriage in Black and White (virtual)


Braiding intellectual, personal, and political history, author Joan Steinau Lester tells the story of her life as a writer and activist fighting for love and justice before, during, and after the Supreme Court’s 1967 decision striking down bans on interracial marriage in Loving v. Virginia. She speaks candidly about every facet of her life, illuminating her journey to fulfillment and healing. 
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free

Author Reading | The Bread the Devil Knead: Trinidadian Noir (Zoom)


Lisa Allen-Agostini celebrates her debut novel, a domestic noir novel set in Trinidad’s carnival season. A writer, editor, and stand-up comedian, Allen-Agostini pens a story of strength, resolve, and self-determination in her signature feminist, Trinidadian voice. She will discuss the new book and her craft with Patrice Grell Yursik, a Trinidadian-born writer and creator of award-winning blog Afrobella.com.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free

Dance Performance | Dance Festival: From Contemporary to Club and Street Styles (virtual)


WOMEN / CREATE! A Festival of Dance celebrates women choreographers' creativity and vision. This 9th season of the festival will span the gamut of dance techniques, from contemporary to club and street styles, and will feature four dance films and two live world premieres. Performers: Armitage Gone! Dance | Sidra Bell Dance New York | Buglisi Dance Theatre Meagan King | Jennifer Muller/The Works | Passion Fruit Dance Company
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:30 pm
Free

Classical Music | Choir of St. Luke in the Fields: Music from the Convent (virtual)


Chiara Margarita Cozzolani (1602-1677) was a Benedictine nun who lived her life at the convent of Santa Radegonda, near the Duomo in Milan. Despite the era's many restrictions on women, she published four remarkable collections of sacred vocal music. The imagination and technical virtuosity of the two surviving collections rival that of her male peers, including Monteverdi, Carissimi and Cavalli. Her music displays passionate intensity and experimental impulses. Choir of St. Luke in the Fields will perform Cozzolani's Missa a4, selections from her Vespers music for eight voices, motets and dialogues.
   New York City, NY; NYC
8:00 pm
Free

Jazz | Sing A Song of Bird (The Music of Charlie Parker) (virtual)


Roseanna Vitro is an accomplished jazz vocalist, producer, educator and. recording artist. She has released fourteen critically acclaimed albums on; Concord Records, Telarc, Challenge, nl., and Motema labels, achieving a Grammy nomination in 2012 for "The Music of Randy Newman." Sheila Jordan has carried on the music of Charlie Parker since she was a teenage girl listening to Charlie play in a NYC bar. Sheila sings her stories of bebop with authentic bebop scat, soulful ballads that make you cry before she finishs a set swinging and singing "Sheila's Blues. Marion Cowings embodies and extraordinary voice, interpreting jazz music with clear diction and heart. Jon Hendricks loved Marion's scat singing and sang with Marion many times. Frequently you will see and hear Marion's workshops and concerts at Lincoln Center. Gary Bartz is one of the few alto sax players who's lived Charlie Parker's music, studied, played and teaches true bebop. McCoy Tyner preferred Gary Bartz as his alto player touring and recording, Gary's compositions and recordings are well known in the jazz world. He is a master musician. Pianist Alan Broadbent is a two-time Grammy Award Winning Pianist, Arranger and Composer who plays with great depth in feeling and swing. He hails from Auckland, New Zealand, now residing in New Jersey and Performs in New York frequently. Dean Johnson bassist is an extraordinary soloist and swings hard. Dean is part of several groups, notably Paul Jost's recent projects. He can be heard with Art Lande. Alvester Garnett is heir to the legacy of the great Billy Higgins. He swings with joy and style. Alvester is the first call for many great artists. He has appeared on Great Performances on PBS in a tribute to Kurt Weill.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Pay-what-you-can

Open Mike | Thurday Night Online Open Mic (Zoom)


Caridad de la Luz (aka La Bruja) hosts this weekly online open mic. All art forms are welcome. Sign up for a five-minute slot by claiming one of the 35 available performer's tickets. The open mic is non-competitive, and there's no cover charge.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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9:00 pm
Free
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Broadway | Broadway Show!

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