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Free in October: 35 Things To Do in NYC with Kids

Celebrate the changing of the seasons at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy's annual Harvest Festival! Photo by Katherine Gray
Celebrate the changing of the seasons at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy's annual Harvest Festival! Photo by Katherine Gray
10/2/22 - By Rosalind Muggeridge

October is bubbling over with bushels of free things to do in NYC. While we've already presented you with our picks for free Halloween activities, that's not all the cost-free fun happening in NYC this month. We have plenty of non-Halloween events, including harvest and fall festivals like the Little Red Lighthouse Festival and Randall's Island Harvest Festival.

October also boasts events like the Blessing of the Animals, Yom Kippur in Prospect Park, and the Atlantic Antic.

Read on for 35 free things to do in New York City this October, including events in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, and the Bronx. Find more top events on our best-of-October list, or our always-packed daily Family Activity Calendar. Of course, our Guide to Fall Activities and New York City Halloween Guide have all the seasonal must-do's.

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Climb high on the ropes course at Alley Pond Park's adventure course public Sundays. Photo courtesy of NYC Parks
Climb high on the ropes course at Alley Pond Park's adventure course public Sundays. Photo courtesy of NYC Parks

Free Things To Do in NYC All October Long

Broadway in the Boros

Citywide
Fridays through October 14
Some of the best songs from hit Broadway musicals are being belted out right in your neighborhood! Find out where—and when—you can catch Broadway stars belting out tunes near you. READ MORE

Wetlab Look-in

West Village
Tuesdays and Thursdays through Tuesday, October 25
Come face-to-face with Hudson River wildlife at the Wetlab and view a fascinating seasonal exhibit of local fish and invertebrates collected from the Hudson River. READ MORE

Lalo-palooza in the Park

Park Slope
Thursdays through October 27
Tap your toes at Lalo-palooza, a free outdoor music series where families can groove to tunes from award-winning children's performer Suzi Shelton and participate in fun, kid-friendly activities. READ MORE

Alley Pond Adventure Rope Course Public Sundays

Oakland Gardens
Repeating every Sunday through October 30
Alley Pond Park opens its challenging ropes course for free Sunday sessions during the summer season. Trained professionals lead families through team-building challenges including a low- and high-ropes course, a zip line, a climbing wall, a trust fall station, and balance platforms. READ MORE

Black Atlantic Art Expo

Brooklyn Bridge Park
Daily through Monday, November 7
Brooklyn Bridge Park provides the backdrop for this new exhibition—which brings together the international voices of artists Leilah Babirye, Hugh Hayden, Dozie Kanu, Tau Lewis, and Kiyan Williams. READ MORE
Little Amal walks through Brooklyn Bridge Park to St. Anne's Warehouse to say her goodbyes. Photo courtesy of @respectiveco
Little Amal walks through Brooklyn Bridge Park to St. Anne's Warehouse to say her goodbyes. Photo courtesy of @respectiveco

Free Things To Do in NYC from Saturday, October 1-Sunday, October 9

PaleyWKND

Midtown East
Saturday, October 1-Sunday, October 2
The Paley Center for Media hosts two days of interactive experiences and immersive attractions from the exciting worlds of media, sports, gaming, and entertainment.  READ MORE

Brooklyn FAM: Festival of Arts and Music 2022

Prospect Park
Sunday, October 2
Prospect Park hosts a fantastic lineup of performances, dance and steel pan workshops, and art-making at Brooklyn FAM’s second annual, family-friendly flagship event. READ MORE

48th Annual Atlantic Antic

Park Slope to Brooklyn Heights
Sunday, October 2
The largest street fest in New York City, the Atlantic Antic, is a mile long and spans four neighborhoods from 4th Avenue to Hicks Street. The fest features more than 500 merchants and vendors and hosts 10 stages of live performers. READ MORE

Celebración Latina

Upper West Side
Sunday, October 2
Ballet Hispánico celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with Latinx dance, music, art, food, and culture! Festivities include live performances from Ballet Hispánico’s Pa'lante Scholars, free dance classes, live music, and food from local vendors. READ MORE

Blessing of the Animals and the Feast of Saint Francis

Morningside Heights
Sunday, October 2
The Cathedral of St. John the Divine welcomes families to a day of music, prayer, joy, blessings, and fun in honor of Saint Francis, the patron saint of animals and the environment. READ MORE

