30 free things to see, hear and do during June in NYC

One of the best reasons to live in New York City is that you'll never run out of things to do for free, from symphony orchestras and Shakespeare to action flicks and photo exhibitions. Here are some of the best options coming up this month.

Listen to live music on the lawn in Bryant Park

Bryant Park Picnic Performances, one of the city’s most popular free concert series, kicks off this year with a fully staged and costumed performance of Puccini’s beloved opera “La Bohème” produced by New York City Opera on June 1. The rest of the series, which we previewed in April, includes events produced by a range of New York City cultural institutions; highlights include a concert by soulful saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins and hypnotic drone-rock combo 75 Dollar Bill marking the 45th anniversary of Brooklyn new music bastion Roulette (Aug. 26) and the U.S. debut of Turkish singer Gaye Su Akyol (Sept. 9). June 1-Sept. 14, Bryant Park; details here.

Go Wilde with Oscar in Riverside Park

Hudson Classical Theater Company opens its summer season with a production of Oscar Wilde’s comedy “The Importance of Being Earnest,” staged each Thursday through Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Riverside Park. The company has two more productions in store this year: “The School for Scandal,” an 18th century English comedy of errors (June 29-July 23), and “Margaret: Shakespeare's Warrior Queen,” based on portions of "Henry VI," Parts I, II and III (July 27-Aug. 20). June 1-25, Soldiers and Sailors Monument, Riverside Park; details here.

Eat your way around the world at the Queens Night Market

The Queens Night Market is one of the culinary highlights of the year, and is a fun and friendly way to sample literally dozens of options from around the world — Afghan mantu, Peruvian ceviche, Trinidadian shark sandwiches, and Sichuan ice jelly — for a reasonable price. The Night Market also offers also arts and crafts vendors, activities for kids, DJs, and live music. It's open every Saturday starting at 5 p.m. in the wide-open field adjacent to the New York Hall of Science in Corona — the best way to get there is to take the 7 train to 111th Street. Bonus: If you attend on June 3, you'll be entertained by a lineup of Queens-based artists heralding the start of this year's Queens Rising festival, which is underway throughout the borough. Through Aug. 19, Flushing Meadows Corona Park; details here.

Catch a concert or learn to dance in Times Square

The TSQ Live series regularly hosts free concerts, DJ parties, comedy sets and more in Times Square's Broadway Pedestrian Plazas nearly every Tuesday through Friday. June brings two opportunities to pick up some dance tips from members of Ailey Extension, presenting a Broadway jazz course on June 2 and a hip-hop primer on June 30, both at 5 p.m. Through Sept. 29, Broadway Pedestrian Plazas; details here.

Gaze upon infinity in an extensive new Yayoi Kusama show

The idiosyncratic Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama is one of the art world’s top draws, and her new show at David Zwirner, “Yayoi Kusama: I Spend Each Day Embracing Flowers,” promises to be one of her biggest shows to date in several ways. The show is planned to sprawl across three Zwirner spaces on West 19th Street, and will include her customary sculptures inspired by flowers and pumpkins, original paintings and a new Infinity Mirror Room. You definitely should anticipate substantial lines – but you can register for a chance to skip them on the Zwirner website, here. Through July 21, David Zwirner; details here.

The Little Island welcomes visitors for a casual hang and a free encounter with the arts starting June 2.

Watch a movie on a rooftop (or at a park or in a backyard) near you

Rooftop Films, a premier purveyor of outdoor screenings, has just announced a robust schedule of outdoor film screenings throughout the city throughout the next few months. They're not all free of charge, but most of them are, and a series that specifically caters to free community movie nights continues on June 1 with Jackie Chan and Michelle Yeoh kicking up some justice in "Police Story 3: Supercop" in Fort Greene Park. In addition to a steady course of family fare, comedies and action flicks, look out for special events: you can commemorate Juneteenth with a film about jazz drummer Max Roach at Von King Park in Bed-Stuy (June 17) and wake up before you go-go to a documentary celebrating the pop duo Wham! at Industry City (June 29). Various dates and locations; details here.

