Come Alone by Meet & Mint Events you can go to on your own

Events by city · United States · New York

Events in New York, easy to join alone.

52 upcoming events in New York you can go to alone, 52 of them free, from Thursday 22 Oct to Monday 2 Nov. Picked from city open data and official agendas. Check the official page before you go: times and prices can change.

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Upcoming · by date

What is on in New York

52 events in the next 14 days.

Thu22Oct
Free
OutdoorsNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Adult hike to Paulo's Peak, Greenbelt, Staten Island

Greenbelt Nature Center

A two-hour guided hike for adults through the Greenbelt, the large forested park in the middle of Staten Island. The group sets off from the Greenbelt Nature Center, follows the rustic trails to the high point known as Paulo's Peak and returns the same way. The listing asks for sturdy shoes or boots because the paths are rough, and it does not mention any registration, so it appears to be a straightforward turn-up event. The Open Data record shows no charge. The walk happens on a Thursday late morning in the middle of the autumn colour season, and a hiking group is one of the simplest ways to meet people while doing something active, since you have a shared pace and plenty to point out along the way. Pack water and a layer. «Greenbelt Adult Hike - Paulo’s Peak» Starts 11:00, ends about 13:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Thu22Oct
Free
LearningNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Air-pruned raised beds workshop at Snug Harbor, Staten Island

Snug Harbor Cultural Center

A hands-on gardening workshop at Snug Harbor on Staten Island, run with the Cornell Small Farms Program, about air-pruned raised beds, a modular way of raising seedlings that works in a city yard as well as on a farm and needs only modest start-up costs. This is the second session of a series, but it is open to anyone, not only to people who came to the first. The agenda covers harvesting and planting seedlings, putting the beds to rest for winter with or without seeds in them, collecting and storing seed, and planning a small growing enterprise; earlier topics such as bed design, materials, growing media and seed sources get a short recap. Registration is through the Snug Harbor website, and the session lasts two hours on a Thursday afternoon. «Air Pruned Raised Bed Session 2 with Cornell Small Farms Program» Starts 13:00, ends about 15:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Thu22Oct
Free
CultureNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Public gallery tour at Glyndor Gallery, Wave Hill, the Bronx

Glyndor Gallery, Wave Hill

Wave Hill, the public garden above the Hudson in the Bronx, runs short drop-in tours of the exhibitions in its Glyndor Gallery, and this Thursday afternoon tour covers the shows currently on view. The gallery programme looks at how nature, culture and place relate, with work by both emerging and established artists shown in the setting of a garden. Volunteer Gallery Greeters lead the walk-through, which takes about forty-five minutes and also visits the smaller Sunroom Project Space. The listing says no registration is needed, so you can simply turn up at two o'clock. The gallery level is reached by an elevator and a ground-level entrance. A guided look at an exhibition is a gentle way to meet other visitors and talk about what you see, whether or not you know much about contemporary art. «Public Gallery Tour» Starts 14:00, ends about 14:45. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Thu22Oct
Free
CultureNew York

High Line architecture and design tour, Manhattan

The High Line

A specialist walking tour of the High Line, the elevated park built on a disused railway on Manhattan's West Side. This session concentrates on architecture and landscape design rather than the general highlights. A volunteer High Line docent, named in the listing as Bridget Gramling for this date, leads the group for about ninety minutes and talks through the engineering feats of the old rail line, the hundreds of unusual proposals that came in during the open ideas competition for its future, and the principles that shaped the finished park. It suits anyone curious about how a city reuses its infrastructure, and a guided group gives you an easy way to start conversations while you walk. The Open Data record shows no charge. It is an evening tour on a Thursday, so wrap up warm. «Spotlight tour: Architecture & Design» Starts 17:30, ends about 19:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Thu22Oct
Free
OutdoorsNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

NYRR Open Run 5K, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens

United Nations Ave South Entrance, Flushing Meadows Corona Park

NYRR Open Run is a programme of free weekly 5K runs led by the community in neighbourhood parks across the New York area, and this Thursday evening session takes place at the United Nations Avenue South entrance of Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. The listing says it is open to runners and walkers of all ages, abilities and experience levels, so you can set your own pace and walk part of the route if you like. The park was the site of two twentieth-century World's Fairs and has wide paths, lakes and many sports facilities. The meeting time is 18:45 and the listing gives a slot of just over an hour. It is free, and the page shows no registration requirement. Group runs are a classic way to meet people when you are new in town. «NYRR Open Run: Flushing Meadows Corona Park» Starts 18:45, ends about 20:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Thu22Oct
Free
CultureNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Movie Under the Stars: Sinners (2025), McCarren Park, Brooklyn

