The Best FREE Things to Do in NYC

Free things to do in NYC

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Sunday Dec. 21, 2025

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8 am – 11 pm

The Rink at Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park

Ages: All
Attractions
Family
Free

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant ParkManhattan

Screenshot 2025-12-05 at 1.25.18 PM

9 am – 5 pm

Evolution: Fashion Design AAS

Free

FIT Art and Design GalleryManhattan

DSCF2012

9 am – 7 pm

Gingerbread City

The Gingerbread City at The SeaportDowntown Manhattan

dress-dreams-desire-banner

10 am – 5 pm

Dress, Dreams, and Desire: Fashion and Psychoanalysis

Art
Free

The Museum at FITChelsea

10 am – 7 pm

POP MART’s SKULLPANDA You Found Me Pop-Up Experience

Ages: All
Family
Free
Markets

SKULLPANDA You Found Me Pop-UpManhattan

Manhattan Selfies with Santa

10 am – 6 pm

Selfies with Santa

Ages: All
Christmas
Family
Free

Brookfield PlaceTribeca

11.19.25_Bloomingdales_Windows_058

10 am – 7 pm

Santaland at Bloomingdale’s

Ages: All
Christmas
Family
Free

Bloomingdale’sManhattan

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11 am – 7 pm

Shine Bright at Hudson Yards Presented by Wells Fargo

The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson YardsNew York City

0083_Santa_BFPLNY_2023

11 am – 7 pm

Holiday Under the Palms at Brookfield Place

Brookfield PlaceTribeca

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11:30 am – 6 pm

An Ecology of Quilts: The Natural History of American Textiles

Art
Free

American Folk Art MuseumLincoln Square

Winter-Village_Bryant-Park_2024-12-19_Colin-Miller_137_908deb

Noon – 8 pm

Holiday Shops at Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park

Ages: All
Family
Free
Holiday

Bryant Park 6th Avenue between 40th and 42nd Street, New York, NY 10018Manhattan

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Noon – 7 pm

IKEA House Warming

Ages: All
Family
Free

IKEA House WarmingManhattan

Noon – 4 pm

Gotham Burger Social Club Toy Drive

Ages: All
Family
Free

131 Essex StreetNew York

2024 Nordstrom NYC Holiday

2 pm

Santa Snow Show and Elf-ies with Santa

Ages: All
Christmas
Family
Free

Nordstrom NYC FlagshipManhattan

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2 – 4 pm

Santa’s Coming to NY Waterway’s Weekend Holiday Market

Ages: All
Christmas
Family
Free

Midtown Ferry TerminalManhattan

2 – 3 pm

Storytime with tonies x Nordstrom Storytime HOLIDAY SING ALONG

Nordstrom NYC FlagshipManhattan

Manhattan Nightly Lighting of World’s Largest Menorah

5:30 pm

Nightly Lighting of World’s Largest Menorah

Ages: All
Family
Free
Holiday

Grand Army Plaza – Fifth AvenueManhattan

2024 Nordstrom NYC Holiday

6 pm

Santa Snow Show and Elf-ies with Santa

Ages: All
Christmas
Family
Free

Nordstrom NYC FlagshipManhattan

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6 – 9 pm

50 Years of PUNK at Ki Smith Gallery

Art
Free

Ki Smith GalleryLower East Side

Monday Dec. 22

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All day

Resistance in Memory: Visions of Sudan

Art
Free

The Africa CenterEast Harlem

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All day

Gift of Making: A Whimsical Celebration of Art, Design, and Creativity at FIT

Art
Free

FIT Art and Design GalleryManhattan

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8 am – 10 pm

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant ParkManhattan

nyf-calendar-Ice Skating at Winter-Village-Bryant-Park-photo-Kevin-Ornelas-2025-12

8 am – 11 pm

The Rink at Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park

Ages: All
Attractions
Family
Free

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant ParkManhattan

Screenshot 2025-12-05 at 1.25.18 PM

9 am – 5 pm

Evolution: Fashion Design AAS

Free

FIT Art and Design GalleryManhattan

DSCF2012

9 am – 7 pm

Gingerbread City

The Gingerbread City at The SeaportDowntown Manhattan

10 am – 7 pm

POP MART’s SKULLPANDA You Found Me Pop-Up Experience

Ages: All
Family
Free
Markets

SKULLPANDA You Found Me Pop-UpManhattan

2023FD81_417_RT_HR_FD-RGB-Edit-v3-people (1)

10 am – 9 pm

Shine Bright at Hudson Yards Presented by Wells Fargo

The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson YardsNew York City

0083_Santa_BFPLNY_2023

10 am – 8 pm

Holiday Under the Palms at Brookfield Place

Brookfield PlaceTribeca

Manhattan Selfies with Santa

10 am – 7 pm

Selfies with Santa

Ages: All
Christmas
Family
Free

Brookfield PlaceTribeca

11.19.25_Bloomingdales_Windows_058

10 am – 8 pm

Santaland at Bloomingdale’s

Ages: All
Christmas
Family
Free

Bloomingdale’sManhattan

Winter-Village_Bryant-Park_2024-12-19_Colin-Miller_137_908deb

Noon – 8 pm

Holiday Shops at Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park

Ages: All
Family
Free
Holiday

Bryant Park 6th Avenue between 40th and 42nd Street, New York, NY 10018Manhattan

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Noon – 7 pm

IKEA House Warming

Ages: All
Family
Free

IKEA House WarmingManhattan

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