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14 completely free things to do in New York City in October
By
Anthony Schneck
Published Sep 28, 2024
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Scott Lynch for Gothamist
By
Anthony Schneck
Published Sep 28, 2024
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October’s right around the corner! Bring on the brisk breezes, cozy cardigans and your favorite fall libation. As usual, you probably prefer to have fun without blowing through the money you’re maybe saving for holiday shopping. Or for just living in New York City. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best free activities New York City has to offer this October.
"Just Frame It: How Nike Turned Sports Stars into Superheroes" is on view now at the Poster House.
Photographer: Chuck Kuhn. Collection of Bruce “ImaPaqRat” Fisher / Image Courtesy of Poster House
Go see the new exhibitions at Poster House
New York City’s best museum about posters is free for everyone all day on Fridays. No waiting around until the evening hours!
October is the perfect time to check out one of the city’s underrated art options, since three new exhibitions opened this week, including “Just Frame It: How Nike Turned Sports Stars into Superheroes.” Poster House is open Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Once again, Fridays are free – and admission is $12 other days.
A Fran, surrounded by Frans at FranCon2023.
Scott Lynch for Gothamist
Figure out your outfit for FranCon
It’s like SantaCon, but you dress up like Fran Lebowitz, according to the event's cofounder, Jane August. Now in its fourth year, FranCon happens Oct. 24 at the Holiday Cocktail Lounge in the East Village. It’s free to attend, drinks are extra and guests are encouraged to bring a book for an exchange.
A dog named mimi is dressed as a bodega cat, complete with a mini rolling convenience store on a wheeled wire shelf.
Scott Lynch for Gothamist
Double down on dog parades
So many dog parades, so little time. There’s the Great Pupkin Dog Costume Contest in Fort Greene on Oct. 26. Also that day is the Washington Square Park Dog Day Halloween. But the shining star of them all – the one that attracts international press and thousands of spectators – is the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade, slated for Saturday, Oct. 19.
A scene from a previous year's Stone Street Oktoberfest.
Photo by Shelley Mulshine / Courtesy of Stone Street Oktoberfest
Celebrate Oktoberfest
Stone Street in the Financial District puts on the Oktoberfest street party of the season. It runs every Saturday, now through the end of October, from noon to 11 p.m. It happens on (you guessed it) Stone Street, where the area’s bars and restaurants set up outside to serve beer, beer and some food. If you’re feeling especially confident in your Oktoberfest spirit, you can try your hand at the festival's stein-holding contests.
Admire a pumpkin flotilla in Central Park
You have to see pumpkins in October – otherwise it's not spooky season. On Wednesday, Oct. 30 from 4 to 7 p.m., the Harlem Meer at the north end of Central Park will light up with hundreds of floating jack-o-lanterns. Show up between 4 and 5:30 p.m. with your own pumpkin if you it included in the show. There’s no guarantee it'll be selected, but if it's around 8 pounds, you've got a good chance.
Get deep into manga
Attention manga-heads: Japan’s biggest manga publisher is setting up an experiential house in Soho throughout October. The Kodansha House pop-up will feature “interactive exhibits, artist appearances, movie nights, exclusive swag and more.” You have to RSVP to get a spot at things like Manga Movie Nights and trivia nights, but the space is always open to the public starting Oct. 4 through the end of the month. It’s located at 45 Grand St., and open Wednesdays to Sundays, from noon to 9 p.m.
Once a sugar refinery, the 460,000-square-foot of state-of the-art space will be open for a tour of the penthouse event space as well as a look at the office floors.
Max Touhey
Explore off-limits locations during Open House New York
Ever wondered what goes on at some of New York’s iconic locations that aren’t usually open to the public? Open House New York is for you. The weekend event was started in 2003 to highlight the city’s architecture, and this year it takes place Oct. 18-20 in all five boroughs. The full schedule and list of locations will be released on Oct. 1, but in the past, people have been able to tour locations like the Woodlawn Cemetery Mausoleums in the Bronx, and the Refinery at Domino. Some events do require advance registration, which carries a small fee — but most of the spaces will be open to the public. And, of course, it's free to everyone.
Listen to leading organists on your lunch break
What says “fall in New York” better than listening to pipe organ music in an old church? St. Paul’s Cathedral in lower Manhattan hosts Pipes at One, a concert series that happens every Tuesday at 1 p.m. Leading organists from around the world play a mix of old and new music.
Go birdwatching on Staten Island
The Urban Park Rangers, an agency within the city's park's department, is hosting a bird-watching event right in the thick of migration season. With promises of “warblers, raptors, and more,” the Rangers will guide you around Eibs Pond Park as you keep your eyes on the sky and treetops. Birders of all levels and experience are welcome. It's Saturday, Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Watch movies under the stars
You thought outdoor movies were finished just because summer is over? Think again! In October there are loads of free movie options still showing at parks around the city – with both family-friendly and spooky titles galore. You could check out the latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie at Crocheron Park in Queens on Oct. 3; or the original “Beetlejuice” at Beach Channel Park, also in Queens, on Oct. 13. There are options around the city, so grab a blanket, some friends and enjoy a free night at the movies.
A scene from a previous year's Village Halloween Parade.
Scott Lynch / Gothamist
Prance, dance or glance at the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade
Obviously the Halloween festivities in Greenwich Village (and, well, everywhere) are included in a list of free things to do in October. You’ll probably see plenty of Beetlejuices and Rayguns and Deadpools… but the parade's surprises and jubilation have made this a perennial favorite festivity among many New Yorkers. The 51st annual parade goes from Canal Street to 15th Street along Sixth Avenue and starts at 7 p.m. on Halloween.
Visit the Brooklyn Synth and Pedal Expo in Greenpoint
Bring your guitar and explore all the synthesizer and digital effects worlds have to offer at the 9th edition of the Brooklyn Synth and Pedal Expo. It’s Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 5 and 6, at 100 Sutton St. in Greenpoint. Picture 6,000 square feet dedicated to gear, gear, and … gearheads. You can test out the effects and synthesizers or listen to talks from major players in the effects world. RSVPs are required to get an entry time, so act now!
Other of Pearl
Photo credit: Timothy Schenck
Head to Governors Island for “Other of Pearl”
Get out on the water this October by taking the ferry to Governors Island. There’s plenty to do there, but consider checking out the “Other of Pearl” exhibit. Artist Jenny Kendler explores climate change, capitalism, and a whole host of other contemporary issues by centering two creatures essential to the health of oceans: the oyster and the whale. What does that mean? Depends who you ask – but you can "sing in the voice of a whale" by playing a handblown glass instrument, or admire sculptures grown inside oysters. It’s at the magazine of Fort Jay, and is open Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Explore the other side at Green-Wood Cemetery
Is it really spooky season if you don’t spend time in a cemetery pondering spirits and the world beyond? If strolling alone through a cemetery isn’t your thing, Green-Wood Cemetery also puts on plenty of free, communal events for the cash-strapped seeker of the metaphysical realm.
Old-fashioned gamers will enjoy Game Night, featuring the Death Deck, where you draw cards designed to probe your deepest beliefs and fears – that’s Oct. 15 starting at 6:30 p.m. Then, on Oct. 24 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m, there’s a Grieving and Weaving crafting meetup, which invites people of all skill levels to create something by hand or share stories behind handmade items.
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Anthony Schneck
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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