McCarren Park at Driggs Avenue and Lorimer Street

NYC Parks shows the 2025 film Sinners as an outdoor screening in McCarren Park, Brooklyn, on a Thursday evening. In the film, twin brothers return to their hometown hoping to leave troubled lives behind, only to find that a greater evil is waiting for them. The film is rated R and intended for mature audiences, which makes this one for adults. Screenings in the series begin at dusk, are free and open to the public, and the listing adds that glass bottles and alcohol are not allowed. The park may cancel the showing in heavy rain or extreme weather, with the decision posted on the Parks website beforehand. The listing times the evening from 19:00 to 21:00, so bring a blanket and warm layers. An outdoor film with strangers is an easy way to spend an evening alone. «Movie Under the Stars: Sinners (2025)» Starts 19:00, ends about 21:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Fri23Oct
Free
OutdoorsNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Beginner-friendly Running Group, Dyckman Fields, Inwood Hill Park

Dyckman Fields, Inwood Hill Park

A welcoming, beginner-friendly running group meets at Dyckman Fields in Inwood Hill Park. It uses walk and run intervals to build endurance and confidence gradually, and each session adds a little more running at a comfortable pace, step by step towards completing a 5K. It is part of the free Shape Up NYC programme run by NYC Parks and lasts an hour on a Friday morning. If you have been meaning to start running but do not want to go out alone the first few times, this is a gentle place to begin, with other people at the same level and a set structure so nobody is left guessing what to do. «Running Group» Starts 10:00, ends about 11:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Fri23Oct
Free
SocialNew York

Free juggling lessons in Greeley Square Park, Manhattan

Greeley Square Park

Every weekday afternoon from May to the end of October, a juggling expert gives free lessons in Greeley Square Park, the small plaza beside Herald Square in Midtown Manhattan, and Friday 23 October falls in the final week of the season. Equipment is provided and all skill levels are welcome, so beginners can pick up their first balls, and if you would rather not try you are invited to stay and enjoy the show. The hour runs from 14:00 to 15:00. It is a casual open-air activity in the middle of the city that needs no gear of your own, and it gives passers-by an easy reason to stop, chat and share a laugh with the people around them. «Juggling in Greeley Square Park» Starts 14:00, ends about 15:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Fri23Oct
Free
SocialNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Pumpkin Painting and Fall Festivities, Fantasy Garden

Fantasy Garden

Fantasy Garden, a well-loved green space in Brooklyn, welcomes everyone to an afternoon of free fall festivities. A limited number of pumpkins are available for painting, there are harvest-themed crafts such as DIY scarecrows, and you can simply enjoy the garden, chat with neighbours and find out how to get involved in looking after it. Supplies are limited and are given out while they last, so arriving early on the Friday afternoon is the safest plan. It is a friendly, low-key way to meet people who live nearby, and you can come on your own: painting a pumpkin gives everyone something to talk about. «Pumpkin Painting & Fall Festivities» Starts 15:00, ends about 17:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Fri23Oct
Free
LearningNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Garden event planning workshop, Sparrow's Nest, Queens

Sparrow's Nest Community Garden

NYC Parks GreenThumb hosts a two-hour workshop on planning an event in a community garden, held at Sparrow's Nest Community Garden in Queens on a Friday evening. It shows how to choose the right kind of event for a garden and its neighbours, how to build a realistic plan from start to finish with timelines, logistics and volunteer coordination, and how to make gatherings accessible and welcoming. It also covers outreach and digital promotion, the kinds of support GreenThumb offers, including for eligible SEED gardens, and city-wide celebrations such as Earth Month and Garden Day. Participants receive planning tools, templates and resources. The workshop is meant for new and experienced gardeners, garden leaders and volunteers who want to host events; the listing carries a registration link. «Planning an Event in Your Garden» Starts 17:00, ends about 19:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Fri23Oct
Free
OutdoorsNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Stargazing with an astronomer, Fort Tryon Park, Manhattan

Cloisters Lawn, Fort Tryon Park

An evening of sky-watching on the Cloisters Lawn in Fort Tryon Park, high above the Hudson in upper Manhattan. Local astronomer Novaughn Miller guides the group through the stars, planets and other sights overhead and explains how to find your way around the night sky. The listing presents it as a chance to learn from an expert in one of the city's most scenic parks, with no equipment or experience mentioned as a requirement. It runs for one hour on a Friday night, which makes it an easy way to start a weekend and chat with other people who simply like looking up. The Open Data record shows it as free, and, as with any outdoor stargazing, the view depends on the weather, so dress warmly and check conditions beforehand. «Stargazing in the Park» Starts 19:00, ends about 20:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sat24Oct
Free
OutdoorsNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

NYRR Open Run: free community 5K in Astoria Park

Astoria Park

NYRR Open Run brings a free, community-led 5K to neighbourhood parks, and Astoria Park hosts one on Saturday morning. Runners and walkers of every pace and age are welcome, so it works just as well if you are testing whether you like group running or want a walk with company. The park is known for its views of the Manhattan skyline, a long riverside lawn and a newly renovated track. Turn up shortly before the start, say hello to the volunteers, and finish with people you did not know an hour earlier. Free. «NYRR Open Run: Astoria Park» Starts 08:45, ends about 11:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sat24Oct
Free
OutdoorsNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Fall migration birding at Rockaway Community Park, Queens

