free things to do in New York City
Free events for Saturday, 05/22/21
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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 22, 2021?

30 free events take place on Saturday, May 22 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 22 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!

30 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Saturday, May 22, 2021

All events are free unless otherwise noted.
        

Film | RoboCop (1987): Classic Sci-Fi Action (virtual, streaming for 24 hours)


There's a new law enforcer in town...and he's half man, half machine! From director Paul Verhoeven comes this classic, high-powered, sci-fi fantasy about an indestructible high-tech policeman who dishes out justice at every turn. Peter Weller stars.
   New York City, NY; NYC
12:00 am
Free

Staged Reading | Wine in the Wilderness: Drama (virtual, streaming for 24 hours)


Struggling artist Bill Jameson is working on his masterpiece, a triptych representing the different aspects of Black womanhood. He has completed his first panel illustrating innocent girlhood and his central panel depicting a regal African queen. As he embarks on the final panel--the unappealing, lost, down-on-her luck woman--in walks Tommy Marie, who looks like the perfect model. But once he gets to know Tommy further, Bill starts to wonder: is there more to the feminine ideal than meets the eye? Written by Alice Childress. The first ever performance of Wine in the Wilderness was televised on WGBH-TV in Boston, Massachusetts in 1969 as part of the series "On Being Black." Some networks refused to air the performance across the country, considering it to be too controversial for their viewers due to its depictions of racial issues. The event will be streaming until May 24th.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 am
Free

Fair | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Flea Market: Antiques, Vintage Goods, Food Vendors


Search for hidden gems as you browse antiques, vintage goods, architectural salvage and collectibles. There is also a selection of food vendors from Smorgasburg. Face covering is required.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 am
Free

Workshop | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Drawing in the Park


The park is a special place in spring, and what better time than Saturday mornings 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. BPCA will supply drawing paper and watercolor paper only. o Masks and contact information required upon arrival. o Participants must maintain six feet of physical distance between households. o All programs will be held in accordance with New York State reopening guidance
   New York City, NY; NYC
10:00 am
Free

Fair | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Waterfront Market: Music, Food, Antiques, Clothing, Roller Skating


The market offers socially-distanced experience of food, shopping, family-friendly activities and entertainment: music, accessories, clothing, jewelry, pet supplies, beauty products, pottery and much more. Every Sat and Sun, 10 am - 5 pm. Visitors must wear face coverings at all times and observe social distancing.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

Museums | (IN-PERSON) Jewish History: Centuries of Art


One of the largest collections of art and Jewish culture in the world, it focuses both on artifacts of Jewish history and on modern and contemporary art. Works in the collection are presented as distinctive creative expressions and as bearers of the stories of those who made, owned, used, preserved, and sometimes transformed them. The exhibition speaks of the vast range of Jewish experiences across the globe and over time, made tangible through artistic expression. It is both a mirror of Jewish identities and an inspiration for the formation of new ones.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

Fair | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Market in Midtown: Food, Art, Collectibles and More


Take part in outdoor shopping experience at this beautiful location. You will find a diverse mix of original art, antique collectibles, jewelry and cuisines from local small businesses.  The market is open daily through Jun 20th, 11 am - 8 pm.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

Fair | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Street Market: Food Vendors, Collectables, Decor Items and More


Shop for antiques, decor items, sustainable and vintage clothing, collectible objects and more. In addition, Smorgasburg food vendors will offer brunch and lunch options.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:00 am
Free

Workshop | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Public Seining


Discover the amazing biodiversity of the Hudson River Estuary as staff and scientists use a seine net to catch and release incredible creatures that live below the water’s surface! The Conservancy will host two seining sessions: 11:30am-12:30pm 12:30pm-1:30pm While the CDC has eased outdoor mask guidance, masks for medium sized gatherings are still recommended. With that, all participants in organized Park programs, even those who are fully vaccinated, will be required to wear a face covering.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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11:30 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

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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12:00 pm
Free

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


Join in for a quick lesson, stay for the whole time, or just enjoy watching the jugglers put their skills to the test. They're a friendly group and open to drop-ins. All skill levels welcome. Equipment is provided and regularly sanitized. Schedule: Tuesdays 6-7pm Wednesdays 12-1pm Saturdays 12-1pm
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Performance | Downtown Live, Featuring 36 In-Person Performances


