There’s so much interesting and FREE or cheap to do in NYC this weekend, Oct. 23-25
The calendar includes Halloween events, free hours at NYC museums, there’s a wonderful new park to explore in Manhattan, virtual theater performances, New Orleans jazz concerts in Riverside Park, and more.
We’re exhausted already just planning all the possibilities.
Since this is the last weekend before Halloween, let’s start with that:
The Amazing Maize Maize
Kids and the adults who love them can explore this annual treat at the Queens County Farm Museum, open weekends through Halloween.
There’s also hayrides, live music, local food vendors and a farmer’s market.
The adventure begins with a Stalk Talk to prepare you for the 3-acre challenge of finding clues, solving puzzles, and making your way to Victory Bridge where the full vista of Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ masterpiece is revealed.
Open Fridays Noon to 5pm, Saturdays and Sundays 11am to 5pm.
Advance ticket purchases are required. Prices are $8 for kids and $12 for adults.
Monster at the Winter Garden
Come face to face with a friendly Monster suspended in the palms in the Winter Garden glass atrium, where you can turn yourself into a monster with a specially designed AR filter on Instagram.
Pumpkin Point at Governors Island
The patch will feature thousands of artfully arranged pumpkins paired with fall-themed decorations. Visitors are invited to roam the patch, provided they are masked and keep a safe distance of at least six feet from the other pumpkinheads.
Best Apple Picking and Pumpkin Picking Near NYC
Everything on our list is within 90 minutes of Times Square. All are family-owned farms, many offer hayrides, fresh-pressed cider and more.
Best NYC Candy Stores for Old-Fashioned Treats
For Halloween or any time, these NYC candy shops are a treat for inexpensive choices, including such vintage favorites as Cracker Jacks, Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, Mallo Cups and Chuckles, and wax fangs.
Buy by the pound, mix and match.
Early Voting Starts Saturday, Oct. 24.
Every election is important. This year may be more important than ever.
Here’s everything you need to know about early voting in New York City and New York State.
Remember, if you don’t vote, you don’t have the right to complain about who wins.
FREE Museum Admission This Weekend
FREE Fridays at the Rubin Museum
The Rubin is one of the first NYC museums to bring back its free admission policy for certain days and times.
Free Friday Nights are a great time to explore the Museum, but timed entry tickets go quickly.
All gallery tickets become available for reservation two weeks in advance.
Check the tickets page today to reserve and read through new safety protocols before you arrive.
The new installation is The Lotus Effect,
- FREE Friday nights are 6pm to 10pm
FREE Admission to Noguchi Museum
The Noguchi Museum, in Astsoria, Queens, is dedicated to the work of the Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi, including furniture.
There are stone and metal sculptures inside and a peaceful zen-like garden with more.
- Through Sunday, admission is FREE.
- More information here.
- The museum is at the intersection of Vernon Blvd. and Broadway in Astoria.
- Take the N or W to Broadway
Virtual Theater This Weekend
New Play by Author of The Vagina Monologues
Join performers including Billy Porter, Marisa Tomei, Rosario Dawson and others in That Kindness: Nurses in Their Own Words, a new play by the former Eve Ensler, now known as V.
It’s a virtual fund-raiser in support of The Brooklyn Hospital Center’s COVID-19 Fund, streaming all weekend, to support nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals.
Drawing on frank, impassioned interviews with these “radical angels of the heart,” That Kindness: Nurses in Their Own Words is a soul-stirring portrait of kindness and activism amid crisis. In this most critical of election years, V lifts up the voices of intrepid nurses caring for patients without personal protective equipment—and calls on Americans to raise their own voices by getting out the vote.
Featuring performances by Ed Blunt, Connie Britton, Rosario Dawson, Stephanie Hsu, LaChanze, Liz Mikel, Rosie O’Donnell, Billy Porter, Dale Soules, Marisa Tomei, and Monique Wilson, with original music by Morley and company.
All donations made during the event go to The Brooklyn Hospital Center.
- Streaming through Tuesday, Nov. 3
- Sign up on the BAM website to get the link.
Play Based on Edgar Allan Poe Stories
This one-man play re-imagines themes from several Poe stories from the point of view of a man named Gene, who introduces us to his sweetheart Lenora, a collection of kooky neighbors and their various creatively named pets, and the disturbing cycle of violence threatening to envelope each of them, all while tuning out the mysterious thumping sound haunting him.
Poe, of course, lived for many years at what is now called Poe Cottage in the Bronx.
Read more about A Tell-Tale Heart here
Read more about Poe Cottage here
See our calendar of daily eventsNYCOTC Free and Cheap Events Page
FREE Fridays at the Rubin MuseumThe Rubin is one of the first NYC museums to bring back its free admission policy for certain days and times.
