• 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 / Arts & Culture / 51 Free, Cheap & Virtual Things to Do This Weekend
← NYC Free: Museum Admission with Bank Card

51 Free, Cheap & Virtual Things to Do This Weekend

POSTED BY
Evelyn Kanter

best of nycThere’s always a lot to do in NYC every weekend, including this first weekend of March.

For the first time in a year, NYC movie theaters are open, there are FREE online celebrating Women’s History Month and the Lunar New Year, and more.

The weather forecast is cold but sunny and in the 30s through Sunday, so bundle up for the outdoors.

Every weekend is a good weekend to support our local NYC restaurants by eating out or taking out, and supporting our local NYC businesses by shopping with them instead of the national chains, especially right now.

NYC restaurants and bars are open for indoor and outdoor dining until 11pm, but can continue take-out after that.  Many restaurants have added outdoor heaters, too.

Indoor dining returns, but with limited seating for social distancing, so be sure to make reservations.

Movie theaters re-open Friday, March 5, with reduced capacity, up to 50 people per theater.

See our list of what’s playing, and which theaters are serving popcorn and other snacks, and which theaters open later in March.

NYC movie theaters reopening schedule

 

DIY crafts projects for kids

Staying indoors with the kids?

Indoor Crafts Projects

Keep the kids entertained with these FREE cooking and crafts projects.

Cooking projects

Printable games and puzzles

 

nyc coronoavirus update

Covid-19 Update

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

There are now Covid-19 vaccination sites open 24/7 in each NYC borough, plus additional sites.

NYC vaccination sites, including those at hospitals and pharmacies, are by appointment only. No walk-ins are accepted at any time.

Full information here. 


dicount ticketsSee our calendar of daily events

 NYCOTC Free & Cheap Events Page


Ending Soon

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.

Now Open

orchid show at New York Botanical GardenNYBG Orchid Show

Despite the weather, the annual Orchid Show is a sure sign that spring is on its way.

Spotlight on Orchids features unusual orchids and other plants from NYBG’s permanent collections to be displayed in select galleries of the landmark glass greenhouse Haupt Conservatory, February 20 to April 4, 2021.

Full information about the exhibit and ticket information here.

Frick Madison opens March 2021Frick Madison

The new museum opens mid-March.  Tickets are now on sale.

There’s space enough for some works to be displayed for the first time. and for the museum’s signature The Progress of Love by Jean-Honoré Fragonard, to be shown together in its entirety for the first time in the Frick’s history. The installation also debuts new acquisitions.

NYC on the Cheap Editor Evelyn Kanter had a media preview tour this week.  We’ll have full details for you on Monday.  Hint – it’s fabulous.

Full information about new exhibit formats and ticket information here.

 

vintage toys and trains

New York Historical Society photo

Extended Through April

Holiday Express Toys and Trains  at New York Historical Society

And you thought the holidays were over! This magical wonderland is an annual tradition, that normally continues through mid-Febrauary.  Since this is not a normal year, the popular exhibit has been extended through April 21. 

Kids of all ages to enjoy the toy trains, figurines, and miniature models from the renowned Jerni Collection, Holiday Express from a bygone era.

The installation includes a variety of toy train stations dating from the turn of the 19th century to the World War II era, showcasing the evolving designs of American and European toymakers. New to the display this year are Marklin’s Onion Dome Station and Grand Station (1904–08).

Visitors are greeted by animations and fun facts about the toys on nearby screens, and kids will be delighted by a specially created bench inspired by a sleigh in New-York Historical’s collection.

  • Timed entry tickets are required.
  • New York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West

What to do on Friday

Thankgsviging recipes from Native American chefsMother Tongue Film Festival – Women Directors Panel

Women are often entrusted with cultural and language transmission, and Mother Tongue highlights this responsibility by bringing together women directors on a roundtable each year.

The National Museum of the American Indian is hosting a FREE online  conversation with Becs Arahanga (Hinekura), Valeriya Golovina (Our Love), Sophia Pinheiro (Being Imperfect), and Patricia Ferreira (Being Imperfect), moderated by Smithsonian digital curator Amalia Córdova and curator and filmmaker Cass Gardiner.

Live real-time captioning and American Sign Language interpretation will be provided for this program while it is live.

The Mother Tongue Film Festival is presented by Recovering Voices, a collaboration among the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of the American Indian, and the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.

  • Friday, March 5, 2 PM (ET)
  • Watch online

What to do on Saturday

Year of the Ox celebration

Year of the Ox

Celebration of the Lunar New Year continues with this special historic online program by the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company includes dance and music that originated during the Tang Dynasty more than 3,000 years ago to contemporary work for festivals and celebrations.

FREE, sponsored by the Brooklyn Public Library.

  • Saturday, March 6 / 1 pm

 

dolly parton 75th birthday celebration

Dolly Parton’s 75th Birthday Party

Celebrate 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.

 

 

free jazz concerts NYC

 

Sunday – Free Jazz Concert

This weekly free jazz concert via Zoom is presented by Music on the Inside, Inc. (MOTI) which brings music education and hope to individuals impacted by incarceration.

Each Sunday concert features formerly incarcerated musicians alongside jazz and pop luminaries.  

