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There's always something exciting to do and see around the five boroughs that doesn't cost a dime. See our weekly picks below, and visit our calendar  and special offers section for more free events.

June 27–July 3

Wednesday, June 27
Caribbean: Crossroads of the World
Caribbean: Crossroads of the World—presented by El Museo del Barrio, the Queens Museum of Art and The Studio Museum in Harlem—is a series of art exhibitions that survey the history of the Caribbean basin and its diaspora. At the Queens Museum of Art, you can view Kingdoms of this World, which examines the variety of languages, cultures and religions that coexist in the region and the roles they've played in society, and Fluid Motions, which looks at the geographical and geopolitical complexities of being both connected and separated by water. The show opened in June, in the midst of National Caribbean-American Heritage Month.

Thursday, June 28
Photoville 
Framed by its iconic traverse and the breathtaking skyline of Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn Bridge Park has rightfully played a starring role in countless film shoots, wedding portraits and tourist snapshots—so it's only natural that it be the setting for Photoville, a temporary village celebrating the art of the image. During the event at Pier 3 (along the waterfront between DUMBO and Atlantic Avenue), you can view photo exhibitions housed within more than 35 shipping containers, attend talks and panel discussions, participate in workshops on subjects such as portraits and printing, and take in nighttime projections of top documentary photo work. And because this is Brooklyn, there is also a beer garden, a rotating lineup of food trucks and the Foto Canine Run, where four-legged guests can get a little outdoor exposure for themselves. On June 28, Photoville is open from 4 to 10pm. It can be seen though July 1; for dates and times, visit photovillenyc.org. If you can't make it, you can still drop by the park throughout the summer to check out The Fence, a 1,000-foot-long display that showcases the work of photographers of all skill levels.

Friday, June 29 
Fourth Annual North River Historic Ship Festival
Dip your toe in New York City's rich maritime past during the Fourth Annual North River Historic Ship Festival at Hudson River Park's Pier 25, where educational tours and rides will take place on historic boats from June 28 through July 1. On June 29, tour the tugboat Pegasus, as well as a railroad barge and a decommissioned steamship that serve as waterfront museums. Return the following day and climb aboard the Pegasus or the fireboat John J. Harvey for a 45-minute ride on the Hudson. (Tickets for this are free, but space is limited. You can reserve them in advance or pick them up on a first-come, first-served basis at the North River Historic Ship Society tent starting at 11:30am.)

Saturday, June 30 
Brooklyn American Independence Day Parade
Salute Old Glory as it waves down 13th Avenue in Brooklyn's Dyker Heights and heralds the 236th birthday of America and honors the United States Armed Forces. Prepare to be dazzled by an array of local marching bands, dance ensembles, bagpipers, military groups and more. The parade, which begins at noon and runs from 71st to 86th Streets, is now in its 107th year, making it the oldest continuous American Independence parade in New York City.

Sunday, July 1
Freedom Strut
The 185th anniversary of the emancipation of slaves in New York State (on July 4) will be celebrated on July 1 from 1 to 4pm at Lefferts Historic House in Brooklyn's Prospect Park. Listen to narrators recount stories of the struggle for African-American freedom, create your own Emancipation Day button and learn how to make a shekere, or an African gourd rattle.

Monday, July 2
Inverted Sky, Kite Project 2012
The sky above the Hudson River will be the backdrop for an opportunity to reflect on world financial events of late courtesy of Inverted Sky, Kite Project 2012, a live-music and kite installation. Starting at 1pm at Battery Park City's Nelson A. Rockefeller Park, specimen banknotes from around the globe will be fashioned into butterfly-shaped kites; as each soars into the air, it will be accompanied by a single melodic thread of music, which increases in complexity and density with the release of each kite. The presentation is meant to reflect the beauty of these insects in migration and the mobility and variability of today's markets, as well as assess people's attitude toward money.

Tuesday, July 3
Stargazing on the High Line 
When dusk rolls around, head to the High Line for a chance to view some celestial sights above the twinkling lights of New York's tall buildings. Through high-powered telescopes, you'll get an up-close view of the stars, the planets and the moon, which should be fully illuminated that night. This is a great time for stargazing newbies to learn a thing or two about studying the sky from members of the Amateur Astronomers Association, who will be happy to answer questions and fill you in on the upcoming meteor showers this summer. The event takes place every Tuesday from 6:30 to 9:30pm and is weather permitting.