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You are here: Home / Free and Cheap / 101 FREE & Cheap Things to Do This Week March 1-7
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101 FREE & Cheap Things to Do This Week March 1-7

POSTED BY
Evelyn Kanter

things to do in new york city this weekThere’s never a dull moment in the greatest city on the planet, including this first week of March, including FREE museum admission,  FREE financial webinars and a special 25th anniversary performance of Rent, the Broadway musical, Dolly Parton’s 75th birthday party, and live music in Riverside Park.

Get more NYC for less money with NYC on the Cheap.

That’s out motto and we’re sticking to it.

Add these virtual and in-person events to your calendar for this week,

Monday, March 1 to Sunday, March 7.

Indoor dining has returned to NYC, with 33% capacity. 

NYC restaurants and bars can stay open for indoor or outdoor dining until 11pm, one hour longer than the previous 10pm closure rule.  Be sure to make reservations.

NYC movie theaters reopen Friday, March 5, with 25% capacity, with a maximum of 50 people per theater.

See our full posting about what to see at the movies this weekend, including Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

The MTA has reduced its overnight subway shutdown. Now in effect, the shutdown is 2-4 a.m, instead of the year-long 1-5 a.m. shutdown for overnight cleaning.

The new hours reflect the economy starting to reopen, including restaurants  now permitted to stay open for dining until 11 p.m

See our 2021 FREE parking calendar.

Covid Update

If you need a FREE Covid-19 test, find one by zip code or address on the official NYC location finder site, or text “COVID TEST” to 855-48.

If you want a FREE Covid-19 vaccination, check our guide on how to find out if your are eligible and find a site nearest you.

  • Vaccination sites now require proof of local residency, to prevent “vaccination tourism”.

free and cheap events in NYC

See more daily NYC events on our

Free &  Cheap Events Calendar

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Last Chance

virtual field trips

T. rex: The Ultimate Predator

The blockbuster exhibition about the world’s most iconic dinosaur, at the American Museum of Natural History,  is closing on March 14.

The exhibition introduces visitors to the entire tyrannosaur family and reveals the amazing story of the most iconic dinosaur in the world through stunning life-sized models, fossils and casts, and a shadow theater re-creating an epic battle.

You’ll  encounter a massive life-sized model of a T. rex with patches of feathers as well as reconstructions of a fluffy, helpless T. rex hatchling and a four-year-old juvenile T. rex a shadow theater where a floor projection of an adult T. rex skeleton will come to life; and a life-sized animation of T. rex n the Cretaceous.

Read my review of the T. rex: The Ultimate Preadator exhibit when it opened.

New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut residents (with ID):

  • The amount you pay for General Admission is up to you.
  • The option to pay what you wish applies only to General Admission, and the transaction must be completed at a Museum ticket counter.
  • How to pay what you wish.

Mondays & Thursdays in March

free things to do in NYC this weekFREE Seminars on Broadway Musicals

Join self-proclaimed Broadway Maven Dan Benkof as he tells the stories of some of the best shows in the last half-century of Broadway history.  This month’s series includes A Chorus Line, Mary Poppins, Avenue Q, Chicago

Benkof looks at the lyrics and music to some of the most important numbers, as well as plot and how the show fits in with Broadway trends at the time.

• Monday, March 1 (Noon and 8 pm ET) A Chorus Line

• Monday, March 8 (Noon ET only) Mary Poppins (with special guests)

• Monday, March 15 (Noon and 8 pm) Contemporary Jewish Broadway

• Monday, March 22 (Noon and 8 pm) Avenue Q

• Monday, March 29 (Noon and 8 pm) Chicago

Each seminar requires a separate registration.

  • Register here.

What to Do Tuesday

25th anniversary of broadway show rent25 Years of Rent: Measured in Love

Hard to believe that it’s 25 years since Rent made its debut on Broadway, and made instant stars out of Idina Menzel and others. 

She’s celebrating with Broadway stars including Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Platt, Billy Porter and Ali Stroker in a one-night-ony performance that is also a fund-raiser for the New York Theatre Workshop.

There’s a lottery for FREE tickets, or pay $25 per household.

  • Live online at 8pm Tuesday, then streaming on demand through Saturday
  • Full details here

FREE on Tuesday

free and cheap things to do this weekConversation with Architect Daniel Libeskind

An international figure in architecture and urban design, Daniel Libeskind is renowned for his ability to evoke cultural memory in buildings. His work includes the Jewish Museum in Berlin, the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, and the Danish Jewish Museum in Copenhagen, as well as the master plan for the rebuilding of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan and other noteworthy commissions.
 
Born in Lodz, Poland in 1946 to Holocaust survivors, Libeskind has a fascinating personal journey that has informed his work. The unique architecture he creates is a product, in part, of his own identity as well as his deep commitment to music, philosophy, literature, and poetry.
 
Join Libeskind and Paul Goldberger, Pulitzer Prize-winning architectural critic and Contributing Editor at Vanity Fair, for a conversation about Libeskind’s life and legacy.
 
