free things to do in New York City
Free events for Friday, 05/20/22
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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, 2022?

31 free events take place on Friday, 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!

31 free things to do in New York City (NYC) on Friday, May 20, 2022

All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Editor's Picks

free events nyc Jazz Band: Arrangements of Songs by Prince, Funkadelic and Others
free events nyc The Dance Floor: NYC Club Life & Hip Hop; revered club dance legend appearance
free events nyc Andrea Gabrieli's Edipo Tiranno (1585) written for the innaguration of the first indoor theatre built in Europe in over 1000 years
More Editor's Picks for 05/20/22
        

Workshop | Tai Chi


Improve balance, strength and focus through gentle exercises. The sights and sounds of the river provide a serene background for the ancient flowing postures.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:30 am
Free

Workshop | Tai Chi on the Plaza


Improve balance, strength and focus through gentle exercises. The sights and sounds of the river provide a serene background for the ancient flowing postures. An ideal choice for participants of all ages.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:30 am
Free

Screening | Apple Box Short Film Festival


Twenty-one fabulous thought provoking, tearjerking, smile inducing thesis films from the MPS Directing Class of 2022.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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10:00 am
Free

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 | Little Island - Manhattan's Newest Park! (online)


Rising out of the Hudson River just west of Manhattan's famed Meatpacking District, Little Island is New York City's latest park. With performance spaces and interactive art dotted along a winding path, this quirky little park has been delighting New Yorkers since it opened last. Now it's time for you to share in the delights. Join the tour guides Aaron and Patrick to explore this gem.
   New York City, NY; NYC
11:15 am
Free

Workshop | Beekeeping Class


In these instructional classes, you’ll learn about honey bee colonies and the vital role they play in the natural environment. The classes welcome gardeners, prospective beekeepers, and anyone interested in learning more about bees and beekeeping.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Dance Performance | Future Dance Festival (online through May 22)


The Future Dance Festival’s digital programs feature video selections chosen by distinguished panelists and include unique introductions illuminating each panelist’s chosen choreographic work.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:00 pm
Free

Gallery Talk | Woody Guthrie: People Are The Song: Exhibition Tour (online)


Morgan docents lead an interactive visual tour of the exhibition. Participants will view (and hear!) highlights from the exhibition that tell the story of this great American troubadour and writer who authored more than three thousand folk songs and remains one of the most influential songwriters and recording artists in American history.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free

Jazz | Piano in the Park


New York City’s finest ragtime, stride, and jazz pianists perform.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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12:30 pm
Free

Film | News of the World (2020): Western film with Tom Hanks


A Civil War veteran agrees to return a little girl, kidnapped by the Kiowa people years ago, to her aunt and uncle. They encounter many adventures and hardships on the journey. Director: Paul Greengrass Starring: Tom Hanks, Helena Zengel. Runtime: 1 hour, 58 minutes. Rating PG-13
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Film | The Incredibles (2004): Animated Adventure


While trying to leave a quiet suburban life, a family of undercover superheroes are forced into action to save the world. Director: Brad Bird Stars: Craig T. Nelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Holly Hunter 115 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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2:00 pm
Free

Discussion | Pass the Baton: A Gathering


It includes a livestreamed fireside chat focused on the role of art in affecting social change with Kaino and Olympian Tommie Smith, a longtime collaborator of the artist. Following this talk will be a roundtable with leading civic figures Brea Baker, LaTosha Brown, Ilyasah Shabazz, and Nsé Ufot, presenting an opportunity for sharing experiences and creating new networks for activism.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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3:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Game Nights in the Park


Stop in during weekly game nights and socials to learn a new game, hone your skills, and meet new people
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:00 pm
Free

Birdwatching | Birding Tour of the North Woods


Discover birding in the more serene northern part of the Park during the height of songbird migration. Fridays, April 29-May 27, 2022
   New York City, NY; NYC
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5:30 pm
Free

Classical Music | String Quartets by Debussy and Ravel


In celebration of 40 years of Fete de la Musique, which started in France and is now celebrated around the world, a string quartet of American Symphony Orchestra musicians performs works by French composers including Debussy and Ravel in honor of France's inspiring example. Musicians: Cyrus Beroukhim, violin Robert Zubrycki, violin Will Frampton, viola Jordan Enzinger, cello Rescheduled from May 16 due to weather.
   New York City, NY; NYC
5:30 pm
Free