Rockaway Community Park

A morning birdwatching outing with the Urban Park Rangers on the Rockaway peninsula in Queens. The group walks the closed Edgemere Landfill, a grassy site that is normally off limits, to watch the season change in bird life: species heading south for winter are seen off, while waterfowl, songbirds and other arrivals from the north settle in. The listing calls it an exclusive tour and gives the meeting point as Beach 54th Street and Almeda Avenue, at the edge of Rockaway Community Park. It lasts ninety minutes on a Saturday and is free according to the Open Data record. Beginners are not excluded by anything in the description, and a ranger-led group is an easy way to share binoculars and tips with others, so bring a warm jacket and sturdy shoes. «Birding: Fall Migration» Starts 10:00, ends about 11:30. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sat24Oct
Free
CultureNew York

Docent tours of Conference House Museum, Staten Island

Conference House Museum, Conference House Park

Docents show visitors around the Conference House Museum, a fieldstone manor from around 1680 on the southern tip of Staten Island overlooking Raritan Bay. The house is also known as the Billopp House, and it is famous as the site of the only peace conference of the American Revolution, where Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Edward Rutledge met the British Admiral Lord Howe in September 1776 without reaching agreement. Today it is presented as an eighteenth-century colonial manor and run by a house association in partnership with the Historic Trust of NYC. The listing gives a Saturday window from noon to 16:00, rather than a single tour time, and the house is owned by NYC Parks. It is free, and the listing shows no registration step. Join any tour to meet fellow history fans. «Docent led tours of the Historic Conference House Museum» Starts 12:00, ends about 16:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sat24Oct
Free
SocialNew York

Fall Potluck and Picnic at Two Coves Community Garden, Astoria

Two Coves Community Garden

Two Coves Community Garden in Astoria throws its annual autumn potluck and picnic, and the only thing asked of you is to bring a dish to share if you can. It is the kind of afternoon where a garden full of neighbours becomes easy to join on your own: you arrive with a container of something home-made or shop-bought, set it on the long table, and the conversation starts with whoever is standing next to the food. Saturday afternoon, three hours, outdoors among the beds, free and open to everyone. Bring a layer in case the October sun drops behind the trees. «Annual Fall Potluck and Picnic at Two Coves Community Garden» Starts 13:00, ends about 16:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sat24Oct
Free
SocialNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Community Engagement Tea at Maple Street Garden, Brooklyn

Maple Street Community Garden

Maple Street Community Garden in Brooklyn hosts an afternoon tea on Saturday 24 October, led by gardener Takiyah Gray together with Chelsea Bravo, co-chair of the garden's Arts Committee, who looks after the arts side of the afternoon. It is organised in partnership with Tea, Arts & Culture. The NYC Parks listing is short, so treat it as a relaxed three-hour garden gathering rather than a formal programme: you turn up, sit with a cup of tea among the beds and meet the people who look after the place. A good way to get to know a Brooklyn community garden if you are new to the area and would rather arrive alone than with a group. «Community Engagement Tea» Starts 13:00, ends about 16:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sat24Oct
Free
OutdoorsNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Birding: fall migration walk in Riverside Park, Manhattan

Riverside Park at West 116th Street

Urban Park Rangers guide a birdwatching outing through Riverside Park on Manhattan's west side, aimed at spotting birds on their autumn migration. The listing mentions warblers and raptors among the species you might see and says the programme suits all skill levels, with beginners explicitly welcome. The walk starts at the corner of West 116th Street and Riverside Drive on a Saturday afternoon and lasts about ninety minutes. It is free and registration is not required, so you can join at the meeting point. Birding groups tend to be friendly and talkative, because everyone shares sightings and tips, which is helpful when you arrive on your own. Bring binoculars if you have a pair, and wear comfortable shoes for park paths. «Birding: Fall Migration» Starts 13:00, ends about 14:30. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sat24Oct
Free
LearningNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Seed Harvest workshop at Clayton Williams Garden, Harlem

Clayton Williams Garden

Come to Clayton Williams Community Garden in Harlem to harvest seeds from the summer plants and learn how to save them for next season. Participants collect flower, herb and vegetable seeds and take away the know-how for doing it at home: which pods to pick, when a seed is ready, and how to keep it. The workshop is listed as an accessible activity and runs for two hours on a Saturday afternoon, so it suits first-timers as well as people who already grow something on a windowsill. It is free, hands-on and outdoors, which makes it an easy way to meet other gardeners in the neighbourhood without needing to know anyone beforehand. «Seed Harvest» Starts 14:00, ends about 16:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sat24Oct
Free
SocialNew York

Pumpkin Decorating at Jardin la Roca, the Bronx

Jardin la Roca

Jardin la Roca, a community garden in the Bronx, runs a pumpkin decorating event on Saturday afternoon, with face painting on offer as well. The listing is short and simple: everyone is welcome, and the point is to drop by, decorate a pumpkin and spend a little time in the garden with the people who look after it. Two and a half hours is long enough to arrive late or leave early without missing anything, which suits someone coming alone who wants to see how the evening feels before settling in. Bring a layer for the late October light fading before six o'clock. «Pumpkin Decorating at Jardin la Roca» Starts 16:00, ends about 18:30. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sat24Oct
Free
SocialNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