Presented by  the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust 
 
This is a new lecture series which highlights notable figures who have a connection to Jewish heritage, identity, and the Holocaust.
  • FREE, but a $10 suggested donation enables the museum to present programs like this one.
  • 7pm Tuesday
  • Register here to receive the Zoom link

FREE on Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday

jazz concert in riverside parkLive Concerts in Riverside Park

Put on your dancing shoes, or just your listening ears.

David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Heritage Band returns to Riverside Park this week for live concerts of classic music from the 30s, 40s and 50s.

The band performed regularly last spring, summer and fall, and I’m happy they are back, now that the weather is warm enough not to freeze the fingers of the musicians.

Performances are FREE, but since these musicians have been out of work for more than a year, you are encouraged to drop a few dollars, or purchase one of their CDs.

Concert location is Riverside Park Promenade, at 84th St.

As many of you know, I’m a swing dancer, and I LOVE this band and also the opportunity to dance outdoors.   

This week’s schedule is:

  • Wednesday and Thursday, 3pm to 5pm
  • Sunday, Noon to 2pm

FREE on Wednesday

nyc coronoavirus updateSciCafe at the American Museum of Natural History

On the first Wednesday of every month at 7 pm ET, this popular after-hours online event brings together inquisitive minds for an informal evening of conversation about cutting-edge science topics with experts from the field. 

SciCafe: COVID-19 Pandemic Today. Join Dr. Jay Varma, senior advisor for public health in the Office of the Mayor of New York City, as he explains the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic, what to expect from the vaccination rollout process in New York and beyond, and the path to successfully controlling and ending the pandemic.

Addressing top concerns and myths, Dr. Varma will be answering questions from the audience about all things COVID-19. 

    • RSVP for the free live online program on the Museum’s website here.
    • Wednesday, March 3,at 7 pm ET:

nyc on the cheap

Wills and Trusts

What are the differences between Wills and Trusts? What are Wills that create Trusts? Can Trusts save money on taxes, protect me from creditors, or allow my family members to qualify for Medicaid? Is a Will sufficient? Which is right for me?   

Daniel A. Timins, Attorney at Law, CFP® discusses the many differences between Wills and Trusts, dispels several myths, and explains how both documents function during your life and thereafter. Topics covered include: · How to properly fund living trusts versus testamentary trusts,· whether or not a will is preferable if you have minor family members, what to watch out for if you have foreign family members.

This is a FREE seminar presented by the NYPL Business Center.

  • Wed., Mar. 3 at Noon
  • Registration is required

Next week –

Housing Resources for NYC Tenants

During the turmoil caused by COVID, tenants need to stay abreast of their rights, responsibilities, and the protections that are in place to help them maintain a safe and stable home.

Join Pamela Glaser of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development and a panel of housing experts for a conversation.about tenant housing resources including the eviction moratorium, rental arrears assistance, Housing Court, “rent freeze” options, affordable housing lotteries, and more.

free things to do in NYC this week

CHARLES M. BLOW:  MANIFESTO FOR ENDING WHITE SUPREMACY
 
Wednesday, March 3
6:30 PM
Free
(with option to buy the book)

REGISTER for Zoom link 
 Charles M. Blow is tired of waiting for violence against Black Americans to cease, for the myths that govern thinking about race to vanish, for the promise of equality to become a reality.

In his new book, The Devil You Know: A Black Power Manifesto, he issues a call to action for Black Americans to amass the political power needed to topple white supremacy.

And he will join the Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center to discuss his disillusionment … and his hope.

An op-ed columnist for the New York Times, Blow is the author of the NYT bestselling memoir Fire Shut Up in My Bones, which has been adapted for the operatic stage and will open the Metropolitan Opera’s season in September.

Moderated by Rabbi Joshua M. Davidson.

 

nyc coronoavirus updateOptimize Your Immune System: Combat Viruses & Age Gracefully with a Kitchen Pharmacy

Learn science-based ways to protect yourself from unnecessary illness. Now is the time to stock your kitchen pharmacy to combat the common cold, flu, COVID, and other viruses to keep your family healthy all year long.
 
Tips from Long Island author Marie Ruggles, M.S., R.D., C.N., C.D.E.; Nutritionist/Aroma therapist/Certified Diabetes Educator.
  • FREE, Wed. Mar 3, 7pm.
  • Click here to save your spot! https://www.eventkeeper.com/code/ekform.cfm

What to Do FREE Saturday

Dolly Parton’s 75th Birthday Party

dolly parton 75th birthday celebrationCelebrate the 75th birthday of Dolly Parton in a FREE online party on Saturday, March 6.

It’s great way to salute an American icon who is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actress, author, businesswoman, and humanitarian all wrapped up one incredible package of drive and talent who has sold more than 100 Million records worldwide.

Full information, including where to register to get the Zoom link.

 

Rubin Museum virtual block partyFREE Museum Admission

Several NYC museums have brought back free admission for certain days and times.

