One of the most spectacular holiday displays in NYC, Shine Bright features over 2 million holiday lights illuminating the entire neighborhood. Photo courtesy of Hudson Yards
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Skate beneath the historic Brooklyn Bridge while taking in the iconic views of the Manhattan skyline at Roebling Rink. Photo courtesy of venue
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The Dyker Heights Christmas lights attract throngs of visitors to the Brooklyn neighborhood each holiday season. Photo courtesy of Dyker Heights Lights
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The Tianyu Lights Festival transforms the Citi Field parking lot into a magical holiday destination with larger-than-life lanterns and kid-friendly activities. Photo courtesy of the festival
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Toys for Tots brings Christmas joy to children in need. Photo courtesy of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
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Bryant Park's Bumper Cars are a mainstay of late-winter fun in the park. Photo by Janet Bloom
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Enjoy the Coca-Cola Winter Wonderland experience at the Apollo for free. Photo courtesy of the Apollo
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The stunning Peace, Love, and Lights drive-thru at Bethel Woods returns for another season of bringing visitors joy.
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The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is an iconic NYC holiday destination. Photo courtesy of Rockefeller Center
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Hell's Kitchen is a cool coming-of-age piece loosely based on Alicia Keys' life story. Photo by Marc J. Franklin
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There's always a cool new piece of public art to see and interact with in NYC. Photo by Jody Mercier
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Photo courtesy of PLAY Greenpoint.
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The Met offers pay-what-you wish admission at all times to New Yorkers and kids always attend for free. Photo by Jody Mercier
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No visit to NYC is complete without an up-close encounter with the Statue of Liberty. Photo by Jess Laird
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Hester Street Playground. Photo by Jody Mercier
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Put on your most creative costume, and head to Dumbo for a Halloween March to the Arch. Photo by Hassan Mokaddam
Put on your most creative costume, and head to Dumbo for a Halloween March to the Arch. Photo by Hassan Mokaddam
10/3/24 - By Drew Kristofik

October is bubbling over with bushels of free things to do in NYC. In addition to our huge, spooky pile of free Halloween activities, we've found tons of cost-free fun happening in NYC this month, from St. John the Divine's heavenly Blessing of the Animals to Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations, Diwali's big celebration in Times Square, Open House New York, and the return of Bryant Park's Winter Village. Then, Canstruction starts building anticipation for Thanksgiving!

Read on for 60 free things to do in New York City this October, including events in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx. Find more top events on our best-of-October list. Of course, our Guide to Fall Activities and New York City Kids Halloween Guide have all the seasonal must-do's.

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OUR LATEST VIDEOS

Free Things To Do in NYC All October 2024 Long

Waterfront Walks

Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn
Sundays through Sunday, October 20, 2024
Learn about the history of the Brooklyn waterfront, the park’s sustainable design, and how the park came to life on this free walking tour. Waterfront Walks are held every Sunday through October starting from Pier 1. READ MORE

Lalo-Palooza in Washington Park

Park Slope
Thursday through Thursday, October 24, 2024
Tap your toes at Lalo-Palooza, a free outdoor music series where families can groove to tunes from award-winning children's performer Suzi Shelton and participate in fun, kid-friendly activities. READ MORE

Movie Nights at Hudson Yards

Midtown West
Fridays through Friday, October 25, 2024
Grab your crew and head to the Big Screen in the Public Square & Gardens, where you can kick back in a lounger (or spread out on a blanket you bring from home) and take in a movie outside while the sun sets. READ MORE

Stargazing on The High Line

Chelsea
Tuesdays through Tuesday, October 29, 2024
Gaze at the stars, planets, and moon through the high-powered telescopes of the Amateur Astronomers Association, and chat with the experts about the sights you see. READ MORE

Free Things To Do in NYC from Tuesday, October 1-Sunday, October 6, 2024

Quetzali Travels to Central and South America: Bilingual Puppet Show at Brooklyn Children's Museum

Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Thursday, October 3, 2024
Learn about Hispanic heritage with Karina Onofre and Quetzali the puppet and go on an adventure to countries like Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, and Argentina! READ MORE