Opening Reception | Clown-A-Palooza: Group Show


Step right up, ladies and gentleman, artists and extraterrestrials, kittens and snails and puppy dog tails, to YAI Arts’ creative spectacular, a freaky feast for the eyes, as silly as it is sinister, a smorgasbord of polka dots, bow ties, and harlequin faces.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | NEO-EXTRA-ACTIVISM–Protocols for Buen Vivir


This exhibition brings together materials collected through Buen Vivir and Ecocide, the first two chapters of Etcétera’s fellowship project, alongside posters, installations, videos, and performative actions from the collective’s twenty-five-year archive. Centering the Indigenous notion of “Buen Vivir,” or “good living,” the exhibition's central question “What does Buen Vivir look like in an urban setting?” invites the public to think alongside Etcétera in search of alliances and common imaginaries for environmental justice and climate change beyond our own territorialities.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Film | Nico (2021): German Drama (online through May 22)


Nico enjoys the summer in Berlin with her best friend Rosa until a racist attack pulls her out of her carefree everyday life. Traumatized by the crime, the geriatric nurse decides never to be a victim again and begins to train with a karate world champion. Director: Eline Gehring Stars: Sara Fazilat, Javeh Asefdjah, Sara Klimoska 79 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | Rasmus Myrup: Slut [The End]


A solo exhibition by Danish artist Rasmus Myrup. This marks the artist’s second solo show with the gallery. The exhibition presents a series of nine pastel drawings in custom frames, five embroidered works on wood, and two large-scale installations. Slut, pronounced /sloot/ in Danish, translates to ‘the end.’ Carrying a vastly different meaning in English, Myrup examines both interpretations of the word, and draws parallels between Norse mythology and contemporary intimate relationships.  According to Norse cosmology, in the beginning there was Ginnungagap, an empty void. To the north of this gaping hole was a realm of ice, and to the south a realm of fire. The realms of fire and ice eventually converged, and from this occurrence, primordial life sprung into being. Similarly, the end of the world, known as Ragnarok, is brought on by the two extremes of fire and ice. The world freezes over in a three year long winter and is then set ablaze by a giant's flaming sword. Everything stops and life ceases to exist. 
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | Rob Raphael: Immobile


Raphael primarily focuses on the material phenomena of ceramics. His practice explores what is imbued in objects as they transit through time. Further, his work engages with the history of decorative art and the seductive power of ornament. In recent years he has conflated references from the disparate histories of classicism, pattern and decoration, the Weiner Werkstätte, and modern architecture to create his own language of objects. Raphael presents a new body of work inspired by Italian Rationalist Architecture. While working and traveling in Italy, Raphael became fascinated by the buildings erected across the country under Benito Mussolini’s Fascist regime. Invoking the monumental scale and symmetry of ancient Rome, these modernist structures were both tools of propaganda and the physical embodiment of a new Italian nationalism. Raphael perceives this body of work as a meditation on or exorcism of the complex nature and troubling allure of these structures. Focused on the buildings as sculptural objects—built as propaganda, and living contemporary lives in the present, the architecture is haunted in some way by the weight of this history.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Book Signing | The Well: British Fashion Photographer


In the world of fashion, 'the well' is industry terminology for the main image section of a magazine. For influential British photographer Nigel Shafran, this space has served as a place for unexpected creativity, subversive critique and wry commentary. Shafran’s relationship with the world of commercial photography begins in the mid-1980s as a teenager, continuing through to the iconic magazine years of i-D and The Face, and into a recent resurgence in his idiosyncratic, unpretentious approach to the fashion shoot within the pages of Vogue and more. Only recently did Shafran — who is known for his delicate, personal approach of weaving together converging photographic narratives — begin to understand his continuous engagement with the commercial world as a project in itself. The Well is a space to critique and reflect the worlds of fashion from the inside, bringing his trademark simplicity and capacity to disarm the viewer into this charged, complicated world. This landmark publication, edited and designed by Linda van Deursen, chronicles Shafran’s commercial and un-commercial approach to photography.  Includes interviews throughout with Phil Bicker, Anna Cockburn, Charlotte Cotton, Katie Grand, Alex Harrington, Phyllis Posnick and Kathy Acker.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Discussion | Artist Talk: Art to Build Community