La Plaza Cultural garden's 50th anniversary, East Village

La Plaza Cultural

A four-hour community party at La Plaza Cultural, the volunteer-run garden in Manhattan's East Village, marking fifty years since it began. The listing promises music, film and neighbourly company, and the garden's tags also point to concerts, tours and gardening, so expect a mix of activities spread across the late afternoon and evening rather than one fixed programme. Nothing more detailed is given in the Open Data record, so treat it as a drop-in celebration: arrive when you like, wander the beds, listen to whatever is playing and talk to the people who look after the space. Because it is a long open window on a Saturday and free to attend, it suits visitors who come alone and want to meet locals. Bring a warm layer for the evening. «La Plaza Cultural 50th Anniversary Celebration» Starts 16:00, ends about 20:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sat24Oct
Free
OutdoorsNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Autumn Starfest: telescope stargazing in Inwood Hill Park

Inwood Hill Park

Urban Park Rangers and members of the Amateur Astronomers Association host the annual Autumn Starfest in Inwood Hill Park, at the northern tip of Manhattan. Members of the association bring their own telescopes, and visitors can look at Jupiter, Saturn and the craters of the Moon, along with star clusters, double stars and other objects in the night sky. It runs for three hours on a Saturday evening, starting at seven, and it is free with no registration required. The listing adds that it all depends on the weather, so a clear sky matters. Queuing up at a telescope and swapping impressions with the amateur astronomers and with other visitors makes this an easy event to join on your own. Wrap up warmly, since late October evenings in the park get cold. «Autumn Starfest» Starts 19:00, ends about 22:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun25Oct
Free
OutdoorsNew York

Sunday Urban Farm volunteers and composting, Randall's Island

Urban Farm, Randall's Island Park

Volunteers are invited to help run the one-acre Urban Farm in Randall's Island Park on Sunday mornings. The farmers have a weekly list of farm chores and composting jobs, and the listing welcomes both people new to the farm and tried-and-true regulars. On Sundays the NYC Compost Project with Big Reuse joins the team to help manage the farm's five-bin compost system, which turns waste into the organic matter the planting beds need. New volunteers must register through the link on the event page; individuals under 16 have to come with an adult who volunteers alongside them, 16 and 17-year-olds need a signed waiver, and groups of more than five people must contact the organisers first at volunteers@randallsisland.org. The session runs from 10:00 to 13:00 and is free, a friendly way to spend a Sunday outdoors among people who share an interest in growing food. «Urban Farm Volunteers» Starts 10:00, ends about 13:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun25Oct
Free
CultureNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Art in the Garden: Spooky Season Decor, Patchen Square

Patchen Community Square Garden

A drop-in artmaking morning at Patchen Community Square Garden in Brooklyn. The monthly session has a new theme each time, and October's is Spooky Season Decor. No experience is needed, all skill levels and ages are welcome, and the organisers provide supplies, prompts and guidance, so you can walk in any time between 10:30 and 13:30 and start making something. While you are there you can look at what is growing in the garden, borrow a book from the little free library or simply hang out and meet your neighbours. A low-pressure Sunday way to spend a few hours with other people, with nothing to book and nothing to bring. «Art in the Garden: Spooky Season Decor» Starts 10:30, ends about 13:30. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun25Oct
Free
OutdoorsNew York

Build-out volunteer day at Oriental Garden, Brooklyn

Oriental Garden

Oriental Garden in Brooklyn is looking for volunteers and new members to help reimagine the space, and this Sunday workday starts the transformation. Volunteers build new garden beds and plant native plants; beginners are welcome, no prior experience is required, and NYC Parks GreenThumb provides supplies and facilitation. The listing asks you to register through the link on its page, to wear comfortable clothes suited to the weather and to bring water and snacks, and it warns that some tasks involve lifting heavy materials and long spells of bending and squatting. The garden is at 326 Jerome Street. It is a good way to see how a community garden is run from the inside and to meet neighbours who may become fellow members. The workday lasts four hours, from 11:00 to 15:00. «Volunteer Day: Oriental Garden» Starts 11:00, ends about 15:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun25Oct
Free
LearningNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Grow Your Own Oyster Mushrooms: workshop, Maple Street Garden

Maple Street Community Garden

A hands-on Sunday workshop in a Brooklyn community garden on growing oyster mushrooms at home with the simple bucket method. You learn how to prepare the growing medium and set up a container with everyday supplies, and you leave knowing how to start your own harvest on a kitchen shelf or balcony. The one thing to bring is your own bucket or food-safe container with a lid; a large yoghurt tub or a soup-to-go container works well. Two hours outdoors with other curious gardeners, free of charge, no experience needed. «Grow Your Own Oyster Mushrooms At Home!» Starts 12:00, ends about 14:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun25Oct
Free
LearningNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Celtic Halloween Tree Tales with Park Rangers, Clove Lakes Park

