The best free in New York City next weekend, Sep 5–6, 2026 — hand-curated and refreshed weekly.
119 picks · checked Aug 25
Brooklyn Museum, Crown Heights, BrooklynMasqueraders up to age 17 parade in full costume from Kingston Avenue down Franklin to the Brooklyn Museum in Carnival's children's edition.
Brooklyn Museum, Crown Heights, BrooklynMasqueraders up to age 17 parade in full costume from Kingston Avenue down Franklin to the Brooklyn Museum in Carnival's children's edition.
Delacorte Theater, Central Park, Manhattan100-plus New Yorkers from all five boroughs record a live album onstage at the Delacorte — the Public's free season-closing pageant, five nights only.
Delacorte Theater, Central Park, Manhattan100-plus New Yorkers from all five boroughs record a live album onstage at the Delacorte — the Public's free season-closing pageant, five nights only.
34th Avenue Open Street, Jackson Heights, QueensUnicycle basketball, races and a learn-to-ride area take over 34th Avenue's mile-plus open street in Jackson Heights for the festival's 17th year.
34th Avenue Open Street, Jackson Heights, QueensUnicycle basketball, races and a learn-to-ride area take over 34th Avenue's mile-plus open street in Jackson Heights for the festival's 17th year.
Oculus Plaza, World Trade Center, Financial District, ManhattanDozens of independent food vendors set up outdoors at Oculus Plaza, World Trade Center for the Friday Smorgasburg market.
Oculus Plaza, World Trade Center, Financial District, ManhattanDozens of independent food vendors set up outdoors at Oculus Plaza, World Trade Center for the Friday Smorgasburg market.
LeFrak Center at Lakeside, Prospect Park, Prospect Park, BrooklynEpicgenius · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsLucie Tiberghien directs Molière's most subversive play outdoors at Lakeside, with live cello by Johnathan Moore — free with an RSVP.
LeFrak Center at Lakeside, Prospect Park, Prospect Park, BrooklynEpicgenius · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsLucie Tiberghien directs Molière's most subversive play outdoors at Lakeside, with live cello by Johnathan Moore — free with an RSVP.
46th Avenue street fair site, Long Island City, QueensJAPAN Fes brings 18 Japanese street-food vendors to 46th Avenue in Hunters Point — and unlike most editions, this one runs into the night, until 10pm.
46th Avenue street fair site, Long Island City, QueensJAPAN Fes brings 18 Japanese street-food vendors to 46th Avenue in Hunters Point — and unlike most editions, this one runs into the night, until 10pm.
This list keeps changing as events are verified. We'll send you the final version the Thursday before — and you can unsubscribe right after if that's all you need.
Broadway at 103rd–104th St, Upper West Side, ManhattanJAPAN Fes takes over Broadway at 103rd Street with about 15 Japanese street-food vendors — takoyaki, yakitori, omurice and kakigori, free to wander from 10am to 6pm.
Broadway at 103rd–104th St, Upper West Side, ManhattanJAPAN Fes takes over Broadway at 103rd Street with about 15 Japanese street-food vendors — takoyaki, yakitori, omurice and kakigori, free to wander from 10am to 6pm.
Lincoln Center Plaza, Lincoln Square, ManhattanLisette Oropesa and Lawrence Brownlee in Bellini's bel canto showpiece, projected onto the opera house facade for 2,500 free seats.
Lincoln Center Plaza, Lincoln Square, ManhattanLisette Oropesa and Lawrence Brownlee in Bellini's bel canto showpiece, projected onto the opera house facade for 2,500 free seats.
Bryant Park, Midtown, ManhattanBryant Park's first Brass Festival stacks Grammy-nominated New Breed Brass Band, Brooklyn's Aberdeen and the all-female Brass Queens on the lawn.
Bryant Park, Midtown, ManhattanBryant Park's first Brass Festival stacks Grammy-nominated New Breed Brass Band, Brooklyn's Aberdeen and the all-female Brass Queens on the lawn.
Sixth Avenue (Avenue of the Americas), Midtown — Little Brazil, ManhattanTdorante10 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsA free Brazilian street fair takes Sixth Avenue from 42nd to 56th on Labor Day Sunday — food, vendors and Little Brazil. The separate concert festival has not been announced for 2026.
Sixth Avenue (Avenue of the Americas), Midtown — Little Brazil, ManhattanTdorante10 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsA free Brazilian street fair takes Sixth Avenue from 42nd to 56th on Labor Day Sunday — food, vendors and Little Brazil. The separate concert festival has not been announced for 2026.
Marsha P. Johnson State Park, Williamsburg, BrooklynThe country's largest open-air food market lines the Williamsburg waterfront with dozens of vendors and full Manhattan skyline views.
Marsha P. Johnson State Park, Williamsburg, BrooklynThe country's largest open-air food market lines the Williamsburg waterfront with dozens of vendors and full Manhattan skyline views.
Breeze Hill, Prospect Park, Prospect Park, BrooklynDozens of independent food vendors set up outdoors at Breeze Hill, Prospect Park for the Sunday Smorgasburg market.
