• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise
  • Contact our Team
  • In the News
  • For NYC Residents
    • NYC Free Parking Calendar 2020
    • ID NYC Card for Free Museum Admission
    • Where to Donate Goods or Volunteer

NYC on the Cheap

Get More New York City for Less Money

  • Aways
    Free
    • Best FREE Things to Do in New York City
    • FREE Museum Admission by Borough
    • FREE Museum Admission by Day of Week
    • NYC Museums With No Admission Fee Ever
    • FREE Tickets to Late Night TV Shows
    • FREE Tickets to Daytime TV Shows
  • Entertainment
    & the Arts
    • Family Fun
    • NYC Discount Tickets
    • Philadelphia Ticket Deals
    • Movies
    • NYC Free: Museum Admission by Day of Week
    • NYC Theater
  • Food & Drink
    Deals
    • Where to Eat in Times Square
    • Best Jewish delis for overstuffed sandwiches
    • All-You-Can-Eat Sushi Deals
    • Best NYC Lobster Restaurants
    • Best Happy Hours
    • Birthday Freebies: Restaurants
    • Daily Deals
  • Shopping
    in NYC
    • Ten Things for $1 in NYC
    • Scam Alert
    • Discounts for Seniors
    • Birthday Freebies: Retail Stores
    • Best Resale Shops
    • Cheapest Gas
  • Things
    to Do
    • Seasonal Events
    • Free & Cheap Weekend Events
    • NYC Historic Homes now Museums
    • Where to See Hamilton in NYC
    • NYC Theater
    • Carousels in All 5 Boros
    • 9/11 Memorial & Museum
    • Events in NYC Parks
    • Get Free Tickets to Late Night TV Shows
    • NYC Festivals
    • Getting Around
  • Family
    Fun
    • Best Musems for Kids in Manhattan
    • Carousels in all 5 Boroughs
  • Crisis
    Resources
  • Scam
    Alert
  • Getaways
    & Travel Deals
  • Free & Cheap
    Events
  • Best FREE Things to Do in NYC
  • NYC Sightseeing and Tours Discounts
  • Ticket Deals
  • Cheapest Gas Prices
  • For NYC Residents
You are here: Home / NYC Free / Best FREE events in NYC this week
← NYC for kids: Sleepover at Intrepid Museum
NYC free: learn to speak Chinese →

Best FREE events in NYC this week

POSTED BY
Evelyn Kanter

best free nyc apps

Labor Day so soon? Save money before the holiday weekend. Enjoy NYC on the cheap with one or more of these FREE and frugal events, including outdoor film screenings, lectures, opera and more, then see our special round-up of FREE and cheap Labor Day Weekend events on Friday.

Outdoor movies generally begin at dusk (8PM or 8:30PM), and doors generally open at 7PM or 7:30PM, but check the links for specific times, and get there early for a good seat, and bring water to keep hydrated in this terrible heat.

As of this week, we’re also adding $10 or less events, because the busy summer schedule of free outdoor events is ending, and also because there are are some great events for $10 or less you would miss if we don’t tell you about them.

Subscribe to the NYCOTC newsletter
and get free and cheap deals like this by email every morning

 

Best of Central Park

Hallett Sanctuary in Central Park – These ares the last few days for the extended summer schedule to enjoy this rustic, bucolic hideaway steps from the Central Park Pond. After August 31,  Hallet returns to its regular schedule of one day a week, instead of three, to protect the fragile nature of the sanctuary.  Pedestrians only (no bikes or strollers) can explore this best of New York secret spot.

  • Through  August 31
    Monday & Friday: 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
    Wednesday: 2:00 pm – 7:00 pm
    Sunday: 11:00 am – 1:00 pm

 

  • Monday, August 29

Met Opera HD Festival – Ten days of FREE opera performances outdoors on a giant screen in Lincoln Center Plaza continues.  Tonight it’s Verdi’s powerful version of Shakespeare’s Othello.

Free outdoor movies 

  • Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies Under the Stars): Buddy Monument, Park Lane South and Myrtle Avenue, Forest Park
  • Aladdin (Movies Under the Stars): Kaiser Park at the playground at Marlborough and Caton, Coney Island

 

  • Tuesday, August 30

Met Opera HD Festival – Ten days of FREE opera performances outdoors on a giant screen in Lincoln Center Plaza continues. Tonight it’s Donizetti’s lighthearted The Daughter of the Regiment.

