Fall brings a host of free events to the five boroughs. You’ll find holiday parades, art exhibits, street festivals and tours of buildings usually off limits to the public—all of which you can enjoy without breaking the bank. We’ve gathered some of our favorites below; click on each to find out more.
Broadway
The Phantom of the Opera
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most famous creation, based on a popular French novel, is the longest-running musical on Broadway. A deformed musical genius, the Phantom, gives voice lessons to a struggling singer, falls in love and attempts to force her to return his feelings.
Music
BAMcafé Live
BAMcafé Live features a diverse mix of free live music and performance in BAM's Lepercq Space, a lounge and bar space in the Peter Jay Sharp Building. Recent series include the on-going residency with Black Rock Coalition (BRC). This year you can find some of the best artists from Brooklyn and beyond performing on the BAMcafé Live stage every Friday and Saturday night from October through June. The bar is open for drinks and light menu items beginning at 8pm. There is no cover charge and no drink minimum.
Museums & Galleries
New American Wing Galleries
Twenty-five new and expanded galleries provide visitors with a rich history of American art from the eighteenth through the early twentieth century. The museum's collection of American paintings are displayed together for the first time including works by John Singleton Copley, Thomas Eakins and Winslow Homer. The centerpiece of the new installation is Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze's 1851 painting "Washington Crossing the Delaware".