Clove Lakes Park

The Urban Park Rangers walk you through the Celtic roots of Halloween and the old tradition of Celtic tree astrology, which links each birth cycle to a tree. Afterwards comes a hands-on identification activity: use bark and leaf characteristics to recognise common Staten Island trees by yourself. A relaxed ninety minutes in Clove Lakes Park on a Sunday around midday, a good excuse to get outside, learn something odd and talk to other people about it. Costumes are encouraged but not required. Free, no registration needed. «Celtic Halloween Tree Tales» Starts 12:00, ends about 13:30. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun25Oct
Free
OutdoorsNew York

Orienteering and Navigation Skills with Park Rangers, Alley Pond

Alley Pond Adventure Course

Always know your way on city streets but worry you would get lost in the woods? The Urban Park Rangers teach orienteering, the map sport in which you use a map of the landscape to find a series of points on a course, blending hiking with navigation. It is a good way to get over a poor sense of direction, in a forest park inside the city limits, with a ranger at hand and other beginners trying it for the first time. One hour on Sunday afternoon at the Alley Pond Adventure Course. Free, no registration required. «Outdoor Skills: Orienteering and Navigation Skills» Starts 13:00, ends about 14:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun25Oct
Free
CultureNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Meet the Artists: Dots and Loops at Wave Hill, the Bronx

Wave Hill House

Wave Hill, the public garden and cultural centre in the Bronx, invites visitors to meet the three artists behind its Wave Hill House exhibition Dots and Loops: Jen Chen-Su Huang, Rita Maas and Audra Wolowiec. The show treats language as a kind of score and looks at its link to the natural world through metaphor and meditation. This afternoon each artist leads a participatory activity drawn from their own practice, mixing performance, textile-making and meditative drawing, so you take part rather than only listen. The session belongs to Meet the Artist, an ongoing series of conversations between exhibiting artists, the curators and sometimes guests. It lasts three hours on a Sunday afternoon. NYC Parks lists the event as free; check Wave Hill's own site for any grounds admission. «Meet the Artists: Dots and Loops» Starts 13:00, ends about 16:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun25Oct
Free
LearningNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Central Park geology walk at Harlem Meer, Manhattan

Harlem Meer, Central Park

A one-hour ranger-led geology programme about the rock beneath New York, held at Harlem Meer on the northeast side of Central Park. The listing explains that Manhattan sits on three layers of bedrock, Manhattan schist, Inwood marble and Fordham gneiss, and that these formations record ancient mountain-building and other earth-shaping events going back more than a billion years. Learning to read that history in the stone underfoot is the point, and the same bedrock supports the skyscrapers nearby. No registration is mentioned in the Open Data record, and it is free. It is aimed at curious adults, and a small group listening to a guide tends to start conversations naturally, which helps if you came on your own. Wear comfortable shoes for uneven ground. «Geology: Central Park Rocks!» Starts 13:00, ends about 14:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun25Oct
Free
OutdoorsNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Great Trees of Tompkins Square Park: ranger tree walk, Manhattan

Tompkins Square Park

Urban Park Rangers lead an hour-long walk around Tompkins Square Park in the East Village, searching for the park's different tree species and showing how to tell them apart in the autumn, when colour and fallen leaves make identification a good deal more interesting. The group gathers at the Avenue A and St. Marks Place corner of the park on a Sunday afternoon. The listing says registration is not required, so it works as a straightforward drop-in, and it is free. A short ranger-led walk is a relaxed way to start conversations with neighbours and fellow nature fans, since everyone is looking at the same trunks and leaves and there is always something to point out. Dress for a mild October day outdoors and wear comfortable shoes for paths and grass. «Great Trees of Tompkins Square Park» Starts 13:00, ends about 14:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun25Oct
Free
MusicNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Wayne Tucker jazz and soul concert, Forest Park, Queens

Oak Ridge, Forest Park

A free Sunday afternoon concert in Forest Park, Queens, by the New York trumpeter, singer and bandleader Wayne Tucker and his group The Bad Mothas. Tucker mixes jazz, soul, gospel, funk and R&B, and for this show he plays his own songs alongside music by Marshal and Ernie Royal, brothers from Ozone Park. The listing says doors open at 14:30 and the music starts at 15:00, and that the series is backed by a grant from Flushing Town Hall together with the Forest Park Trust and local elected officials. The Open Data record shows no admission fee. A concert in a park is a relaxed place to sit near strangers and enjoy the same music, so it works well if you arrive alone. Layers are a good idea on an October afternoon. «Wayne Tucker and the Bad Mothas - Tribute to Marshal and Ernie Royal» Starts 15:00, ends about 16:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Mon26Oct
Free
SocialNew York

Pétanque in the Park: free lessons, Washington Square Park

Pétanque Court, Washington Square Park

Never heard of pétanque? Members of the city's oldest pétanque club teach you the game in Washington Square Park. It is a French cousin of lawn bowling from the early twentieth century, easy to learn in a few throws, and the club provides the boules, so all you bring is yourself. A relaxed Monday afternoon of tossing steel balls, friendly rivalry and a mixed crowd of regulars and curious passers-by, in one of Manhattan's best-known parks. Three hours, drop in whenever you like, free. «Pétanque in the Park» Starts 13:00, ends about 16:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Mon26Oct
Free
OutdoorsNew York

Volunteer: wild oyster survey on Randall's Island

Little Hell Gate Salt Marsh (in Randall's Island Park)

Help the Randall's Island Park Alliance and the Billion Oyster Project count and measure wild oysters in the Little Hell Gate Salt Marsh — a hands-on way to meet people outdoors. Wear clothes and shoes that can get muddy. Free.