This lively conversation will focus on art as a vehicle for building community, providing comfort, and activating voices.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Museums | Asia's Diverse Cultures: From Ancient to Contemporary


Discover art that traverses Asia's diverse cultures, regions, and narratives. The Museum's special exhibitions celebrate art forms that range from ancient to contemporary, including photography and multimedia, while its permanent collection galleries are focused primarily on art from the Himalayan region.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Opening Reception | Evolution/Revolution: Group Exhibition


Curated by Nitza Tufino.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Dance Lesson | Harlem Moves Dance


The world-renowned Limón Company dancers as they teach the energetic and ease-filled Limón Technique, accompanied by live music. No experience necessary; class is open to all levels.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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6:00 pm
Free

Book Discussion | Our Laundry, Our Town: My Chinese American Life from Flushing to the Downtown Stage and Beyond


Alvin Eng will give a brief reading from the memoir, followed by a conversation. Wine, cheese and snacks will be available for celebrating. Eng is a native NYC playwright, performer and educator. His plays and performances have been seen Off-Broadway, throughout the U.S., as well as in Paris, Hong Kong and Guangzhou, China.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Jazz | Jazz Band: Arrangements of Songs by Prince, Funkadelic and Others


This concert will feature jazz guitarist Mark Mollica's arrangements of familiar tunes put into the capable hands of his band of improvisers. Taking from a number of genres, the group hopes to mix up expectations a bit while bringing them into a unified new context. The Band Mark Mollica, guitar; Perry Smith, guitar; Jesse Stacken, piano; Dan Asher, bass; Vinnie Sperazza, drums Program Side Effects (Taylor Goldsmith) It Makes No Difference (Robbie Robertson) Biological Speculation (Funkadelic) This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody) (David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Jerry Harrison, Tina Weymouth) How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore (Prince) Just Beneath the Surface (T.Goldsmith) Don't Worry Be Happy (Bobby McFerrin) First come, first served seating. Masks Required
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:00 pm
Free

Workshop | Sunset Singing Circle


Singer/songwriter Terre Roche leads this weekly singing program with the beautiful backdrop of the setting sun in NY Harbor. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned crooner, the singing circle is perfect for mellow melodies and healthy harmonizing.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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7:00 pm
Free

Dancing | The Dance Floor: NYC Club Life & Hip Hop; revered club dance legend appearance


Scheduled during Hip Hop Appreciation Week with guest DJs, this event also stars NYPL Artists-in-Residence Brahms "Bravo" LaFortune, revered club dance legend, and Ephrat "Bounce" Asherie, Bessie Award-winning choreographer and dancer. They preview UnderScored, a reflection on the intergenerational movement conversations integral to NYC's underground dance community. After the show, make your way to the dance floor for an unforgettable hip hop jam.
   New York City, NY; NYC
7:30 pm
Free

Movie in a Park | The Mitchells vs the Machines (2021): Animated Adventure


A quirky, dysfunctional family's road trip is upended when they find themselves in the middle of the robot apocalypse and suddenly become humanity's unlikeliest last hope. Director: Michael Rianda Stars: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph 113 min.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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8:00 pm
Free

Classical Music | Andrea Gabrieli's Edipo Tiranno (1585) written for the innaguration of the first indoor theatre built in Europe in over 1000 years


Collectio Musicorum will present Andrea Gabrieli's Edipo Tiranno from 1585. Edipo Tiranno was written for the inauguration of the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy, in 1585. This was the first indoor theatre built in Europe in over 1000 years. The theatre still stands, and is known for its permanent scenery, which also dates from this first production and shows the streets of ancient Thebes--the setting for this play. This was Andrea Gabrieli's last composition--he died soon after its performance. While he is not as famous as his nephew--Giovanni Gabrieli--he was well regarded in his lifetime and held the prestigious position of music director at the Cathedral of San Marco in Venice. His music for Edipo Tiranno, to a text by Orsatto Giustiniani who based his work on Sophocles' play, was only performed twice before it disappeared from public view. Also on the program are some works from ancient Greece--including a chorus from Euripedes' Orestes. In addition to Gabrieli's setting of Sophocles, the concert also includes performances of the choruses from the play in English by the CAI Speech Choir. The Festival Chorus of Collectio Musicorum will be conducted by artistic director Dr. Jeff S. Dailey.
   New York City, NY; NYC
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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