Rosh Hashanah in Prospect Park

Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Thursday, October 3, 2024
Join the Prospect Park Alliance when school is closed for Rosh Hashanah. Enjoy free nature education activities, animal encounters, bird walks, and more at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, and take a ride on the beloved Prospect Park Carousel. READ MORE

Interventions: Analphabetes on Governors Island

Governors Island
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Greek-born and Paris-based chore­o­g­ra­ph­er Lenio Kak­lea designed this dance piece as a response to phys­i­cal land­scape. Con­sist­ing of three dis­tinct lev­els of spec­ta­tor­ship — near, far, and very far away — the per­for­mance blends envi­ron­ment with chore­o­graph­ic image, cre­at­ing a struc­ture that orga­nizes the audience’s visu­al expe­ri­ence. READ MORE

Carroll Park Fair

Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
Saturday, October 5, 2024
The annual Carroll Park Fair returns! Find some bargains and meet your neighbors. Face painting, music, crafts, housewares, art, books, clothes, jewelry, antiques, collectibles, and more. READ MORE

Sunnyside Gardens Park Annual Oktoberfest

Sunnyside, Queens
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Sunnyside Gardens Park transforms its picnic grove into an authentic biergarten with German-style beer, traditional German food, and live music and entertainment for the whole family. READ MORE

Building a Comic Book Environment at J. Hood Wright Rec Center

Washington Heights
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Learn the fundamentals of comic books with Professor Ed Murr, formally an artist at Marvel Comics! Create your own comic book world, unique characters and sequential art. READ MORE

Community Science Fishing in Brooklyn Bridge Park

Brooklyn Heights
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Learn how to bait a hook, drop a line, and maybe even reel up a fish! Guided by BBP's Education team, learn the basics of rod and reel fishing while catching and releasing some of Brooklyn Bridge Park’s finest and contributing to the park conservancy's database.  READ MORE

Hands on History: Transfer at Jamaica at King Manor

Jamaica, Queens
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Celebrate more than 200 years of local transit history at King Mansion's newest exhibit, Transfer at Jamaica! Stop by and learn all about the transit developments from the 18th century and beyond and design your very own train!   READ MORE

Turn a New York City Skyscraper Green at the Skyscraper Museum

Battery Park City
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Did you know that we can grow gardens on a skyscraper? It is possible! Learn how architects design green skyscrapers with vertical gardens and green roofs, then make paper flowers and plants together to create a model of a green skyscraper. READ MORE

Children's Harvest Festival at Saratoga Farms

Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn
Saturday, October 5, 2024
The Children's Harvest Festival is an annual street fair hosted by The Campaign Against Hunger. Stop by for face-painting, scavenger hunts, performances, free food, games, and more. READ MORE

Queens Theatre's Classical Kids Fair

Flushing, Queens
Sunday, October 6, 2024
WQXR is heading to Queens for a Classical Kids Fair at the Queens Theatre. Families can experience live performances, an instrument “petting zoo,” arts and crafts, radio and dance workshops, and more. READ MORE

Blessing of the Animals at St. John the Divine

Morningside Heights
Sunday, October 6, 2024
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine welcomes families for a day of music, prayer, joy, blessings, and fun in honor of Saint Francis, the patron saint of animals and the environment. READ MORE

45th Precinct Fall Festival

Pelham, the Bronx
Sunday, October 6, 2024
Celebrate autumn with NYPD units, including K9, Mounted, and ESU, climb the NYPD rock wall, and play in the game truck. Pumpkin painting, bounce houses, games, giveaways, and a costume contest are on the schedule, too! READ MORE

Create a Suspended Sculpture at Lehman College Art Gallery

Kingsbridge Heights, the Bronx
Sunday, October 6, 2024
Experience an inquiry-based inclusive family tour of LCAG's exhibition, Incandescence: The Chandelier in Contemporary Art  and create a suspended sculpture based on the work of Charlotta Westergren.  READ MORE

Celebrate the Gifts of the Harvest at Salt Marsh Nature Center

Marine Park, Brooklyn
Sunday, October 6, 2024
Beautiful seasonal changes and the harvest bounty inspire a plethora of dances and musical performances presented by the Brooklyn Dance Ensemble. READ MORE

