Reintroducing Culture Watch: a monthly post with information on free entertainment. Most events are still for home enjoyment, but as live events return to the city we will also include those!
Music
- Thursday, June 10 at 6PM: Bachelor and TBA present Doomin’ Sun Fest! It will feature performances from a large roster of artists including Courtney Barnett, Ben Gibbard, Adeline, Tegan and Sara, and Tune-Yards just to name a few. This free telethon is being live-streamed but you need to RSVP!
- Monday, June 21: Make Music Day returns to NYC! Concerts of all styles will be taking place throughout the city and its boroughs on the longest day of the year. You can hear blues in gardens, jazz at libraries, flowerpots in parks! You can even catch some Queens College Alumni like Vivi Hu singing in Chinatown! Check out all the free events on their program guide and check out the map of concerts!
- Ongoing: The Metropolitan Opera continues making its Nightly Opera Streams available for free for 24 hours before the next opera takes its place at 7PM. Week 65 starts Monday, June 7 is all about updating classic operas with new settings, beginning with Verdi’s Rigoletto.
- Sundays at 2PM: The Kennedy’s host an all request hour of music from the NYC apartment. You can catch the livestreams on their YouTube channel.
- Wednesdays at 6PM: Country star Suzy Boggus hosts Wine Down Wednesdays right on her Facebook page. Special guest appearances have included other country legends like Pam Tillis.
History
- Wednesday, June 16 at 2PM: The American Museum of Natural History presents Science Sense Tour: Hall of Planet Earth. Through discussion with trained guides, this tour is accessible to those with visual disabilities. It is free, but be sure to RSVP.
- Friday, June 25 through Sunday, June 27: The Smithsonian Folklife Festival is filled with conversations, food, poetry, arts, crafts workshops, and more. The events are all free though some require registering. Be sure to check the events page.
Meditation
- Mondays and Wednesdays at 12PM: Presented by the Smithsonian and sponsored by the Asian Art Museum; Meditation and Mindfulness sessions are free to join if you need a calm space.
Theatre
- Thursday, June 10 through Sunday July 4: Presented by Broadway on Demand, Marys Seacole tells the story of an ambitious Jamaican nurse who adventures across oceans and eras. The New York Times called it a “breathless and radiant new play.” Be sure to register for free here!
- Available through June 27: The Mint Theatre is currently showing N.C. Hunter’s play, A Picture of Autumn. This work portrays a family living in disarray in their ancestral home. The only requirement to watch is a valid email address.
Art
- Tuesdays at 6PM and Thursdays at 12PM: The Whitney Museum of Art hosts a twice weekly Art History from Home series. They feature pieces from the museum’s collection to illuminate issues from the start of the century through today. Be sure to register for each event, like this one on the 10th: Art and Social Change. Check the museum’s Online Events page for more.