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Mon26Oct
Free
OutdoorsNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Harlem Run: Monday Night Run from Marcus Garvey Park

Marcus Garvey Park

Harlem Run organises free, inclusive, pacer-led runs and walks through the neighbourhood, and Monday evening starts and finishes at Marcus Garvey Park. Each week brings a different route, with paces from seven to twelve minutes per mile plus run-walk and walk groups, so there is a place for every level. Open to all ages and abilities, and a bag drop is available though not guaranteed. A friendly way to see the neighbourhood after work and meet other people who run for the company. «Harlem Run: Monday Night Run» Starts 18:45, ends about 20:30. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Tue27Oct
Free
OutdoorsNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Tree planting volunteering at Muskrat Cove, the Bronx

Muskrat Cove

NYC Parks invites volunteers to help plant native trees at Muskrat Cove, a small park by the Bronx River, on a Tuesday morning. The aim, as the listing puts it, is to protect important habitat along the river, and the team can be found at the park entrance on Webster Avenue between 9:30 and noon. The listing gives no registration details and no list of tools or clothing, so check the NYC Parks volunteer page if you need those. Volunteer days are a friendly way to meet neighbours, because everyone has the same simple job and there is plenty of time to talk while digging and planting. It is free, and a morning outdoors planting trees gives you something you can still see growing in the neighbourhood years from now. «Tree Planting in Muskrat Cove» Starts 09:30, ends about 12:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Wed28Oct
Free
SocialNew York

Salsa Social: free lesson and open dance floor, Garibaldi Plaza

Garibaldi Plaza, Washington Square Park

Friends from Mi Salsa Dura Baile bring an evening of Latin rhythm to Garibaldi Plaza in Washington Square Park. Each session opens with a free lesson, then the floor is open for social dancing, so you can learn the basics even if you arrive without a partner and keep dancing as the music continues. Three hours on a Wednesday evening, outdoors in the park, free to join and welcoming to beginners. Wear shoes you can turn in, and bring a layer for the late October air. «Salsa Social» Starts 18:00, ends about 21:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Thu29Oct
Free
CultureNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

High Line history tour with a docent, Chelsea, Manhattan

The High Line

A free ninety-minute docent tour tells the story of the High Line, the elevated park built on a former railway on Manhattan's west side. The guide covers the structure's history from the early twentieth century to the present day, including how it looked before it was turned into a park and what changed afterwards. The listing names two docents, Richard Graziano and Brian Kilgannon, who lead the history tours on 24 September and 29 October. This is the October date, starting at half past five on a Thursday evening, so expect the light to fade as you walk. The listing mentions no registration requirement or meeting point, so check the High Line's own site before you go. A guided walk with a group makes it simple to chat with other visitors. «Spotlight tour: History» Starts 17:30, ends about 19:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Thu29Oct
Free
CultureNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Spot P! opening reception, Dyckman Farmhouse Museum, Manhattan

Dyckman Farmhouse Museum

An opening evening for a new exhibition at the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum, a historic farmhouse museum in upper Manhattan. The show, called Spot P!, is the work of Dutch artist Kasper Klop with Morwenna Spagnol and videographer Deron Gopie. It is built around a street survey asking New Yorkers how much they know about Peter Stuyvesant, the colonial governor honoured across the city, and how they feel once they hear the full history, with the answers shown alongside excerpts from his own writings. The exhibition stays on view until the end of January. The listing says the reception is free and open to everyone, but registration is required, so sign up beforehand. Openings are a natural place to talk with other visitors about what you see. «Spot P! Opening Reception» Starts 18:00, ends about 20:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Fri30Oct
Free
SocialNew York

Free juggling lesson in Greeley Square Park, Manhattan

Greeley Square Park

A drop-in juggling session in Greeley Square Park, a small plaza near Herald Square in Midtown Manhattan. A juggling expert runs the hour on weekday afternoons, from May until the end of October, which makes this one of the last sessions of the season. You can learn from scratch or simply stand by and watch the show, and the listing says every skill level is welcome and that the equipment is provided, so you do not have to bring anything. The Open Data record shows no fee. It is a friendly, low-pressure way to chat with the people around you, since everyone drops things and laughs about it together. The session is on a Friday from 14:00 to 15:00, so it suits a lunch break or a free afternoon. «Juggling in Greeley Square Park» Starts 14:00, ends about 15:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun1Nov
Free
OutdoorsNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