Amal at the Atlantic Antic and St Ann's Warehouse

Dumbo
Sunday, October 2
Amal explores the biggest street fest in Brooklyn, the Atlantic Antic, then walks New York one last time through Brooklyn Bridge Park, where she meets with all the puppets she has befriended, all the musicians she has danced with, and all the artists with whom she has performed. READ MORE

Yom Kippur in Prospect Park

Prospect Park
Wednesday, October 5
Join the Prospect Park Alliance when school is closed for Yom Kippur. Enjoy free nature education activities, animal encounters, bird walks, and more at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, and take a ride on the beloved Prospect Park Carousel. READ MORE

Little Red Lighthouse Festival

Washington Heights
Saturday, October 8
Celebrate Manhattan’s only remaining lighthouse with Urban Park Ranger presentations, readings of The Little Red Lighthouse and The Great Gray Bridge children’s book, fishing clinics, live music, food vendors, and activities for the whole family! READ MORE

Family Day: Dia De Los Muertos

Washington Heights
Saturday, October 8
Families can make paper sugar skulls and other crafts and help to create a Day of The Dead altar, or ofrenda, by leaving notes or gifts for their ancestors or loved ones. Participants are invited to bring a copy of a photograph of someone they wish to honor with their ofrenda. READ MORE

Children's Harvest Festival at Far Rockaway Farms

Far Rockaway
Saturday, October 8
The Children's Harvest Festival is an annual street fair hosted by The Campaign Against Hunger. Stop by for face-painting, scavenger hunts, performances, free food, games, and more. READ MORE
Two new exhibits debut at the New York Hall of Science's Reopening Celebration on Saturday, October 15. Photo courtesy of NYSCI
Two new exhibits debut at the New York Hall of Science's Reopening Celebration on Saturday, October 15. Photo courtesy of NYSCI

Free Things To Do in NYC from Monday, October 10-Sunday, October 16

The Annual Columbus Day Parade

Midtown
Monday, October 10
The 78th Columbus Day Parade processes up Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 72nd Street—with red carpet performances on Fifth Avenue between 67th and 69th Streets—including high school bands, professional musicians, folk dance troupes, floats, and more.  READ MORE

Italian Heritage/Indigenous Peoples Day in Prospect Park

Prospect Place
Monday, October 10
Join the Prospect Park Alliance when school is closed for Italian Heritage/Indigenous Peoples Day. Enjoy free nature education activities, animal encounters, bird walks, and more at the Prospect Park Audubon Center, and take a ride on the beloved Prospect Park Carousel. READ MORE

How to Get Into Kindergarten with Alina Adams

Virtual
Wednesday, October 12
Learn about all things Success Academy from the comfort of your own home and get all the facts on everything from the application process to uniforms to The Academy's whole-child approach to education. READ MORE

Build a House: Author Reading with Rhiannon Giddens

Crown Heights
Thursday, October 13
Grammy-winning musician Rhiannon Giddens presents her new children’s book, the gorgeously illustrated Build a House, and performs the song “Build a House” followed by a storybook reading. READ MORE

Submerge: NYC Marine Science Festival

Hell's Kitchen
Friday, October 14-Saturday, October 15
The Hudson River Park presents Submerge—a free, two-day science extravaganza devoted to raising awareness about our coastal waters.  READ MORE

New York Hall of Science Reopening Celebration – SOLD OUT

Corona, Queens
Saturday, October 15
More than one year after Hurricane Ida flooded the museum, the New York Hall of Science gears up for a reopening. Join this free community celebration where two new exhibits are set to debut. While you're there, meet NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps and enjoy fun extras like face painting. READ MORE

City of Forest Day

Madison Square Park
Saturday, October 15
Madison Square Park hosts an afternoon of family-friendly tree tours and other activities to celebrate NYC’s urban forest. Stop by the Reflecting Pool at noon for a guided tree tour, or grab a self-guided map and explore the park’s arboretum on your own. READ MORE

Jon Scieszka & Julia Rothman present Real Dada Mother Goose

Park Slope
Saturday, October 15
Caldecott Honor-winning author Jon Scieszka and acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman visit Community Bookstore for an in-person storytime event, reading from their new book, The Real Dada Mother Goose: A Treasury of Complete Nonsense. READ MORE