Free Friday Nights are a great time to explore the Museum, but timed entry tickets go quickly.
All gallery tickets become available for reservation two weeks in advance. Check the tickets page today to reserve through Friday, October 16, and read through new safety protocols before you arrive.
The new installation is The Lotus Effect,
- FREE Friday nights are 6pm to 10pm
Saturday and Sunday
Jazz Concerts in Riverside ParkDavid Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band normally plays at the legendary Birdland.
But since this is not a normal year, the band has moved uptown and outdoors to play its uptempo New Orleans jazz and blues favorites plus 1940s Big Band ballads.
Enjoy the band play in Riverside Park every Saturday and Sunday, 2pm to 4pm, and Thursday afternoons 4pm to 6pm.
Location is the southern end of the Promenade, at 84th St. Ostwald told me they’ll be there until “it’s too cold to play”, which means through the end of October, maybe mid-November.
It’s FREE, but remember that these musicians have been out of work since March, when Birdland and other concert venues closed.
So they happily accept donations to help pay for their groceries, and there are band CDs for sale.
David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band website.
This is a great time to be a tourist in your hometown.
Some staycation suggestions while the weather is still friendly:
Smell the flowers:
The New York Botanical Garden, Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Queens Botanical Garden are all open.
See our full list of open museums, zoos and gardens and those opening soon.
Take a cruise:
The Staten Island Ferry is a 20 minute delight, with picture postcard views of the Statue of Liberty, and it’s FREE.
Governors Island, the popular car-free island park has reopened for the season under new social distancing rules and requirements that you make reservations for the ferry.
Full information here.
Take a hike:
High Line, the popular elevated park is now open its full distance, from 14th to 30th Street, with FREE timed reservations for social distancing. Make reservations here to visit the High Line.
See our suggestions for best NYC parks for fall foliage hikes.
Welcome NYC’s newest park, Pier 26 on the Hudson River.
This is the city’s first park focusing on ecology, with an elevated walkway over the Hudson, landscaped walking paths, open green lawns, areas to interact with local wildlife, and plenty of benches to rest and enjoy the view, including to enjoy a sunset.
Full information here.
Friday/Saturday/Sunday – Movie Nights
The New York Hall of Science in Queens has gone Hollywood, turning the parking lot into an outdoor drive-in theater, every weekend through October.
Full information here.
Weekend Street and Bridge Closures
Check the official NYC Dept. of Transportation list so you don’t get stuck in traffic or are forced to make a humongous detour.
Alternate Side of the Street Parking
Check the official NYC Dept. of Transportation updates so you don’t get a ticket.
Open Streets Closed to Vehicles
NYC has closed more than 60 miles of streets in residential areas in all five boroughs, for social distancing.
See the list here do you can avoid them.
Streets Closed on Weekends for Outdoor Dining
NYC has closed streets in all five boroughs on weekends to expand outdoor dining. Locations include Chinatown, the Theater District, the Financial District and Arthur Ave. in the Bronx.
See the full list here.
Check our tips for outdoor dining etiquette, including social distancing and ordering everything at once to make it more efficient for you and the staff.
See more events on theNYCOTC Free and Cheap Events Page
Every Friday
Carnegie Hall Fridays
Each week for the the forseable future, Carnegie Hall is streaming a concert from its archived recordings.
- Watch it Friday 3am through Monday, at 3 AM EDT
- Watch here on medici.tv
Every Sunday
Virtual Birdland: Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz OrchestraClose the weekend on Sundays in June with Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. The performance also features a live chat and commentary from the musicians.
Recorded remotely from locations as diverse as Madrid, Los Angeles and New York City, Arturo O’Farrill and the mighty Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra are reviving their Sunday Night Birdland residency exclusively for ALJA Digital Village.
- Sunday, 8:30pm
- Link to watch Virtual Birdland
See more weekend events here
on our new
daily events calendar
Anytime
Disney World
The popular theme park has reopened. But with Coronavirus virtually out of control in Florida, and recent staff reductions at Disney parks, you probably don’t want to get on a plane to Orlando or stuff the kids into the car for a long road trip.
Visit Disney World virtually instead, for FREE, with no admission fee.
See sour guide to virtual rides, virtual parades, virtual tours.
Streaming Now
Live From from Lincoln Center:
The renowned Metropolitan Opera, continues to live stream operas each night of the week, FREE.
Each stream becomes available at 7:30 p.m. EDT and remains accessible for on-demand viewing until 6:30 p.m. the following day.
I really enjoy my subscription to NYC cheap very enlightening and always some fun to be had by all