Free Things To Do in NYC from Monday, October 7-Sunday, October 13, 2024

Drop-In Program: After School Gallery Explorers at the Jewish Museum

Upper East Side
Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Preschoolers and elementary school-aged children are invited to explore the exhibition, Ilit Azoulay: Mere Things. Using cut-outs of photographs, magazine images, and other art materials, create a colorful collage portrait inspired by the artwork on view.  READ MORE

Anti-Racist Family Day at Brooklyn Children's Museum

Crown Heights, Brooklyn
Thursday, October 10, 2024
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum hosts its fourth annual Anti-Racist Family Day in partnership with Brooklyn Public Library. Participants learn about age-appropriate anti-racist practices, including celebrating and affirming different races and identities, talking about injustice and fairness in our society, and modeling ways young children can engage in activism.   READ MORE

Festival of Firsts: Farah Siraj at Lincoln Center

Upper West Side
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Farah Siraj and her band perform selections from her soon-to-be-released EP for the first time, fusing Middle Eastern music, flamenco, jazz, bossa, and pop. Siraj’s songs are sung in Arabic, English, and Spanish. READ MORE

Children's Harvest Festival at Far Rockaway Farms

Far Rockaway, Queens
Saturday, October 12, 2024
The Children's Harvest Festival is an annual street fair hosted by The Campaign Against Hunger. Stop by for face-painting, scavenger hunts, performances, free food, games, and more. READ MORE

Harvest Time at Bay 84th Street Community Garden

Rockaways, Queens
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Bay 84th Street Community Garden invites kids to take home a “starter” plant with seeds of their choice for the winter. Kids can nourish it and watch it grow. When the garden opens in April 2025, they are encouraged to bring their plants to the garden and let it thrive in the designated children's planting bed. READ MORE

Fall Fest at the Atlantic Terminal Mall

Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Brooklyn Bridge Parents hosts a family festival with arts and crafts, pumpkin painting, block building, music, and more! Kids are encouraged to come in costume. READ MORE

Carl Schurz Park's Annual Harvest Festival

Upper East Side
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Carl Schurz Park's annual harvest fest packs a punch with plenty of festive fall activities for the whole family. Visit the pumpkin patch on the Mayor's Lawn at East End Avenue and East 88th Street to pick your own pumpkin and decorate it. ​ READ MORE

Indigenous Peoples Day on Randall's Island

Randall's Island
Sunday, October 13-Monday, October 14, 2024
Head to Randall's Island for a celebration of NYC's indigenous people. This two-day fest includes performances of spoken word, live music, and guest speakers. Food and wares are available for purchase. READ MORE

Free Things To Do in NYC from Monday, October 14-Sunday, October 20, 2024

Columbus Day Parade

Midtown
Monday, October 14, 2024
The 80th Columbus Day Parade processes up Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 72nd Street—with red carpet performances on Fifth Avenue between 67th and 69th Streets—including high school bands, professional musicians, folk dance troupes, floats, and more.  READ MORE

Indigenous Peoples Day in Prospect Park

Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Monday, October 14, 2024
Join the Prospect Park Alliance when school is closed for Indigenous Peoples Day. Enjoy free nature education activities, animal encounters, bird walks, and more at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, and take a ride on the beloved Prospect Park Carousel. READ MORE

28 Liberty Family Movies at Fosun Plaza

Financial District
Thursday, October 17, 2024
Fosun teams up with Alamo Drafthouse to present two FREE films on the giant 40-foot LED screen on the western side of the plaza: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on September 26 and the original Ghostbusters on October 17. Both films are rated PG. READ MORE

Open House New York

Citywide
Friday, October 18-Sunday, October 20, 2024
This year's Open House NYC once again offers a hybrid of virtual experiences, self-guided explorations, and in-person tours. Enjoy food trucks, pop-up eateries, outdoor activations, and more. READ MORE

Fall Festival at Dyckman Farmhouse Museum

Inwood
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Fall Festival returns to the Dyckman Farmhouse with live music from the Washington Heights Chamber Orchestra and José Luis, an arts and crafts table, and a paint and sip activity led by Art on the Avenue. The historic Hessian military hut is open to visitors, as well as the iconic Dyckman Farmhouse—featuring exhibitions from two local uptown artists.  READ MORE

