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You are here: Home / NYC Free / Free Things to Do in NYC in January 2019
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Free Things to Do in NYC in January 2019

POSTED BY
Evelyn Kanter

january free events in nycYour budget is busted from the holidays. But fear not, because NYC is filled with FREE things to do every month, and the first month of 2019 is no different. 

Put these FREE events on your calendar in January and save your money for the next holiday.

https://www.nyconthecheap.comFree Museum Admission

Admission to many NYC museums is FREE the first weekend of the month.

See the list here.

SEE ALSO

Get FREE museum admission with your library card

 

NYC free & cheap weekend eventsAudition for NBC’s The Voice

Do you want to be the next TV and recording superstar?  Of course you do.

The next auditions for The Voice are on Jan. 19, at Javits Convention Center.  You can’t just show up and hope to sing for the judges. 

You must register, choose a time, print a pass, and arrive with a photo ID.

Here’s where to register, and good luck.

Update on national monuments, parks and museums in NYC

NYC harbor toursStatue of Liberty and Ellis Island are Open

New York State is paying to keep the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island open during the federal government shutdown.

Liberty Island and Ellis Island are open and welcoming visitors, although some services are curtailed.

See the National Park Service website for additional information.

Trump Shutdown

Due to the federal government shutdown, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Lower Manhattan is closed and programs and events at the museum are canceled.

The following program scheduled for this Saturday, Jan. 5, at 2pm, has been canceled:

Transformer Closing Concert: Indian Agent – Nicholas Galanin (Tlingit/Unangax̂ [Aleut]), artist behind the video piece in “Transformer: Native Art in Light and Sound” titled “Tsu Heidei Shugaxtutaan (We will again open this container of wisdom that has been left in our care), 1 and 2” (2006), performs experimental songs and soundscapes that include hints of folk and hip-hop with his band Indian Agent during the final weekend of the exhibition.

Also closed during the US Government shutdown –

Hamilton Grange National Memorial in Hamilton Heights, home of Alexander Hamilton, is closed

Federal Hall National Monument on Wall St. is closed.

The General Grant National Memorial on the Upper West Side, better known as Grant’s Tomb, is closed

Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site on the East Side, birthplace of the only US President born in New York City, also closed.

NYC on the cheapPerformance: “Tëmikèkw: An honor” at Danspace Project

This month, Danspace Project hosts “First Nations Dialogues,” a weeklong series of performances, discussions, workshops, and ceremony led by Indigenous artists. This event, which honors leaders in Indigenous theater, including Muriel Miguel and Gloria Miguel, who are both members of Spiderwoman Theater, and Diane Fraher (Osage/Cherokee), will include events put on by Laura Ortman, of the Apache Nation, and Anatasia McAllister, of the Colville Confederated Tribes and Hopi Nation.

  • FREE, Saturday, Jan. 5, 12:30pm to 4pm at Danspace Project, 131 East 10th Street,  Free with RSVP

free events in nyc in januaryIntro to the Arts Open House

Channel your inner artist at 92Y’s FREE Winter Open House and enjoy an evening filled with dance performances, food tastings, private music lessons, art, jewelry, and ceramics demonstrations and much more. This is a great opportunity to meet our staff, tour our new music facilities and art studios, and get help selecting the perfect class.

Hands-on Activities & Demonstrations
Fine Art & Design: Watercolor; Handmade Scarf; Figure Drawing, Suminagashi Paper Marbling; Press-less Printmaking
Jewelry: Beading; Wax Carving, Intro to Gold, Polymer Clay, Torch Fired Enamel
Ceramics: Handbuilding, Throwing/Wheel
 Music: Guitar, Piano, and Voice private lessons. Instruments will be provided.
Continuing Education: Floral Arranging; Stand-up Comedy; Healthy Holiday Desserts; Italian cultural Experience (includes a history lesson and tasting)

Dance:
6:30-8 pm: Ballet for Beginners (demo/class observation)
7-8 pm: Tap for Absolute Beginners (demo/class observation)

