Your weekend plans begin here, with a couple of dozen FREE and cheap things to do this final June weekend, including the final weekend of the month-long NYC Pride events, dancing under the stars at Midsummer Night Swing, two fireworks displays to give us a head start on July 4th, and more.
There’s so much to see and do in NYC and never enough time to see and do it all.
All events are FREE and family-friendly, unless otherwise noted.
The NYC on the Cheap motto is get more NYC for less money.
Let’s hope the weather cooperates with outdoor events, but if it doesn’t, here are some rainy day activities in NYC, besides re-arranging your sock drawer.
Unless otherwise noted, street fairs are 10am to 6pm.
Know before you go:
Weekend street and bridge closures
See also
FREE museum admission on weekends
What to Do in NYC Today, Thursday
Independence Day Celebration
Get a head start on July 4th in Queens with this 35th Anniversary Independence Day Celebration in Astoria, Queens.
It includes a concert by the Queens Symphony Orchestra followed by a spectacular fireworks display by Fireworks by Grucci, the pyrotechnic experts who have made the annual Macy’s 4th of July fireworks show so spectacular.
- FREE at 7:30pm on waterfront of the Astoria Park Great Lawn.
New York Salutes America Fireworks Extravaganza
Get a head start on July 4th in the Bronx with a special FREE evening of music and Fireworks by Grucci on the beach, at Orchard Beach.
- Music starts at 7pm and Fireworks at 9:20pm
- Orchard Beach, Located in Pelham Bay Park, at Orchard Beach Rd, Bronx
Last Chance
Frieze Sculpture at Rockefeller Center
This is the last weekend to see some of the best art from Frieze NY artists FREE in Rockefeller Center.
Frieze Sculpture is a major new public art initiative with significant sculptures across the Rockefeller Center campus by 14 international artists including Goshka Macuga, Ibrahim Mahama, Joan Miró, Paulo Nazareth, Sarah Sze and Hank Willis Thomas.
Frieze Sculpture is curated by Brett Littman of the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum in Queens, and presented in partnership with world-leading galleries.
- Take a FREE docent-led tour of the sculptures at Noon.
- The sculptures are on site through Friday, June 28th.
Already Underway
Midsummer Night Swing
Enjoy three weeks of dancing outdoor under the stars to live bands in Lincoln Center, at Midsummer Night Swing.
This weekend features bands playing blues, Soul and Salsa.
There’s a FREE dance lesson each night with ticketed admission for the dance band. Bands perform 7:30pm to 10pm.
See you on the dance floor.
Opening Today for the Season
NYC Outdoor Swimming Pools
NYC has FREE outdoor swimming pools in every borough. They open today for the 2019 season and are open daily 11am to 7pm through mid-September.
Directory of outdoor pools in Manhattan
Directory of outdoor pools in Brooklyn
Directory of outdoor pools in Queens
Directory of outdoor pools in Bronx and Staten Island
NYC Pride Events This Weekend
There are numerous events throughout the city the entire month of June. Click here for more information.
Saturday
10th Annual Harlem Pride Celebration Day – Experience Legendary
Two stages of entertainment, dancing, activities for kids, vendors and more at this special street fair in Harem
- FREE, Noon to 6pm, 12th Ave. at 135th St. in the streets, vendors and more at this special str
Sunday
50th Annual Heritage of Pride Parade
On Sunday, the largest ever Pride March coincides with the Stonewall 50 Rally and the international WorldPride event which celebrates the LGBTQ community through parades, festivals, and other cultural activities. An estimated 2 million members of the LGBTQ community are visiting NYC for the month-long Pride events.
Simply, Sunday is not a day to be driving anywhere in Manhattan between the Village and Columbus Circle, since there are street closings everyhhere.
Street closings for NYC Pride March
Live 4 Love
“Live 4 Love” is a large, colorful installation created by two Australian artists to bring the story of the LGBTQIA+ community to life in a dynamic way. “Live 4 Love” is an inflatable structure that stands more than 20 feet tall and is covered with powerful symbols that represent freedom, inclusion, gender diversity, friendship, and adversity.
In the evenings, the installation is illuminated with internal LED lights and act as a large-scale lantern. Segments of the installation will be showcased during New York City’s Pride March on June 30.
- FREE, through Fri., June 28, in the Oculus in Lower Manhattan (between the Apple Store and Roberto Coin on the Main level )
Things to do in NYC on Saturday
Free Opera Concert
Attend a FREE one-hour concert by Regina Opera as part of the library’s World Language Festival. This concert will feature operatic selections and songs in many languages performed by the local artists of the Regina Opera musical artists. This is family-friendly and a great way to introduce children to the joys of classical music.
- 12 Noon at the Brighton Beach Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.
Saturday Street Fairs and Festivals
Boricua Festival: Salsa on the Waterfront
- 12pm-7pm, Pier 4, 58th St and First Ave, Sunset Park, Brooklyn
Weekend Walks: Move and Meet
- 12pm-3pm, Division St from Allen St to Canal St
Madison Avenue Summer Street Fair
- Madison Avenue between 42nd and 52nd St
Bleecker Street BAMRA Street Fair
- Bleecker Street between Broadway and Sixth Ave
Smells Like Summer Music Festival
- 12pm-5pm, George Seuffert, Sr. Bandshell, Forest Park Dr, Queens
Things to do in NYC on Sunday
Harlem Meer Performance Festival: The Ray Blue Ensemble
New York-bred saxophonist, composer, arranger, educator, and international artist Ray Blue presents a fusion of straight-ahead jazz and rhythmic groove.
- FREE, at 2pm at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center in Central Park.
See Also
Best spots for a picnic in Central Park
Belvedere Castle re-opens after a 15-month renovation
FREE Salsa Dancing in the Park
Learn to dance like a pro at these Salsa, Cha-Cha and Bachata lessons and group social dances led by master teachers from the Piel Canela Dance and Music School and featuring DJ Ray Colon.
It will help get you ready for Midsummer Night Swing, three weeks of dancing to live bands in Lincoln Center, which starts on June 25th.
- 6pm to 9:30pm at Hudson River Park, Pier I, at 70th St.
Need more things to do in NYC?
My new book is full of them. 100 Things to be exact.
100 Things to Do in New York City Before You Die is a great guide to discovering the quirky treasures of NYC, or re-discovering some of the most famous spots in the world.
Available online and in bookstores now.
NYC Beaches
NYC beaches are open for the season through Labor Day Weekend, with lifeguards, food kiosks and fun in the sun, sand and surf.
There are 14 miles of public beaches within the NYC boundaries.
Lifeguards are on duty 10am to 6pm daily, and for the third year in a row, free sunscreen is available at sunscreen stations similar to stations for hand sanitizer.
Here is our guide to the best beaches in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island you can get to by subway.
Best NYC Beaches by Subway
See next page for more
FREE and cheap things to do
including must-see museum exhibits
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