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.
Tours
Sex and the City Tavern Tour
Missing Carrie & Co? Now that the long-awaited film has debuted, put on those Manolo Blahniks and come with a thirst for Cosmopolitans and nostalgia for the show. Trace their footsteps on a tour of sites associated with the program, with stops at several of their frequented bars. $15 For times, dates and reservations: 212-465-3331
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.
Arts & Culture
Story Museum
Join this special story and activity time at Historic Richmond Town, Staten Island's living history museum. Toddlers and kids up to age 5 are invited to the hour-long Story Museum, which takes place every Thursday morning. Please call 718-351-1611 ext. 280 to reserve a spot. For more information, visit http://historicrichmondtown.org/visit/events/event-info
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".
Tours
Grand Central Terminal Audio Tour
MTA Metro-North Railroad and Orpheo USA offer this self-guided tour of Grand Central Terminal. Visitors and locals alike can take advantage of the tour—which comes with an audio device, headphones and a map of the terminal—and learn about the structure's architectural highlights and history. Audio is available in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German and Japanese; the MTA will soon introduce an audio-description tour for the visually impaired.