July 2010 FREE New York City Events!
Source: Julie Smith
(39 ratings)
During summer, we often think of activities away from the city, like beaches, lakes and mountains. For New Yorkers, the city offers a great opportunity to take advantage of an exciting array of summer entertainment, right in our own backyard! I've pulled together a grouping of wonderful activities that are well worth the wander...
Movies Under the Stars
Riverside Park South, Pier 1, Hudson River at 70th St.; 8:30pm (dusk) shows.
212-428-0219
Theme - Tall Tales
July 7: Never Ending Story
July 14: Pan's Labyrinth
July 21: Inkheart
July 28: The Fall
Central Park Summer Stage
At Rumsey Playfield, enter Central Park at 69th St. and 5th Ave. on the east side or 72nd St. and Central Park West on the west side.
July 3, 3pm: Istanbulive II: The Sounds & Colors of Turkey featuring Kenan Dogulu, mor ve otesi, Ilhan Ersahin's Istanbul Sessions, Burhan Ocal Tulug Tirpan, Sukriye Tutkun, & DJ Sallih Saka (festival of Turkish jazz, soul, dance, pop and folk music).
July 7, 7pm: Nortec Collective Presents: Bostich & Fussible, El Guincho, Anita Tijoux. Presented in association with the 11th Annual LAMC (electronic rock from Mexico, Barcelonan psychedelic Tropicalia and Chilean/French hip hop).
July 10, 3pm: Maldita Vecindad, The Pinker Tones, and Profectas (Latin American rock stars from Mexico City and Barcelona).
July 11, 3pm: Dr. Jimmy Cliff, Trevor Hall, & Victor Deme
July 17, 3pm: Raphael Saadiq, Aloe Blacc, and Special Guests
July 18, 3pm: Global Family Day presented in association with Parents House of Kids: Featuring Ralph's World, Bethany and Rufus and Cirque-tacular Entertainment
July 21, 8pm: Comedy Central Park presents The Daily Show and Friends, hosted by Lewis Black
July 24, 8pm: The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
July 25, 3pm: Bassekou Kouyate + Ngoni Ba, Burkina Electric, Fool's Gold
July 31, 3pm: Jovanatti, Los Amigos Invisibles, Natalia Lafourcade (pop starts from Italy, Venezuela and Mexico)
New York Philharmonic in Central Park
Followed by fireworks display
212-875-5709
Westside entrance: West 81st or 86th Streets at Central Park West
Eastside entrance: East 79th or 85th Streets at Fifth Avenue
July 13, 8pm: Central Park, Great Lawn
July 14, 8pm: Central Park, Great Lawn
July 12, 8pm: Central Park Summer Stage
July 29, 7pm: Jackie Robinson Park
River to River Festival
At downtown venues
212-835-2789
July 4, 2pm: La Cumbiamba eNeYe; 3pm: Dan Zanes and Friends/76 Trombones, Battery Park, State Street and Battery Place (space limited, doors open at 1pm)
July 4, 2pm: Trinity Wall Street Presents Rosanne Cash, Colonels' Row at Governors Island, Free ferries from the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street, corner of Whitehall Street
July 4, 7pm: Texas on Tour, South Street Seaport, Pier 17
July 7, 12:30pm: Left on Red, Zuccotti Park, Broadway between Cedar and Liberty Streets
July 7, 5:30pm and 7:30pm: Yoshiko Chuma & The School of Hard Knocks: A-C-E one, LentSpace, Canal and Varick Streets (also July 8)
July 7, 7pm: Poets House Celebrates the Poetry and Music of Haiti with special guest L'Orches tre Septentrional, Rockefeller Park
July 8, 12pm and 1:15pm: Alice Farley Dance Theatre: HellGate Love Letter, World Financial Center Plaza, 220 Vesey Street
July 8, 7pm: Madeleine Peyroux, Castle Clinton in Battery Park, State Street and Battery Place (tickets distributed two per person, first-come, first served starting at 5pm)
July 8, 2pm: Rochester City Ballet, Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts, Pace University, 3 Spruce Street
July 9, 12pm and 1:15pm: Alice Farley Dance Theatre: HellGate Love Letter, World Financial Center Plaza, 220 Vesey Street
July 9, 6pm: Bear in Heaven with Zola Jesus, South Street Seaport, Pier 17
July 12, 12-4pm: Third Rail Projects: The Drifting Encyclopedia, World Financial Center Courtyard Gallery, 220 Vesey Street (Monday through Friday through September 3)
July 12, 12:30pm: Deganit Shemy: 2 Kilos of Sea, John Street United Methodist Church, 44 John Street (also July 13-15)
July 14, 12:30pm: The Dan Martin/Nick Russo Duo, Zuccotti Park, Broadway between Cedar and Liberty Streets
July 14, 3pm: Curator's Tour: "The Rise of Wall Street," The Skyscraper Museum, 39 Battery Place (also July 28)
July 14, 7pm: Jimmy Webb and Martin Rivas, Rockefeller Park
July 15, 12:30pm: Emmet Cohen, World Financial Center Plaza, 220 Vesey Street (also July 16 at One New York Plaza)
July 15, 7pm: Duncan Sheik, Castle Clinton in Battery Park, State Street and Battery Place (tickets distributed two per person, first-come, first served starting at 5pm)
July 16, 12-12:30pm: Paul-Andre Fortier: Solo 30x30, One New York Plaza, Water Street between Whitehall and Broad Streets (through August 14)
July 18, 5pm: Summer Stock NYC 2010, An Evening of Broadway Blockbusters, Michael Schimmel Center for the Arts, Pace University, 3 Spruce Street
July 21, 12:30pm: Gimagua, Zuccotti Park, Broadway between Cedar and Liberty Streets
July 21, 7pm: Burning Spear, Rockefeller Park
July 22, 12:30pm: KJ Denhert, World Financial Center Plaza, 220 Vesey Street (also July 23 at One New York Plaza)
July 22, 7pm: Antibalas, Castle Clinton
July 23, 6pm: Free Energy and Best Coast with Lose Limbs, South Street Seaport, Pier 17.