City of Sedition: NYC during the Civil War – A FREE illustrated lecture by NYC journalist and cultural commentator John Strausbaugh, informing us about the conflicted role NYC played in the war. 6:30PM, at the Mid-Manhattan Library, Fifth Ave. and 40th Street, across from the main branch with the lions out front.

Gloria Steinem documentary about sexual assault in the US military – In this episode of the acclaimed new VICELAND series WOMAN, executive producer and host Gloria Steinem and an all-female team of journalists investigate the troubling prevalence of sexual assault in the U.S. military. Stay after the FREE screening for a live talk-back with Ms. Steinem, executive producer Ariel Wengroff, and Loree Sutton, MD, Brigadier General, U.S. Army (Ret.) – Commissioner, NYC Department of Veterans’ Services.  7:30PM at the David Rubinstein Atrium at Lincoln Center.  Get there early to ensure seating.

  • Note that this program will be streamed live. Cameras will be present. Watch here

Marvel Trivia Night – Join Lorraine Cink and John Sasakkis, authors of the book “Marvel” Absolutely Everything You Need to Know” at the Strand Book Store, for an evening of questions and answers about superhero origin stories.  Starts at 7PM, but for popular events like this, fans usually start lining up an hour ahead.  The Strand is at Broadway and 12th Street.

stargazing_nyconthecheapStargazing at the High Line – Every Tuesday until October 25th, take a closer look at the stars, FREE. Peer through high-powered telescopes provided by the knowledgeable members of the Amateur Astronomers Association of New York to see rare celestial sights.  At the Diller-von Furstenberg Sundeck, on the High Line at West 14th Street

Free outdoor movies

  • Lords of Dogtown (Movies Under the Stars): Owl’s Head Park, Bay Ridge
  • He Got Game (R) (Movies Under the Stars): Brower Park, Prospect Place and Kingston Avenue, Crown Heights. 
  • Aliens (Red Hook Flicks): Valentino Park and Pier, Red Hook
  • Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies Under the Stars): Detective Russel Timoshenko Soccer Field, Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk and Beach, Staten Island

 

  • Wednesday, August 31

Met Opera HD Festival – Ten days of FREE opera performances outdoors on a giant screen in Lincoln Center Plaza continues. Tonight, it’s Lucia di Lammermoor, with that incedible mad scene.

nye free concertsChicago The Musical Celebrates 20 Years on Broadway – See Broadway cast stars perform the music from the longest-running American musical on Broadway at this special FREE SummerStage performance in Central Park celebrating the award-winning hit show.  The winner of six Tony Awars®, two Olivier Awards, a Grammy® and thousands of standing ovations, CHICAGO is an electrifying tale of greed, murder and show biz that’s been seen by over 30 million people worldwide. Filled with hit songs such as “All That Jazz” and “Razzle Dazzle” and featuring sizzling dancing in the style of the late, great Bob Fosse.

  • Current cast members performing on this special night include Bianca Marroquín as Roxie Hart, Lana Gordon as Velma Kelly, Jason Danieley as Billy Flynn, Raymond Bokhour as Amos Hart, Roz Ryan as Mama Morton, R. Lowe as Mary Sunshine and David Bushman, Kelcy Griffin, Donald Jones, Jr., James Lane, Melissa Rae Mahon, Barrett Martin, Sharon Moore, Brian O’Brien, Denny Paschall, Angel Reda, Jason Patrick Sands, Solange Sandy, Michael Scirrotto, Brian Spitulnik, Tonya Wathen, Chryssie Whitehead, with very special surprise guests including a performance from Chicago’s original Billy Flynn, Tony Award-winner, James Naughton.
  • Note that there is limited seating available, and it’s first come, first served basis. Chairs are not allowed, so bring a blanket.  Please click here for a full list of venue rules ahead of the show.
  • Starts at 7PM, but be there by 6PM to be sure you can get in.

Free outdoor movies 

  • wining  Aladdin (Movies Under the Stars): The Caton School, 18 Marlborough Road, Prospect Park South
  • Ant Man (Movies Under the Stars): Lincoln Terrace Park Entrance, Union Street and Rochester Avenue, Crown Heights
  • Creed (Movies Under the Stars): Bayswater Playground, Bayswater Park, Wave Crest
  • Calle 54 (Movies Under the Stars): Harlem Art Park, Harlem
  • Hotel Transylvania 2 (Movies Under the Stars): Franz Sigel Park, Grand Concourse

 

  • Thursday, Sept. 1st

Met Opera HD Festival – Ten days of FREE opera performances outdoors on a giant screen in Lincoln Center Plaza continues.  Tonight, it’s La Cenerentola.