MOT statement: We stand in solidarity and we heal in harmony. We’re grateful to all the wonderful musicians contributing their talents and hearts to uplift us all.

  • 6pm Sunday
  • FREE, but donations are accepted to support the work of Music on the Inside, a NYC-based non-profit group.
  • You’ll receive the Zoom login with your free registration confirmation.

where to go ice skating in NYCIce Skating in NYC

Ice skating at the iconic Rock Center rink is probably the most famous place in the world to skate.  

Reservations are now required. 

The ice skating rink at Bryant Park once again offers FREE skating.  Reservations are required – that’s new this year.

Go ice skating at a rink that overlooks the Hudson River. 

The Rink at Brookfield Place is back open for the season. In addition to its usual skating options, The Rink is offering “private pods” for skating and ice hockey lessons, where small groups of three to six children can take classes together.

Full pricing details and hours can be found on The Rink’s website.

where to see best fall foliage in manhattanGet Outdoors

 

Winter Nature Walks at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden

This winter, BBG offers new ways to safely tour and learn about the Garden from staff and expert naturalists.

The first in a series of audio Winter Nature Walks led by naturalist Brad Klein is available online now. The walks lead visitors through the Shelby White and Leon Levy Water Garden, Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, and Osborne Garden. As you stroll through the Garden, listen to descriptions of the habits and survival strategies of wildlife you may encounter in the winter months.

Discover (or rediscover!) some of the many remarkable trees in the Garden’s collection on the self-guided Treasured Trees Tour. Use the interactive map to explore the trees—start at any one, then visit them all! While you are here, use BBG’s guide to identifying trees by their bark and deepen your tree knowledge!

Explore the New Eco-Park at Pier 26  

Explore Central Park with an Interactive SoundWalk

Walk through a life-size Kaleidoscope in Midtown Manhattan


dicount ticketsSee our calendar of daily events

 NYCOTC Free and Cheap Events Page


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

  • Re-opened after emergency building repairs

 

highline park

This is a great time to be a tourist in your hometown.

More staycation suggestions

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

Take a cruise:

The Staten Island Ferry is a 20 minute delight, even in winter, with picture postcard views of the Statue of Liberty, and it’s FREE.

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 long walks

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.

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.


dicount ticketsSee more  events on the

 NYCOTC Free and Cheap Events Page


Anytime – Virtual Jazz Concerts

 

free jazz concerts NYCVirtual Birdland: Arturo O’Farrell & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

Sadly, the iconic jazz destination Birdland has closed, due to financial issues caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic, and this popular weekend jazz concert is no longer available.

However, the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance is streaming concerts on its Facebook page,  including concerts by Arturo O’Farrell and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra

met opera online

 

Anytime – 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.

 

Find more things to do this weekend

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

Music on the Inside Jazz Concert
When
Weekly on Sunday @ 6:00 pm-7:30 pm (starting January 17, 2021)
What
Music on the Inside Jazz Concert
Where
Virtual

,
Cost
FREE
When
Weekly on Friday and Saturday @ 4:00 pm-6:00 pm (starting March 5, 2021)
What
Guggenheim Museum
Where
Cost
FREE
When
Weekly on Friday @ 6:00 pm-10:00 pm (starting March 5, 2021)
What
Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art
Where
Rubin Museum, 150 W. 17th St.

,
Cost
FREE

Virtual

Rubin Museum, 150 W. 17th St.

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 March 5, 2021 | Updated March 5, 2021 Filed Under: Arts & Culture · Bronx · Entertainment · Family Fun · Music · NYC Cheap Weekend · NYC Free · NYC Museums · NYC Parks · Virtual Events Tagged With: Lunar New Year· New York Historical Society· NYC Restaurant Week to Go· Rubin Museum· Virtual Birdland

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Theresa Mazzacantu says

    June 8, 2020 at 1:33 PM

    I really enjoy my subscription to NYC cheap very enlightening and always some fun to be had by all

    Reply

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

  • 101 FREE & Cheap Things to Do This Week March 1-7
    101 FREE & Cheap Things to Do This Week March 1-7
  • Van Gogh Immersive 360-Degree Exhibit Experience Tickets Now on Sale
    Van Gogh Immersive 360-Degree Exhibit Experience Tickets Now on Sale
  • Best FREE Things to Do in New York City
    Best FREE Things to Do in New York City
  • Frick Madison Opens March 18; Tickets on Sale
    Frick Madison Opens March 18; Tickets on Sale
  • Dolly Parton 75th Birthday Celebration is Online & FREE
    Dolly Parton 75th Birthday Celebration is Online & FREE
  • 5 Best All You Can Eat Sushi Deals in NYC
    5 Best All You Can Eat Sushi Deals in NYC
  • 51 Free, Cheap & Virtual Things to Do This Weekend
    51 Free, Cheap & Virtual Things to Do This Weekend
  • Free and Cheap Events Calendar
    Free and Cheap Events Calendar
  • 9/11 Memorial & Museum
    9/11 Memorial & Museum
  • Boycotting Goya Products? Try These Authentic Alternatives
    Boycotting Goya Products? Try These Authentic Alternatives

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.