Live performances are back! Downtown Live will bring 36 in-person performances to Lower Manhattan on May 15-16 and 22-23. The performances will be staged at unexpected locations around the neighborhood, including a covered loading dock (4 New York Plaza), an arcade along the Stone Street Historic District (85 Broad Street) and a plaza with harbor views near The Battery (1 Battery Park Plaza). After a year of lockdowns, these in-person shows offer audience members a long-awaited chance to see LIVE theatre, contemporary performance, and music and to explore all that Lower Manhattan has to offer.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free

Festival | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Japan Performing Arts: Dance, Music & Kimono


JPA’s outdoor cultural program ”Dance, Music & Kimono” this year introduces 10 different variation of Japan’s performances, lectures and workshops. Some performance programs are designed to enjoy stage shows, and others welcome participants to join. The perfect green environment on Governors Island provides the perfect setting to engage in exercise activities with Japanese music and dance. Programs currently planned: Dance to Japanese Pop Songs Frisode Kimono Dressing Demonstration Enka Band Performance Yukata Casual Summer Kimono Workshop Awa Odori (Dance), Gujo Odori (Dance), Nihon Buyo (Traditional Japanese Dance) Traditional Japanese Hair Dressing Demonstration Furoshiki Wrapping Workshop Having Fun with Traditional Japanese Toys and more. May 22-23, 29-31, 2021.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Gallery Talk | Voices of the Coast: Virtual Discussion & Exhibition Preview


Moderated by artist Gadi Ramadhani, this event will unite the voices and coasts of visual artists and cultural commentators from Nigeria, Tanzania, South Africa, and the African Diaspora. The panelists are Esiri Erheriene-Essi, Azu Nwagbogu, Lady Skollie and Danielle Scott. This panel discussion serves as a precursor to a transcontinental exhibition that will take place later this year. The aim is to share ideas and expand on the curatorial abstract outlined below.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Discussion | Singing Wagner: Highly Acclaimed Opera Singers Luana DeVol and KS Tichina Vaughn Discuss (virtual)


A conversation with internationally acclaimed artists: soprano Luana DeVol, who has sung with Vienna State Opera, Stuttgart, La Scala and The Metropolitan Opera, and Grammy-winning mezzo soprano KS Tichina Vaughn, who has sung with La Scala, The Metropolitan Opera, Opera Dresden and the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. They will sit down with SAS Performing Arts Founder and Artistic Director Stephen Scovasso and discuss singing, what it means to be a Wagnerian, their path to Wagner, the famous Stuttgart Ring and other productions, and much more.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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1:00 pm
Free

Tour | Tour Five Majestic Queens Houses and Estates (virtual)


Here's a chance to visit beautiful gardens, marvel at inspiring architecture, and explore charming interiors. Five historic Queens venues -- King Manor Museum, Kingsland Homestead, Onderdonk House, Poppenhusen Institute, and The Castle at Fort Totten - will offer a live-stream tour. General admission is $5. The tour will be on YouTube.
   New York City, NY; NYC
1:00 pm
$5

Book Signing | (IN-PERSON, indoors) Thoughts as Drawings: A Sculptor's Work


Thoughts as Drawings brings together forty years of works on paper from the sculptor Ilan Averbuch. The book comprises over 140 color reproductions of small sketches and large drawings created between 1981 and 2020. Primarily a sculptor, the artist's drawings have taken backstage to his monumental public installations and works for exhibition. This publication illuminates their role in Averbuch's artistic practice. The large drawings are tied directly to the making of large sculpture, often a public project proposal or commission. The artist uses watercolor, graphite and charcoal to represent his primary materials: stone, steel, wood, glass, and copper.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Jazz | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Jazz Quartet Performs Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin


Saxophonists and clarinetists Peter and Will Anderson will be joined by Joe Boga on trumpet and Alex Raderman on drums. They will play classic American repertoire from the songbooks of Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin and more.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | Beethoven Piano Sonatas (virtual, live stream)


Adam Golka, piano All-Beethoven Program Sonata No. 12 in A-flat Major, Op. 26 Sonata No. 26 in E-flat Major, Op. 81a, "Les Adieux" Sonata No. 3 in C Major. Op. 2, no. 3 Sonata No. 31 in A-flat major, Op. 110
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Pay-as-you-wish, RSVP required