Breeze Hill, Prospect Park, Prospect Park, BrooklynDozens of independent food vendors set up outdoors at Breeze Hill, Prospect Park for the Sunday Smorgasburg market.
Studio Museum in Harlem, Harlem, ManhattanFinal weekend of the Studio Museum's sixth 'F' show — 17 emerging artists of African and Afro-Latinx descent in the new 125th Street building. Closing day is a free Studio Sunday.
Studio Museum in Harlem, Harlem, ManhattanFinal weekend of the Studio Museum's sixth 'F' show — 17 emerging artists of African and Afro-Latinx descent in the new 125th Street building. Closing day is a free Studio Sunday.
Downtown Boathouse at Pier 26, Tribeca, ManhattanVolunteers hand out kayaks, paddles and life jackets for free 20-minute paddles in a protected embayment off Pier 26 in Hudson River Park.
Downtown Boathouse at Pier 26, Tribeca, ManhattanVolunteers hand out kayaks, paddles and life jackets for free 20-minute paddles in a protected embayment off Pier 26 in Hudson River Park.
Whitney Museum of American Art, Meatpacking District, ManhattanKidfly182 · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsThe Whitney waives its $30 admission every Friday from 5-10pm — all eight floors open, often with DJs and a bar. Free tickets are required and go fast; reserve online.
Whitney Museum of American Art, Meatpacking District, ManhattanKidfly182 · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsThe Whitney waives its $30 admission every Friday from 5-10pm — all eight floors open, often with DJs and a bar. Free tickets are required and go fast; reserve online.
Colonels Row, Building 406A, Governors Island, ManhattanMarta Blanco brings a mini big band to Colonels Row for two hours of Latin and contemporary jazz hosted by the Climate Imaginarium.
Colonels Row, Building 406A, Governors Island, ManhattanMarta Blanco brings a mini big band to Colonels Row for two hours of Latin and contemporary jazz hosted by the Climate Imaginarium.
Union Pool, Williamsburg, BrooklynCrickets, the band of JD Samson, Roddy Bottum and Michael O'Neill, play a free afternoon backyard set at Union Pool with Tami Hart.
Union Pool, Williamsburg, BrooklynCrickets, the band of JD Samson, Roddy Bottum and Michael O'Neill, play a free afternoon backyard set at Union Pool with Tami Hart.
Colonels Row, Building 405A, Governors Island, ManhattanDancing skyscrapers, giant rats, fossil-fuel-fighting flowers and Lady Liberty herself appear in a cardboard puppet circus with a live brass band.
Colonels Row, Building 405A, Governors Island, ManhattanDancing skyscrapers, giant rats, fossil-fuel-fighting flowers and Lady Liberty herself appear in a cardboard puppet circus with a live brass band.
Museum of Modern Art, Midtown, ManhattanMoMA's free Friday evening for New York State residents lands on Labor Day weekend — 5:30 to, reserve ahead with proof of residency.
Museum of Modern Art, Midtown, ManhattanMoMA's free Friday evening for New York State residents lands on Labor Day weekend — 5:30 to, reserve ahead with proof of residency.
Lincoln Center Plaza, Lincoln Square, ManhattanAsmik Grigorian sings Tatiana's letter scene on a screen the size of the Met's facade, with 2,500 free plaza seats below.
Lincoln Center Plaza, Lincoln Square, ManhattanAsmik Grigorian sings Tatiana's letter scene on a screen the size of the Met's facade, with 2,500 free plaza seats below.
Lincoln Center Plaza, Lincoln Square, ManhattanFrida Kahlo returns from the dead for one Dia de Muertos in Gabriela Lena Frank's Spanish-language opera, free on the Met's facade.
Lincoln Center Plaza, Lincoln Square, ManhattanFrida Kahlo returns from the dead for one Dia de Muertos in Gabriela Lena Frank's Spanish-language opera, free on the Met's facade.
Prospect Park, Prospect Park, BrooklynKing of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsDozens of Brooklyn dogs off-leash at dawn while their owners drink coffee and eat pastries at FIDO's long-running Prospect Park meet-up.
Prospect Park, Prospect Park, BrooklynKing of Hearts · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsDozens of Brooklyn dogs off-leash at dawn while their owners drink coffee and eat pastries at FIDO's long-running Prospect Park meet-up.
MoMA PS1, Long Island City, QueensFifty-three New York artists sprawl across every floor of MoMA PS1 with 150-plus works and admission is free in its final days.
MoMA PS1, Long Island City, QueensFifty-three New York artists sprawl across every floor of MoMA PS1 with 150-plus works and admission is free in its final days.
Pier i at West 70th Street, Upper West Side, ManhattanSideshow performers, carnival amusements, live bands and cotton candy take over a Hudson River pier for Riverside Park's free county fair.
Pier i at West 70th Street, Upper West Side, ManhattanSideshow performers, carnival amusements, live bands and cotton candy take over a Hudson River pier for Riverside Park's free county fair.
This list keeps changing as events are verified. We'll send you the final version the Thursday before — and you can unsubscribe right after if that's all you need.
Big weekends coming up — save them now, plan later.
