11 completely free things to do in New York City in March

The great thing about March in New York City is that one or two days always manage to reach the 60s, full of sun, promising a spring that won’t arrive until May – just before the city lapses into arguably unbearable heat and humidity.

But there are no false springs, no false promises, and no hidden fees here: All these activities are free, zero dollars, so you can save your money for that glorious stretch in May. It’ll be here before you know it.

Be among the first to see the Joan Didion Archive at NYPL

You’ll have to wait until March 26, but the New York Public Library will unveil the collection of archives from Joan Didion and her husband John Gregory Dunne, which it acquired two years ago. There are more than 300 boxes of material from the famous duo, including letters, notes, annotated interview transcripts and more. Anyone with a library card can see the collection, which will be housed in the Manuscripts and Archives Division at the library’s flagship Fifth Avenue location.

The Brooklyn Public Library has extended its photo exhibit on writer James Baldwin’s time in Istanbul through the end of March.

See performances at the Met on International Women’s Day

On Saturday, Mar. 8, The Metropolitan Museum of Art will host two events to celebrate International Women’s Day. Pianist Sarah Cahill will play a marathon of more than 70 works composed by women from a variety of regions and eras, in an effort to recontextualize the male-dominated classical music universe.

Cahill will play in the European Paintings 1250-1800 galleries, while artist Josanne Francis will perform on the steelpan and explain the cultural connections the instrument has helped build between Trinidad and New York City. Francis will perform in the André Mertens Galleries for Musical Instruments. Both events start at 2 p.m., but Cahill will be playing for six hours, so if you want to catch both, go to Francis first.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Monday this year, which gives you an excuse to call out of work and march (get it?) up Fifth Avenue with fellow acolytes of St. Patrick on March 17. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade starts at 11 a.m. at 44th Street, and goes all the way up to 79th, past St. Patrick’s (get it?) Cathedral. More than 150,000 people will participate, including musicians and dancers and all sorts of entertainers of the 2 million people who line the streets to watch.

Find a Thursday to visit Wave Hill Cultural Center

The Bronx’s Wave Hill cultural center is a beautiful 28-acre botanic garden and cultural center in Riverdale, and well worth the trip north. Normally, admission is $10, but on Thursdays it’s completely free. That means you can explore everything from the flower garden to the herb garden to the wild garden and beyond – including the indoor spaces that host a variety of art exhibitions.

Attend a podcast recording about a cabinet of curiosities

Randy Cohen, host of the “Person Place Thing” podcast, will head to FIT for a conversation with Dr. Colleen Hill, the Museum of FIT’s senior curator of costume. They’ll discuss three pieces Hill particularly likes from the exhibition “Fashioning Wonder: A Cabinet of Curiosities.” It’s March 4 at 5:30 p.m., and while it’s free, you do have to RSVP to make sure you get a ticket.

Learn about James Baldwin's time in Turkey

Brooklyn Public Library has extended its photo exhibit on writer James Baldwin’s time in Istanbul through the end of March, so if you haven’t had a chance to check it out, this month is your last chance. Turkish photographer Sedat Pakay chronicled Baldwin’s time in Istanbul from 1961 to 1971, a period when the writer and activist honed his voice and gained crucial distance from the American context he was so adept at critiquing.

Hear poetry at Poets House

Start March off the right way: with live poetry. Imani Elizabeth Jackson and Gabrielle Octavia Rucker will be reading works from their respective collections, both of which explore Black diasporic experiences. That’s March 1 starting at 4 p.m. at Poets House – near One World Trade. Then, on March 12 at 7 p.m., Jamaica’s poet laureate Kwame Dawes will discuss the groundbreaking work of his father, Jamaican poet and novelist Neville Dawes. Receptions will follow both events.

Listen to contemporary jazz in a Mad Men-themed bar

Every Monday night starting at 7 p.m., the MAD Bar & Lounge in the NH Collection New York Madison Avenue Hotel puts on a free contemporary jazz show – no need to be a guest at the hotel to attend. Dennis Liburd sits at the piano in a 1950s-themed bar complete with fireplace and leather couches. A good option for when you need to escape one of those March cold-snaps.

Celebrate Holi at the Seaport

Don your best white outfit and head to South Street Seaport, which will host Holi, the Indian festival of colors, on March 15 starting at 11 a.m. Not only will people be throwing brightly colored powder at each other, but there will also be drummers, dancing, a literary festival, a puppet show and more! How will they fit all that into a few hours? You’ll have to go to find out.

Drink beer and learn about the stars

Head to Pete’s Candy Store in Brooklyn on March 18 at 7 p.m. for Astronomy on Tap, an event for stargazing alcohol-lovers. The third Tuesday of every month, astronomers, educators, and others involved in the astronomical field come to Pete’s for layperson-friendly discussions about the wide universe beyond our planet. You can also come the first Monday of every month for sister event Biology on Tap, in case your scientific interests are more earthly.

Create a mud paint masterpiece

Nothing says “spring” like “mud,” so head over to Staten Island to get your hands dirty. The Urban Park Rangers will source the finest dirt and clay from around the island so you can paint your mud masterpiece at Conference House Park on Saturday, Mar. 15 starting at 1 p.m. No need to bring your own mud – all materials provided! If you have a beer on the ferry ride over, it can be a very special Staten Island kind of “paint and sip” day.