Fracking and the Battle for the Future of Energy and the Environment – a FREE program with the executive director of eco-group Food & Water Watch, tracing the rise of the fracking industry and the growing movement against it.  6:30PM, at the Mid-Manhattan Library, Fifth Ave. and 40th Street, across from the main branch with the lions out front.

 

  • Friday, Sept 2nd

Friday Freebies – See our list NYC museums with FREE Friday admission. 

Met Opera HD Festival – Ten days of FREE opera performances outdoors on a giant screen in Lincoln Center Plaza continues.  Tonight, it’s opera’s most popular double bill, Cavalleria Rusticate and Pagliacci.

Good Morning America free summer concerts in Central Park.

Today Show free summer concerts in Rockefeller Plaza.



Know about an event you’d like to see included on NYC on the Cheap?  email us at info@nyconthecheap.com. 

We’ll have information about free and cheap events in NYC on our regular Friday morning posting.

 

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

Posted by Evelyn Kanter on August 29, 2016 | Updated September 2, 2016 Filed Under: Best of NYC · Brooklyn · NYC Free · NYC Summer Calendar Tagged With: centralparknyc· explore Brooklyn· getoutdoors· nycfree

Reader Interactions

What do you think about this? We welcome your comments. Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

Get Free Email Updates

Be the first to know about NYC free and cheap events, discounts and deals by signing up for our FREE enewsletter.

Latest News Trending Now

  • McDonald's Throwback Thursdays: 15-35 Cent Items
    McDonald's Throwback Thursdays: 15-35 Cent Items
  • How to Get a FREE Covid Vaccination in NYC: Update
    How to Get a FREE Covid Vaccination in NYC: Update
  • New Fast Food Deals & Discounts: Krispy Kreme, Quiznos, More
    New Fast Food Deals & Discounts: Krispy Kreme, Quiznos, More
  • Jewish Film Festival 2021 at Lincoln Center is Virtual
    Jewish Film Festival 2021 at Lincoln Center is Virtual
  • NYC Free Parking Calendar 2020
    NYC Free Parking Calendar 2020
  • Best Events Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.
    Best Events Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.
  • Where to Visit US Presidents in NYC
    Where to Visit US Presidents in NYC
  • 101 FREE & Cheap Things to Do This Week
    101 FREE & Cheap Things to Do This Week
  • NYC Free Parking Calendar 2021
    NYC Free Parking Calendar 2021
  • 5 Best All You Can Eat Sushi Deals in NYC
    5 Best All You Can Eat Sushi Deals in NYC

Search by Category

Footer

About NYC on the Cheap

NYC does not have to be expensive when you know where the deals and freebies are.

We’re here to help you save money on NYC restaurants, theater, museums, shopping, events and more, as we have been doing since 2010.

Get more NYC for less money with NYCOTC. That’s our motto and we’re sticking to it.

Contact us: info@nyconthecheap.com

Who We Are

Your chief guide is Evelyn Kanter, a lifelong New Yorker and award-winning professional journalist.

Evelyn Kanter is a former consumer reporter for WABC-TV Eyewitness News and WCBS Radio Newsradio 88, the author of several NYC travel guidebooks and mobile apps, and zillions of newspaper and magazine articles, including for the NY Times, NY Post, NY Daily News and New York Magazine. Nobody  can match those NYC credentials.

Disclosure

NYC on the Cheap has an affiliate relationship with several companies which offer discounts and deals on this site.  When you purchase from one of these advertiser links, we earn a small commission.

If you’d like to help keep NYCOTC in the business of helping you save money, this is a great way to do it. It’s a win-win because the direct links save you both time searching for great deals and money.

Best Seller: NYC Guidebook by Evelyn Kanter

100 Things to do in NYC Before You Die

© 2021 NYC on the Cheap. Living On The Cheap® and On the Cheap® are registered trademarks owned by Living On The Cheap Inc. Site design by Five J's Design.
All the stories on our site are protected by copyright and any unauthorized copying is strictly prohibited. Plus, it is just not nice.

Email subscription form header
Subscribe for free to NYC on the Cheap and never miss a free event or discount deal.
Our daily newsletter is the FREE. fast. and easy way to find out about New York City deals, discounts, free events, and more.
Please wait...
Please enter all required fields Click to hide
Correct invalid entries Click to hide
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.