(Be)Tween Time – Fall Cookie Decorating with Chef Irbania Tavares

Randall's Island
Saturday, October 15
During this tween-focused workshop, Chef Irbania teaches kids how to decorate cookies featuring the natural beauty of autumn leaves.  READ MORE

Annual Harvest Festival

Upper East Side
Sunday, October 16
Carl Schurz Park's annual harvest fest packs a punch with plenty of festive fall activities for the whole family. READ MORE
The Queens Theatre hosts a Classical Music Kids Fest. Photo by Flavio Pardo
The Queens Theatre hosts a Classical Music Kids Fest. Photo by Flavio Pardo

Free Things To Do in NYC from Monday, October 17-Sunday, October 23

Open House New York

Citywide
Daily, Friday, October 21-Sunday, October 23
This year's Open House NYC once again offers a hybrid of virtual experiences, self-guided explorations, and in-person tours. Enjoy food trucks, pop-up eateries, outdoor activations, and more. READ MORE

Brooklyn Bridge Park's Harvest Festival

Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn
Saturday, October 22
Celebrate the fall season at the 12th-annual harvest festival in Brooklyn Bridge Park. A fun procession kicks off the event, which includes arts and crafts, storytelling, lawn games, and more—plus BBP's signature pumpkin patch. READ MORE

Lenfest Kids: Community Day Double Feature

West Harlem
Saturday, October 22
Columbia University School of Arts' monthly series of films for the whole family, Lenfest Kids, celebrates Community Day with free screenings of Honey I Shrunk the Kids (PG) at 12pm, and Hidden Figures (PG), at 4pm. READ MORE

Queens Theatre's Classical Kids Fair

Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
Sunday, October 23
WQXR is heading to Queens for a Classical Kids Fair at the Queens Theatre. Families can experience live performances, an instrument “petting zoo,” arts and crafts, radio and dance workshops, and more. READ MORE

Fungus Festival 2023

Randall's Island
Sunday, October 23
The New York Mycological Society (NYMS) hosts NYC’s first Fungus Festival, welcoming mushroom-curious amateurs and experts of all ages. READ MORE
Help Hudson River Park’s River Project team return the Wetlab’s fish residents to the Hudson River as the flow-through aquarium closes for the season. Photo by Mommy Poppins
Help Hudson River Park’s River Project team return the Wetlab’s fish residents to the Hudson River as the flow-through aquarium closes for the season. Photo by Mommy Poppins

Free Things To Do in NYC from Monday, October 24-Monday, October 31

Student Organization Workshop with Ana Homayoun

Upper East Side
Wednesday, October 26
The author of Social Media Wellness: Helping Teens and Tweens Thrive in an Unbalanced Digital World, Ana Homayoun, helps families find practical solutions to promote purposeful learning. READ MORE

Release of the Fishes

Greenwich Village
Thursday, October 27
Help the Hudson River Park’s River Project team return its Wetlab fish residents to the Hudson River as the flow-through aquarium closes for the season. READ MORE

Día de los Muertos | Day of the Dead

Financial District
Saturday, October 29
Día de los Muertos is a time for celebrating ancestors, and The National Museum of the American Indian invites families to mark the occasion with traditional dances by the Aztec dance troupe Cetiliztli Nauhcampa around the community ofrenda (altar). READ MORE

Campfire Stories and Songs

Battery Park
Saturday, October 29
Cozy up to a campfire for stories and singalongs with family and friends, featuring award-winning NYC singer/songwriter Suzi Shelton. READ MORE

9th Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest

Greenwich Village
Saturday, October 29
Washington Market Park hosts this annual free community event with trophies awarded in five pumpkin-carving categories: cutest, scariest, funniest, most realistic, and most creative. Bring your own pumpkin to enter, or just stop by with your family to enjoy the festive display! READ MORE

Open House: Family Day

Upper West Side
Sunday, October 30
Discover for yourself what makes the newly remodeled David Geffen Hall so unique! Families can dress in costume and explore the hidden tricks and treats that the world of live performance can offer. READ MORE

BAMboo!

Fort Greene
Monday, October 31
BAM’s annual free community Halloween celebration is back, with candy giveaways, carnival games, arts and crafts, music, and a costume contest. READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Citywide (see above)
Old Stone House at JJ Byrne Playground
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine
Little Red Lighthouse (in Fort Washington Park)
Success Academy Charter Schools Network Office
Citywide and online
Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian
David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center For The Performing Arts
BAM Peter Jay Sharp Lobby and Lepercq Space