The Rubin Museum of Art offers a collection of art, sculptures and tapestries from India, Nepal, Tibet, China and other Asian nations.

Free Friday Nights are a great time to explore,  but timed entry tickets go quickly.

All gallery tickets become available for reservation two weeks in advance. The new installation is The Lotus Effect,

  • FREE Friday nights are 6pm to 10pm

The Guggenheim Museum of Art

  • Pay-what-you-wish Friday and Saturday, 4pm to 6pm
  • Reservations are required.

Museum of the City of New York

  • Open again after emergency building repairs

 

Find more FREE and cheap events

on our weekly calendar:

Monday, March 1, 2021

NYBG: Spotlight on Orchids show

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | $12.00-28.00 | New York Botanical Garden

Conversation with Architect Daniel Libeskind

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Virtual

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

25th anniversary of broadway show rent

25th Anniversary of Broadway's Rent with Idina Menzel and other stars

8:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Virtual

NYBG: Spotlight on Orchids show

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | $12.00-28.00 | New York Botanical Garden

NYPL Business Center: Stock Market Investing (10 week course)

12:00 pm to 2:00 pm | FREE | Virtual

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

25th anniversary of broadway show rent

25th Anniversary of Broadway's Rent with Idina Menzel and other stars

12:00 am to 10:00 pm | FREE | Virtual

NYBG: Spotlight on Orchids show

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | $12.00-28.00 | New York Botanical Garden

NYPL Business Center: Wills and Trusts

12:00 pm to 1:30 pm | FREE | Virtual

David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Heritage Band

3:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Riverside Park Promenade @84th St

American Museum of Natural History SciCafe: Covid 19 Today

7:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Virtual

Thursday, March 4, 2021

25th anniversary of broadway show rent

25th Anniversary of Broadway's Rent with Idina Menzel and other stars

12:00 am to 10:00 pm | FREE | Virtual

NYBG: Spotlight on Orchids show

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | $12.00-28.00 | New York Botanical Garden

Walk & Talk With A Future Doc

11:30 am to 12:30 pm | FREE | CUNY

David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Heritage Band

3:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Riverside Park Promenade @84th St

Celebration of Women's History

7:00 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | SummerStage.org

Friday, March 5, 2021

25th anniversary of broadway show rent

25th Anniversary of Broadway's Rent with Idina Menzel and other stars

12:00 am to 10:00 pm | FREE | Virtual

NYBG: Spotlight on Orchids show

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | $12.00-28.00 | New York Botanical Garden

Walk & Talk With A Future Doc

11:30 am to 12:30 pm | FREE | CUNY

National Museum of the American Indian: Mother Tongue Film Festival - Women Directors Pnel

2:00 pm to 3:00 pm | FREE | Virtual

Guggenheim Museum

4:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE

Lunar New Year Celebration: New York Chinese Cultural Center Dance Performance

5:00 pm to 7:00 pm | FREE | Brookfield Place Winter Garden

Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art

6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | FREE | Rubin Museum, 150 W. 17th St.

Saturday, March 6, 2021

25th anniversary of broadway show rent

25th Anniversary of Broadway's Rent with Idina Menzel and other stars

12:00 am to 10:00 pm | FREE | Virtual

dolly parton 75th birthday celebration

Dolly Parton 75th Birthday Celebration

8:00 pm to 9:30 pm | FREE

NYBG: Spotlight on Orchids show

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | $12.00-28.00 | New York Botanical Garden

Walk & Talk With A Future Doc

11:30 am to 12:30 pm | FREE | CUNY

Guggenheim Museum

4:00 pm to 6:00 pm | FREE

Sunday, March 7, 2021

NYBG: Spotlight on Orchids show

10:00 am to 5:00 pm | $12.00-28.00 | New York Botanical Garden

Walk & Talk With A Future Doc

11:30 am to 12:30 pm | FREE | CUNY

Lunar New Year Celebration: New York Chinese Cultural Center Music Performance

1:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Brookfield Place Winter Garden

Music on the Inside Jazz Concert

6:00 pm to 7:30 pm | FREE | Virtual

NYPL Business Center: Stock Market Investing (10 week course)
When
Weekly on Tuesday @ 12:00 pm-2:00 pm (starting January 19, 2021)
What
NYPL Business Center: Stock Market Investing (10 week course)
Where
Virtual

,
Cost
FREE

Virtual

Riverside Park Promenade @84th St

Washington Post Live

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Related

Posted by Evelyn Kanter on March 1, 2021 | Updated March 5, 2021 Filed Under: Arts & Culture · Best of NYC · Central Park · Crisis Resources · Dance · Family Fun · Film · Free and Cheap · Frugal Over Fifty · Jewish New York · Music · NYC Free · NYC Museums · NYC Parks · Virtual Events Tagged With: AMNH· Carnegie Hall· Central Park· Jewish Museum· Metropolitan Opera· NYPL· NYU Brennan Law Center· Temple Emanu-el Streicker Center

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

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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.

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