NYRR Open Run 5K in Marine Park, Brooklyn

Carmine Carro Community Center, Marine Park

NYRR Open Run offers free weekly 5K runs led by the community in neighbourhood parks across New York City, and the Sunday session in Marine Park, Brooklyn, falls on 1 November. The listing says it is open to runners and walkers of all ages, abilities and experience levels, so you can jog or simply walk the distance. Marine Park serves the neighbouring communities of Canarsie, Flatlands, Mill Basin and Bergen Beach. The course is described as flat with no sharp turns, which suits beginners and anyone chasing an easy personal best. The event is listed from 08:45 to 11:00, with the meeting point at the Carmine Carro Community Center. A weekly community run is a pleasant way to join a friendly crowd on your own and to meet regulars. «NYRR Open Run: Marine Park» Starts 08:45, ends about 11:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun1Nov
Free
CultureNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Historic New York: Fort Totten tour and Civil War living history

Fort Totten Park Visitors Center

Urban Park Rangers lead a two-hour Sunday walk at Fort Totten in Bayside, Queens, as part of the Open House New York weekend. The tour looks at the career of Joseph Gilbert Totten, the army engineer who became chief engineer and a brigadier general in 1863, and at his fortification designs, with a visit to the historic stone fort. After that the group walks down to the Bayside Historical Society, where live Civil War reenactors are on hand to talk about the period. The meeting place is the Fort Totten Park Visitors Center. The tour is free, and the listing says registration is not required. Joining a themed group walk is an easy way to meet people with the same curiosity about local history, so it works well on your own. «Historic New York: Fort Totten» Starts 11:00, ends about 13:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun1Nov
Free
OutdoorsNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Lenape Botany hike with park rangers in Highland Park, Brooklyn

Vermont Place Parking Lot, Highland Park

For Native American Heritage Month, Urban Park Rangers lead a one-hour hike in Highland Park, on the Brooklyn and Queens border, looking for plants the Lenape people have used for healing since long before the city existed. The route goes through a restored natural area, and many of the plants are still growing in the city's parks today. The group meets at the Vermont Place parking lot on a Sunday morning at eleven. It is free, and the listing says registration is not required. A topic walk like this gives strangers something concrete to talk about as they stop to look at each plant, which helps when you are on your own. Wear sturdy shoes, since the path goes through natural ground rather than a paved route. «Native American Heritage Month: Lenape Botany» Starts 11:00, ends about 12:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun1Nov
Free
OutdoorsNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Lenape history and plants walk in Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan

Inwood Hill Park, Seaman Avenue and Isham Street

For Native American Heritage Month, Urban Park Rangers lead a short guided walk through Inwood Hill Park at the northern tip of Manhattan. The route goes into the ancient tulip tree forest and passes rock shelters, while the rangers explain how the Lenape people related to this landscape and which plants they used and knew. The walk starts at the corner of Seaman Avenue and Isham Street on Sunday morning, 1 November, at eleven o'clock, and it is listed as free. The listing gives no registration details, so check the NYC Parks page before you set out. Guided nature walks tend to be easy for solo visitors, because the group moves slowly and the ranger invites questions about the trees, the history and the place itself. «Native American Heritage Month: Lenape History and Ethnobotany» Starts 11:00, ends about 12:30. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun1Nov
Free
SocialNew York

Sunday Zumba class at Williamsbridge Oval, the Bronx

Multi-Use Room, Williamsbridge Oval

NYC Parks runs a Zumba class in the multi-use room at the Williamsbridge Oval recreation centre in the Bronx, on Sunday morning, 1 November, from eleven to noon. Zumba combines Latin, international and pop music with aerobic intervals, alternating fast and slow rhythms, and the listing says the routines are easy to follow. The class is listed as free under the Shape Up NYC programme. Participants are asked to sign in at the front desk and to bring a lock for their bag, because bags are not allowed into the dance room; only a towel, water and a phone may be taken in. A group fitness class set to music is a friendly way to get moving and to meet neighbours, and nobody needs a partner or any dance background to join in on their own. «Zumba» Starts 11:00, ends about 12:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun1Nov
Free
OutdoorsNew York

Fall canoeing with park rangers at Wolfe's Pond, Staten Island

Holten Avenue and Purdy Place, Wolfe's Pond Park

Urban Park Rangers take visitors out on a calm autumn paddle around the pond at Wolfe's Pond Park on Staten Island's south shore. The outing looks at the seasonal colours and wildlife along the water, and the rangers handle the instruction, so no previous paddling experience is needed. The listing sets a minimum age of eight and says places are first come, first served, which means it is wise to arrive early at the meeting point near Holten Avenue and Purdy Place. The session takes place on Sunday morning, 1 November, from eleven to half past twelve, and it is listed as free. Being on the water with a small group and a guide makes it easy to start a conversation, whether you come as a pair or entirely on your own. «Fall Canoeing» Starts 11:00, ends about 12:30. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun1Nov
Free
CultureNew York