Savor concerts, dance, film, poetry and more at Lincoln Center

Lincoln Center’s expansive, all-embracing “Summer for the City” series – which we previewed in April – returns for a second season, offering even more something for pretty much everyone. The official opening event is on June 14, when Cuban-Spanish singer-songwriter Lucrecia lights up the centrally located Dance Floor with salsa combo 8 y Más – but be sure to check out the calendar before then, because events actually start rolling out on June 1. Highlights among the many free events include an enveloping campus-wide Juneteenth program assembled by Carl Hancock Rux (June 18), a concert with calypso star David Rudder (June 28), a dance party featuring the Stax Academy Rhythm Section with organ legend Booker T. Jones (July 12), a globalFEST takeover (Aug. 5) and a clutch of brilliant shows marking the 50th anniversary of hip-hop (Aug. 9-12). June 1-Aug. 12, Lincoln Center; details here.

Zoom in on contemporary photography in an exhibition spread throughout the city

Opening on June 3 in Brooklyn Bridge Park, the 12th annual Photoville Festival celebrates the state of the art in photography with more than 85 free outdoor exhibits on view in all five boroughs. The two-day opening weekend festivities include family activities, performances, screenings and more. June 3-18, locations vary; details here

Savor dance on film with grass between your toes

“Films on the Green,” an annual outdoor French film festival produced by the French cultural institution Villa Albertine, is presenting a range of international selections in which dance plays a prominent role. Opening at Central Park’s Cedar Hill on June 2 with Jacques Demy’s beloved “Les Demoiselles de Rochefort,” the festival will serve up ballet, tango, flamenco, hip-hop and more in parks and green spaces throughout the city. June 2-Sept. 8, locations vary; details here.

Enjoy an intimate encounter with the arts on Little Island

Little Island, the artificial floating park and performance venue on the Hudson River at Pier 55, will offer a packed summer season of free events running June 2 through Sept. 3. The schedule, which we previewed in April, includes concerts, dance performances, comedy events and more in the Glade, the more intimate of its performance spaces, and the Play Ground, the spacious plaza that greets all arrivals. No tickets or reservations are required, making this a choice destination for impromptu outings. June 2-Sept. 3, Hudson River at Pier 55; details here.

Kick-start your heart with a Bollywood dance class

Dancers and choreographers from New York City’s Ajna Dance Company lead hourlong classes devoted to Bollywood and bhangra dance styles, nearly every Saturday morning (except for July 1) throughout the summer. June 3-Aug. 26, Pier 63, Hudson River Park; details here.

Celebrate Brooklyn with a blues legend in Prospect Park

Henry St. Claire Fredericks Jr., the Harlem-born roots music icon better known as Taj Mahal, opens this year’s BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! concert series on a stacked bill featuring vocalist Corinne Bailey Rae and The Harlem Gospel Travelers. This year’s season, which we previewed in early May, includes a wide variety of attractions for all interests and tastes, from Kelela and Liv.e to John Cale and Oumou Sangaré. June 7, Lena Horne Bandshell, Prospect Park; details here.

See a world-renowned dance company on your way to that Broadway blockbuster

The Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company, which is wrapping up its 40th anniversary celebrations, makes its Times Square debut on June 7 at 6 p.m. with a performance of "/Time: Study III," a showcase for company members and guest musicians alike. The event is free, but an RSVP is recommended. June 7, Broadway and 46th Street; details here.

For “Hamlet,” Central Park is the place to be (forget about ‘not to be’)

For its 61st free Shakespeare in the Park presentation, the Public Theater is mounting one of the playwright’s core classics, “Hamlet,” in a new modern-dress production directed by Tony Award winner Kenny Leon. The moody prince of the title is portrayed by Ato Blankson-Wood, nominated for a Tony for his work in “Slave Play” on Broadway, and previously featured in Public Theater musical adaptations of “Twelfth Night” and “As You Like It.” June 8-Aug. 6, Delacorte Theater; details here.

Attend a contemporary-dance festival in the heart of the city

In addition to music and films, Bryant Park hosts a series of events that turn the spotlight on the city's contemporary dance companies during the month of June. The mini-festival of established troupes and emerging talents starts with an appearance by Robin Dunn and Friends and The Lite on June 8; further performances will be held on June 9, 15 and 16. June 8, Bryant Park; details here.

Watch brilliant dance companies in action on the Hudson

For two evenings in June, Hudson River Park and The Joyce Theater join forces to present the Hudson River Dance Festival, which hosts free performances by dance companies from throughout the city and points beyond. Confirmed participants for this year’s event include Ayodele Casel, The Missing Element (commissioned by Works & Process), Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Paul Taylor Dance Company. June 8 and 9, Hudson River Park Pier 63; details here.

