How to Have Free Fun in New York in March 2025

America's largest city has entertainment to suit every taste - galleries and museums, libraries and exhibition centers, bars and clubs for every interest. Gothamist tells about free entertainment in New York in March.

Be Among the First to See the Joan Didion Archive at NYPL

Beginning March 26, the New York Public Library will showcase the archives of writer Joan Didion and her husband, John Gregory Dunne. More than 300 boxes of the famous duo's materials, including letters, notes, annotated interview transcripts, and more, are on display. Anyone with a library card can see the collection. It will be housed in the Manuscripts and Archives Department in the library's main building on Fifth Avenue. Learn more here.

Watch the Met on International Women's Day

On Saturday, March 8, at the Metropolitanthe museum There will be two events to mark International Women's Day. Pianist Sarah Cahill will perform a marathon of more than 70 works by women from different regions and eras. It is an attempt to rethink the male-dominated universe of classical music.

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Cahill will be exhibiting at the galleries European Paintings 1250-1800. The artist Josanna Francis will play the steel drum and talk about the cultural connections the instrument helped to establish between Trinidad and New York.

Francis will be performing at the André Mertens Galleries. Both events start at 14 p.m. Cahill will play for six hours. If you want to catch both measures, go listen to Frances first. For more details, see here.

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day

This year, St. Patrick's Day falls on a Monday. That's an excuse to take time off work and walk down Fifth Avenue with other St. Patrick's devotees on March 17. The parade in his honor will begin at 11 a.m. on 00th Street and go to 44th Street, past St. Patrick's Cathedral. More than 79 people will take part in the parade, including musicians, dancers, and all kinds of performers. For more information, see here.

Choose a Thursday to visit Wave Hill Cultural Center

Wave Hill Cultural Center in the Bronx is a beautiful botanical garden and cultural center in Riverdale. Admission is usually $10, but on Thursdays it is completely free. This means you can explore everything from the flower garden to the herb garden, the wild garden and more, including indoor spaces. There are various art exhibits. See more here.

Visit the podcast recording about the cabinet of curiosities

Randy Cohen, host of the Person Place Thing podcast, will be heading to FIT to speak with Dr. Colleen Hill, senior curator of costume at the Museum of FIT. They will discuss three pieces that Hill is particularly fond of from the Fashioning Wonder: A Cabinet of Curiosities exhibition. It will be on March 4 at 17:30 p.m. Admission is free, but you must confirm your attendance. For more information, see here.

Learn about James Baldwin's time in Turkey

The Brooklyn Public Library has extended its photo exhibit on writer James Baldwin's time in Istanbul through the end of March. Turkish photographer Sedat Pakay documented his time there from 1961 to 1971, a period in which the writer and activist achieved a decisive distance from the American context he so skillfully critiqued. See more here.

Listen to poetry at Poets House

Imani Elizabeth Jackson and Gabrielle Octavia Rucker will read from their collections. The poets will explore the African-American diaspora experience. The readings will take place on March 1, starting at 16 p.m. at the Poets House, next to One World Trade. On March 00, at 12 p.m., the poet Kwame Dawes discusses the pioneering work of his father, Jamaican poet and novelist Neville Dawes. For more, see here.

Listen to modern jazz in a bar

Every Monday starting at 19 p.m., MAD Bar & Lounge at the NH Collection New York Madison Avenue Hotel hosts a free contemporary jazz show. You don't have to be a hotel guest to attend. Dennis Lieberd works his magic at the piano in a chimney-style bar with leather sofas and a fireplace. A great option when you need to escape the March chill. See more here.

Celebrate Holi at Seaport

Put on your best white outfit and head to South Street Seaport. Holi, the Indian festival of colors where people throw brightly colored powder at each other, kicks off on March 15 at 11:00 a.m. There will be drummers, dancing, a literary festival, a puppet show, and more! See more here.

Drink beer and learn about the stars

Head to Pete's Candy Store in Brooklyn on March 18th at 19:00 PM Astronomy on Tap. This is an event for fans of alcohol and stars. On the third Tuesday of every month, astronomers, educators, and other astronomy experts come to Pete's for casual discussions about the universe beyond our planet. You can also come on the first Monday of every month for a sister event Biology on Tap, if your scientific interests are more earthly. For more details, see here.

Create a masterpiece from mud

Nothing says spring like mud. Head to Staten Island to get your hands dirty. Rangers will be sourcing the best mud and clay from around the island so you can paint your own mud masterpiece at Conference House Park on Saturday, March 15. The event starts at 13 p.m. No need to bring your own mud—all materials are provided! See more details here.