Opening Reception | (IN-PERSON, indoors) Group Show: Togetherness and Oneness


The show offers works from artists working in different mediums. Their art reflects the products of nature, including glass art, textile and fiber art, ceramics, and video art.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free

Gallery Talk | Outside/Outsider: Artists Confront Mental Illness (Zoom)


Moderated by Issa Ibrahim. Panelists: Aurélie Bernard Wortsman, Rachel Alban, Alyson Vega, Angela Rogers and curator Karen Gormandy.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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4:00 pm
Free

Reading | Dreaming Out Loud: Emerging Migrant Writers (virtual)


The Nuyorican Poets Cafe is proud to continue its longstanding partnership with the PEN World Voices Festival in presenting DREAMing Out Loud as part of the 2021 PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature. Students from PEN America’s writing workshops for emerging migrant writers, will share stories of journeys toward hope, healing, and joy from around the world. Bold and brilliant Bronx-raised spoken word artist Danyeli Rodriguez Del Orbe will headline with poems and stories from her own experience as an Afro-Dominican migrant writer and community organizer.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Concert | (IN-PERSON, outdoors) Saturday Live Music


Take a dash of Herb Albert, a pinch of David Bowie, add a handful of Andy Kaufman, and you have Robert Whaley and his band. Food and drinks are available for purchase.
   New York City, NY; NYC
6:00 pm
Free

Other | Trivia Ahoy! National Maritime Day Celebration Virtual Trivia Night


On May 22, 1819, Savannah departed its namesake harbor bound for Liverpool on the first transoceanic voyage by a steamship. The mark this historic event, celebrate National Maritime Day to recognize the contributions of the maritime industry and country’s working waterfront. This is an evening of nautical trivia about New York Harbor and beyond, from the 18th century to the present day. Presented by maritime mavens Stefan D-W and Andrew Gustafson, who will also be joined by some special waterfront guests.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
$5

Staged Reading | AYA or Dear Lover: Confront His Demons (Zoom)


Luis Diaz is going through a very dark period in his life. His career is stagnant, he's suffering from a deep dark depression, and his wife of ten years recently left him. So, Luis decides to take a vacation to an Ayahuasca retreat in the Amazonian jungle in order to escape his problems. However, everytime Luis drinks ayahuasca he's confronted with his troubles in a way he's never experienced. Will Luis choose to continue to drink ayahuasca and heal? Or will he go back home and be miserable forever? Featuring Raul Castillo (“Looking”, “Atypical”) Tina Huang (“Rizzoli & Isles”, “Arrow”) Roxana Ortega (“The Casagrandes”, “American Vandel”)
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
$5

Classical Music | Madrigal Madness: Vocal Works by Purcell, Strozzi and More (virtual)


Young singers perform music by Caccini, Strozzi, Frescobaldi, Purcell, and a fascinating French baroque piece published by “Madame d’O” in the newspaper Mercure Galant. 
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Dance Performance | Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: A Full Length Virtual Ballet (Zoom)


Fall down the rabbit hole with Columbia University Ballet Ensemble's whimsical virtual production of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. For Spring 2021, Columbia University dancers scattered across the world have come together to participate in this organization's second-ever virtual performance, rehearsing and filming this classic Lewis Carroll tale to a whimsical Jody Talbot score. The performance is approximately 90 minutes long with a 10 minute intermission.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free

Performance | Doomscrolling: Video and Live Performance (virtual)


PARTICIPANT AFTER DARK and PICA present Doomscrolling, a livestream video premiere of Michelle Handelman’s THE PANDEMIC SERIES (2020-2021), with a live collaborative reading and performance between Handelman and musician/performer Shannon Funchess, co-founder of the band Light Asylum.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free

Jazz | The Roni Ben-Hur Trio: Live Jazz (virtual)


An esteemed, redoubtably swinging guitarist on the New York City jazz scene for the past 35 years, Roni Ben-Hur has been immersed in the music of Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell and Thelonious Monk since arriving in the Big Apple from Israel in 1985. A protege of bebop piano legend, educator and 1989 NEA Jazz Master Barry Harris, Ben-Hur earned his reputation on the strength of such superb recordings as 1995’s Backyard (with the Barry Harris Trio), 1998’s Sofia’s Butterfly and 2001’s Anna’s Dance.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
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