Schedule of Dance Performances:
7-7:15 pm: Salsa Performance & Demonstration
7:15-7:30 pm: So We Think You Can Dance / Giveaway
7:30-7:45 pm: Student Tap Ensemble Performance
7:45-8 pm: So We Think You Can Dance / Giveaway

  • FREE, 6pm to 9pm, Tuesday, Jan. 8
  • All activities are first-come, first-served on the day of the event. Register for free at www.92y.org/artintro

 

Walking HarlemWalking Harlem

Take an armchair tour of one of the most famous neighborhoods in the world, not just New York City, in this special presentation by the local resident who literally wrote the book

Walking Harlem: The Ultimate Guide to the Cultural Capital of Black America features five walking tours that allow readers to trace the musical, literary, visual art, dance and socio-political history of Harlem from the early twentieth century to the present. The book draws from hundreds of historical and out of print texts, newspapers, record liner notes, and films to distill the many achievements of African Americans in New York City. As an added bonus, recommended restaurants and eateries are included along the way for walkers to take a break and enjoy.

Karen Faye Taborn has been a Harlem resident for over thirty years; she has taught Harlem history at the New School and served as a historical consultant for the 135th Street Harlem Walk of Fame. She will be joined in conversation by Herb Boyd, Amsterdam News journalist and author of Baldwin’s Harlem. 

  • FREE, 6:30pm, Wednesday, Jan 9, at the Mid-Manhattan Library, 42nd St. at Fifth Ave.  Registration is encouraged to manage space, although registration does not guarantee admission. 

discounts for seniorsMoney Matters: How to Manage Your Student Debt

Don’t let the debt from your college days overwhelm you.  Attend this free seminar to learn how to develop a plan to manage your student loans is critical to your long-term financial health. William Wu, CFP® discusses how to get your student debt under control.

  • FREE, 3pm, Thursday, Jan. 10, at the NYPL SIBL branch, Madison Ave. at 33rd St.   Seating is first come first served.

nyc free ice skatingExerskate For Fun and Fitness

Exerskate returns to The Rink at Bryant Park. These FREE skating-based exercise classes are conducted by trained figure skaters and hockey players who will get your heart rate up while making you a better skater. They’re also timed so you can get in a brisk workout before heading to the office. Just imagine what 30 minutes in the crisp morning air will do for your mood.

The 30-minute classes begin promptly at 8am. To ensure you have time to check-in, lace up your skates, and stow your belongings in a locker. We recommend you arrive at least 20 minutes prior to your session. Exerskate and admission to The Rink is free of charge, and you may bring your own skates and lock.If you don’t have your own, skate rentals are available for $20 and locks can be purchased for $10.  There are no showers or towels available. Exerskate classes are recommended for competent skaters.

  • FREE every Thursday morning at 8am, from Jan. 10 through Feb. 28.

nyc free concertsNY Philharmonic Musicians Celebrate NYC Musical Diversity

New York Stories: Threads of our City is a special FREE program that is part of the part of the New York Philharmonic’s exploration of New York City’s’s roots as a city of immigrants. Hear stories from Philharmonic musicians who immigrated to the United States from all over the world. The program reflects how the Orchestra reflects the diversity of New York City.

  • FREE, 7:30pm, Thursday, Jan. 15, at the David Rubenstein Atrium.  Seating is first come, first served.

Black Comic Book Festival

black comic book festival 2019

The annual Black Comic Book Festival returns in January, again as a two-day event, celebrating the rich tradition of Black comix with FREE panel discussions, film screenings, exhibit tables with top comic creators, comic book giveaways for kids and more.

This year’s topics include diversity and social justice in comics, black comics in digital spaces, black masculinity in comic books, and more, including the festival memorabilia.

  • FREE, Friday/Saturday, Jan. 18/19, at the Schomburg Center branch of the NYPL.  Registration is recommended to ensure space.

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Posted by Evelyn Kanter on January 2, 2019 | Updated January 4, 2019 Filed Under: Best of NYC · NYC for Visitors · NYC Free Tagged With: Harlem· Lincoln Center· NYPL

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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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