July 28, 12:30pm: Jason Green, Zuccotti Park, Broadway between Cedar and Liberty Streets
July 28, 7pm: Plena Libre, Wagner Park, Battery Place and West Street
July 28, 12:45pm: Summer Sounds at Trinity: Mecca Bodega, Trinity Church, Broadway at Wall Street
July 29, 12:30pm: Chris Velan, World Financial Center Plaza, 220 Vesey Street (also July 30 at One New York Plaza)
July 30, 6pm: Avi Buffalo and Chad Vangaalen, South Street Seaport, Pier 17
July 31, 3:30pm, Phil Soltanoff: SIT, STAND, WALK, LIE DOWN, Governors Island
Shakespeare in the Park
Through August 1, performed in repertory. Distribution of free tickets are on the day of the performance beginning at 1pm at The Delacorte Theater in Central Park (and online lottery). The closest entrances are at 81st Street and Central Park West or 79th Street and Fifth Avenue. There is a limit of 2 tickets per person.
The Winter's Tale (with Gerry Bamman, Francois Battiste, Linda Emond, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Bill Heck, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Byron Jennings, Heather Lind, Hamish Linklater, Jesse L. Martin, Nyambi Nyambi, Matthew Rauch, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Richard Topol, Max Wright)
The Merchant of Venice (with Gerry Bamman, Francois Battiste, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Bill Heck, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Byron Jennings, Heather Lind, Hamish Linklater, Jesse L. Martin, Nyambi Nyambi, Al Pacino, Lily Rabe, Matthew Rauch, Richard Topol, Max Wright)
Bryant Park Summer Film Festival
Behind the New York Public Library between 40th and 42nd Streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Lawn opens at 5pm, films begin at dusk (8-9pm).
July 5: The French Connection
July 12: My Man Godfrey
July 19: The China Syndrome
July 26: Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Bryant Park After Work Music
Behind the New York Public Library between 40th and 41st Streets and Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Check the website link above for current schedule and information. 6-7pm, Fountain Terrace
July 7: Libby Johnson
July 14: Mad Jazz Hatters
July 21: Abi Tapia
July 28: Columbia Summer Winds
Good Morning America Concert Series
At Rumsey Playfield, enter Central Park at 69th St. and 5th Ave. on the east side or 72nd St. and Central Park West on the west side; opens to public at 6am. Check the website link above for current schedule and information.
July 2: Mary J. Blige
July 9: To Be Announced
July 16: The GO-GO's
July 23: Sheryl Crow
July 30: Black Eyed Peas
NBC Rockefeller Plaza Concerts
At 49th Street and Rockefeller Plaza; 7am performances.
July 2: Maroon 5
July 9: Lady Gaga
July 16: Enrique Iglesias
July 23: John Mayer
July 30: Carrie Underwood
Hudson River Park Events
Most events take place at Pier 45 (Hudson River and Christopher St.), Pier 46 (Hudson River and Charles St.), Pier 54 (Hudson River and 14th St.) and Pier 84 (Hudson River and 33rd/34th St.)
An event almost every day (and then some!). Check the website link above for current schedule and information.
Harlem Meer Performance Festival
At the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues, inside the Park); 2-4pm performances.
212-860-1370
July 4: Zon del Barrio (Latin)
July 11: Retumba (Pan-Caribbean)
July 18: Harlem Blues & Jazz Band (Blues and Jazz)
July 25: Vanderlei Pereira and Blindfold Test (Brazillian Jazz) in the Conservatory Garden
Most events are weather permitting and all should be checked for schedule changes prior to the event.
Happy Summer!
Julie Smith is a native New Yorker and Senior Vice President with Halstead Property, one of the largest and most visible residential real estate brokerage firms in New York City.