Red Hook Harvest Festival

Red Hook, Brooklyn
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Join the Red Hook Community Farm for the annual Red Hook Harvest Festival, a celebration of urban farming, youth empowerment, community connections, and a bountiful fall harvest. READ MORE

Treats in the Streets

Midtown West
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Head downtown for a day of unique and traditional Halloween happenings in the Meatpacking District. Families can trick-or-treat at Diane Von Furstenberg and Serafina Meatpacking.  READ MORE

Lenfest Kids: Big and Small

Manhattanville
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Thinking about small perspectives isn’t just a way of understanding cinema. It’s a way of understanding the world. Shrink down to a subatomic level in The Incredible Shrinking Man and grow to enormous size in Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, exploring techniques like rotoscoping in Gulliver’s Travels, stop-motion in James and the Giant Peach, and much, much more. READ MORE

Sound & Color! Autumn Festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park

Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Celebrate the changing of the seasons at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy’s Sound & Color! Autumn in New York fall festival, an afternoon packed with music, arts and crafts, storytelling, lawn games, and more.    READ MORE

Hands on History: Spooky Season at King Manor

Jamaica, Queens
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Celebrate Spooky Season at King Manor with a discussion of author Washington Irving and his 1820 story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Kids can also make Headless Horseman paper pumpkin masks to take home! READ MORE

Ghastley Gargoyles at the Skyscraper Museum

Battery Park City
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Learn about the long and spooky history of gargoyles and discover the NYC skyscrapers that have these iconic figures. Then, kids finger-paint their own scary gargoyles to decorate a skyscraper. READ MORE

Diwali at Times Square

Midtown West
Saturday, October 19, 2024
Billed as "the largest Indian Festival outside India," Diwali at Times Square features cultural performances, folk dances, concerts, Indian food, Indian clothing and jewels, Henna/Mehandi artists, balloon figures, and face painting plus free gifts and raffle drawings.   READ MORE

College Point Street Fair

College Point, Queens
Sunday, October 20, 2024
College Point boasts the only NYC Street fair that offers free rides, including a bouncy house. Games, fair food, and more. READ MORE
Grab your broomsticks and soar over to BAM for an afternoon of candy giveaways, carnival games, arts and crafts, and kid-friendly movies at BAMboo. Photo by Elena Olivo
Grab your broomsticks and soar over to BAM for an afternoon of candy giveaways, carnival games, arts and crafts, and kid-friendly movies at BAMboo. Photo by Elena Olivo

Free Things To Do in NYC from Monday, October 21-Thursday, October 31, 2024

Release of the Fishes

Greenwich Village
Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Help the Hudson River Park’s River Project team return its Wetlab fish residents to the Hudson River as the flow-through aquarium closes for the season. READ MORE

Musique Macabre: A Creepy Concert at King Manor

Jamaica, Queens
Friday, October 25, 2024
In the spirit of All Hallows’ Eve, King Mansion presents a concert of the creepy and the macabre, featuring King Manor’s own early-19th-century square piano and baroque violin. The program includes titles like “Le Tombeau” and “The Sultry Dance of Death,” with haunting songs written by Founding Father Francis Hopkinson—and a grand sonata by Ignace Pleyel (published in 1818), recently found in the depths of King Manor.   READ MORE

Grand Opening of Winter Village at Bryant Park

Midtown West
Friday, October 25, 2024
Bryant Park braces for winter with the official launch of its 24th annual Winter Village. That means one of NYC's favorite, FREE ice skating rinks is ready to make its season debut, too. Enjoy a twirl on the ice, peruse the holiday shops, and enjoy a snack at the Lodge Deck.  READ MORE

Movie Night at Crocheron Park: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

Bayside, Queens
Friday, October 25, 2024
Cuddle up under the stars for a Halloween-y screening of Ghostbusters, Frozen Empire (PG-13). Bring a blanket and a picnic! READ MORE

Seaport Kids: Halloween Block Party

South Street Seaport
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Front and Fulton Streets transform into a massive Halloween-themed block party for kids 2-10 with live music, bubble shows, face painting, costume contests, pumpkin decorating and more.  READ MORE