Docent tours of Conference House Museum, Staten Island

Conference House Museum, Conference House Park

Docents guide visitors through the Conference House Museum, a fieldstone manor from about 1680 at the southern tip of Staten Island, overlooking Raritan Bay. It is also known as the Billopp House, after the naval captain who built it, and it was the site of the only peace conference of the American Revolution, where Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Edward Rutledge met Admiral Lord Howe in September 1776. Today the museum presents an interpretation of an eighteenth-century colonial manor. Tours are offered on Sunday 1 November between noon and 16:00, and the NYC Parks listing shows them as free. Walking through an old house with a guide is a quiet, easy way to share a visit with other history fans when you are on your own. «Docent led tours of the Historic Conference House Museum» Starts 12:00, ends about 16:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun1Nov
Free
CultureNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Community Dia de los Muertos Celebration, Campos Garden, Manhattan

Campos Community Garden

Campos Community Garden in the East Village marks the Day of the Dead with its annual community celebration. An Aztec dance group opens with a ceremony and performances, and there is sweet bread, Mexican hot chocolate and an arts-and-crafts table. All are welcome, and a small garden full of neighbours makes it easy to join on your own: stand near the dancers, pick up a cup of chocolate and talk to whoever is next to you. Sunday afternoon, free. «Annual Community Dia de los Muertos Celebration» Starts 14:30, ends about 18:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Sun1Nov
Free
MusicNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Mariachi Real de Mexico: free concert, Forest Park, Queens

Oak Ridge, Forest Park

A free Sunday afternoon concert at Oak Ridge in Forest Park, Queens, features Mariachi Real de Mexico, an ensemble founded in 1991 that is celebrating its thirty-fifth year. The listing calls the group a Grammy-winning ambassador of mariachi music and one of the most sought-after mariachi ensembles in the New York area. The concert is part of a Day of the Dead celebration, and the listing also mentions a community ofrenda as well as crafts presented by teaching artists from Queens College. Doors open at 14:30 and the music starts at 15:00. The event is supported by local grants. Live music in a park is simple to join on your own, since you only need to find a place on the lawn and listen to the band play. «Day of the Dead Celebration featuring Mariachi Real de Mexico» Starts 15:00, ends about 16:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Mon2Nov
Free
SocialNew York

Bodyroll dance class at the 102nd Street Field House, Riverside Park

102nd Street Field House, Riverside Park

NYC Parks hosts a Bodyroll class in the newly renovated 102nd Street Field House in Riverside Park, on Monday morning, 2 November, from ten to eleven. The listing describes Bodyroll as a dance practice built around joy, combining body rolling, movement energetics, embodiment exercises and aerobic dancing in a playful, energetic session, and it stresses that no dance experience is needed. It is listed as free. To find the building, enter the park at 102nd Street and Riverside Drive, then go down to the promenade level; the stairs to the Field House are across the promenade at 102nd Street. The listing also notes that there is no class on 23 November. A group dance class on a weekday morning is an easy place to meet people and to take part entirely on your own. «Riverside Field House: Fall Bodyroll» Starts 10:00, ends about 11:00. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Mon2Nov
Free
OutdoorsNew YorkAlcohol-free friendly

Harlem Run: Monday night pacer-led run or walk, Harlem

Marcus Garvey Park

Harlem Run offers free weekly runs and walks through Harlem, each one starting and ending at Marcus Garvey Park and following a different route every time. The groups are pacer-led and inclusive: paces from 7 to 12 minutes, a run/walk group and a walk-only group, so beginners and regular runners can each find their own speed, and the listing says all ages and abilities are welcome. A bag drop is available but not guaranteed. The Monday session on 2 November starts at 18:45, and the listing gives a window until 20:30. For a newcomer to New York it is an easy social workout, because everyone sets off together from the same spot and you do not need to know anyone beforehand or sign up for anything in advance. «Harlem Run: Monday Night Run» Starts 18:45, ends about 20:30. Source: NYC Parks — NYC Open Data (Parks Public Events).

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Going to an event in New York: alone is fine

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Questions people ask

What is on in New York soon?

The next event in New York is "Adult hike to Paulo's Peak, Greenbelt, Staten Island" on Thursday 22 Oct at 11:00. 52 events are listed in the next two weeks, and 52 up to Monday 2 Nov.

Are events in New York free?

52 of the 52 upcoming events listed here are marked free. The rest are low-cost or ticketed; the price is on each official page, so check it before you go.

What kinds of events can I find in New York?

Right now: outdoors (22), culture (11), social (11), learning (6), music (2). Common venues are The High Line, Greeley Square Park, Conference House Museum, Conference House Park.

Is it OK to go to an event in New York alone?

Yes, that is the point of this list. We pick talks, concerts, walks, language cafés and workshops where many people arrive on their own and there is a natural moment to start talking. Nobody checks whether you came with a friend.

How do I find out who else is going?

Many of these events are also in the Meet & Mint app, where every event has its own chat and you can join alone. If one is not there yet, tap "+" in the app to add it and gather a group to go together.

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