Third Annual City of Forest Day

Citywide
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Presented by Forest for All NYC in partnership with the Parks and Open Space Partners, including NYC Coalition and NYC Parks, City of Forest Day is an annual day of activities across the city to raise awareness of the importance of the New York City urban forest, and the essential role New Yorkers play every day in caring for the “lungs” of New York City. READ MORE

Bklyn Boo! at Albee Square

Downtown Brooklyn
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Downtown Brooklyn hosts a Halloween fete at Albee Square with slime-making, a costume dance-off, and puppet shows. READ MORE

Ocean Breeze Fall Festival

Ocean Breeze Park, Staten Island
Saturday, October 26, 2024
The annual Ocean Breeze Fall Festival promises a pumpkin patch, food trucks, and fun for the whole family!  READ MORE

Halloween Harvest Festival 2024 in Socrates Sculpture Park

Long Island City, Queens
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Celebrate the autumn season with the cutest and spookiest dog costume contest around, presented by Chateau le Woof! Enjoy workshops, music, and food vendors. READ MORE

Campfire Stories and Songs

Battery Park
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Cozy up to a campfire for stories and singalongs with family and friends, featuring award-winning NYC singer/songwriter Suzi Shelton. Take part in a City of Forest Day nature project, Halloween craft, lawn games, and more! READ MORE

King Manor Fall Festival

Jamaica, Queens
Saturday, October 26, 2024
King Manor's annual fest features corn husk doll-making, pumpkin-picking, candy, crafts, and—of course—the Queens Fiber Arts Festival! This jam-packed celebration also includes art-making classes, performances by Mazarte, and a workshop that explores the Victorian fascination with the occult.   READ MORE

Open House at Lincoln Center

Upper West Side
Sunday, October 27, 2024
David Geffen Hall welcomes guests to experience the performing arts up close, with free workshops, participatory art-making, music, and dance. The full day of events includes an exciting concert with Mo Willems, in participation with musicians from the New York Philharmonic. READ MORE

Live Music and Kids Activities on The East River Esplanade

Upper East Side
Sunday, October 27, 2024
EsplanadeFriends host a FREE Live Music Event on the East River Waterfront, with live music from Gene Casey and the Lone Sharks, free face painting, Halloween arts and crafts, complimentary A La Mode ice cream (while supplies last), and additional activities for kids—all with a spectacular water view! READ MORE

Pumpkin Sing-Along in Sakura Park

Morningside Heights
Sunday, October 27, 2024
Every Voice Choirs hosts a pumpkin sing-along community concert in Sakura Park. READ MORE

Halloween on the Harlem Meer: Pumpkin Flotilla

Harlem
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
The Harlem Meer comes alive as the sun sets in this annual Halloween favorite. Hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns both spooky and sweet set sail at dusk in New York City's largest pumpkin flotilla. READ MORE

BAMboo!

Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Thursday, October 31, 2024
BAM’s annual free community Halloween celebration happily haunts the neighborhood with family-friendly music, carnival games, arts and crafts, candy giveaways, trick-or-treat popcorn, and family-friendly Halloween short films in the BAM Rose Cinemas. Costumes are encouraged. READ MORE

Dumboween: Halloween March to the Arch

Dumbo, Brooklyn
Thursday, October 31, 2024
Put on your most creative costume, and head to Dumbo for a Halloween March to the Arch. Beginning at Washington Street, between Front and Water Streets, costumed participants parade to the Dumbo Archway, led by live music and puppets. READ MORE

51st Annual Village Halloween Parade

Greenwich Village
Thursday, October 31, 2024
The world's most famous Halloween parade weaves through the streets of Greenwich Village once again. READ MORE

32nd Annual Canstruction Competition at Brookfield Place

Battery Park City
Opens Thursday, October 31, 2024
This extraordinary annual design competition is the most unique food charity in the world, Canstruction challenges teams of architects, engineers, and contractors to build sculptures made entirely out of unopened cans of food.  READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Old Stone House at JJ Byrne Playground
Carroll Park Carroll Gardens
J Hood Wright Rec Center Rotunda
Brooklyn Bridge Park - Pier 5
Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
Brooklyn Children's Museum
Bay 84th Street Community Garden
Citywide and online
David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center For The Performing Arts
BAM Peter Jay Sharp Lobby and Lepercq Space