Participate in hands-on culture events at the River to River Festival

The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2023, focuses on themes of reclamation, resistance and interconnectivity in its 22nd River to River Festival, a showcase of events representing a broad variety of disciplines and perspectives. This year’s festival opens on June 9 with a public reception for “El Camino: Stories of Migration,” an exhibition installed by the multimedia and archival project Nuevayorkinos in window galleries at The Seaport’s Fulton Market, and continues through June 18 with one-on-one performances, workshops, participatory events and more. June 9-18, various locations; details here.

Watch a movie outdoors on an island with a view

Governors Island Arts and Film at Lincoln Center will host outdoor film screenings on the Island’s historic Parade Ground, an eight-acre lawn offering spectacular views of Lower Manhattan. The series, titled “Rule Break­ers and Trou­ble­mak­ers,” is curated by Film at Lincoln Center in partnership with Rooftop Films. First up on June 9 is F. Gary Gray's 1996 film "Set It Off," followed by Steven Soder­bergh's "Out of Sight" (July 7) and Gurinder Chad­ha's "Bend It Like Beckham" (Aug. 11). June 9-Aug. 11, Governors Island Parade Ground; details to be announced.

See SummerStage bare its soul to open its Central Park series

Alabama soul group St. Paul and the Broken Bones open this year’s free SummerStage series at Central Park’s Rumsey Playfield on June 10, headlining a show with Say She She and Mwenso & the Shakes. The SummerStage season, which we previewed in April, includes more than 80 events in all, and the majority are offered free of charge. June 10, Rumsey Playfield, Central Park; details here.

Introduce the family to J’Ouvert traditions in Prospect Park

JouvayFest Collective, Bush Wo/man Conversations Project and 2J & Friends team up with Prospect Park Alliance to host a family-oriented program designed to share and celebrate the Caribbean carnival tradition known as J'Ouvert. This three-hour program is free, but reservations are recommended. June 11 at 2 p.m, Lefferts Historic House, Prospect Park; details here.

Watch a movie outdoors in midtown, among thousands of neighbors

The incredibly popular Bryant Park Movie Nights series, which is now in its 30th year, has just announced a branding partnership with the Paramount+ streaming platform. The series starts on June 12 with a screening of "Almost Famous." As ever, the lawn opens at 5 p.m., films start at 8, and you’ll need to leave your chairs, plastic lawn coverings and dogs at home. June 12, Bryant Park; details here.

Hear classical music under the sky at the Naumburg Bandshell

The Naumburg Orchestral Concerts, which are billed as the world's oldest continuously running outdoor classical music concert series, remain a consistent delight after 118 years – and this season, every concert opens with a new brass fanfare composed for the occasion. The series starts with the iconoclastic early music ensemble Acronym on June 13, and continues with programs featuring The Knights, A Far Cry, Nosky's Baroque Band and ECCO. June 13, Naumburg Bandshell, Central Park; details here.

The New York Philharmonic starts its annual trek of city parks in the Bronx on June 13, and comes to Central Park the next day.

Catch the New York Philharmonic in a park near you

In anticipation of the start of his final season as music director of the New York Philharmonic, conductor Jaap van Zweden leads this year’s “Concerts in the Parks” series, which opens at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx on June 13. For that concert, and those that follow in Central Park (June 14), Cunningham Park in Queens (June 15) and Prospect Park in Brooklyn (June 16), the program includes popular classics by Beethoven, Rossini and Copland, alongside new pieces by participants in the orchestra’s Very Young Composers program. The all-borough tour wraps up on June 18 with an indoor event on Staten Island. June 13, Van Cortlandt Park; details here.

Discover new sounds on Governors Island

Since 2011, the Rite of Summer Music Festival has brought inventive new-music ensembles to the ample green spaces of Governors Island since 2011, typically presenting a monthly series comprising two concerts apiece by three groups. This year's series starts on June 16 at 5 and 7 p.m. with performances by the Jazz WaHi Composers Sextet, a collective of Washington Heights-based players with a ringer in the lineup: Julie Maniscalco, a trumpeter and composer from Staten Island, who's been commissioned to create new music for the band. No tickets or reservations are required. June 16, Cas­tle Williams, Governors Island; details here.

Meet up with the Metropolitan Opera in the city parks

The Metropolitan Opera launches its popular annual series of free outdoor recitals on June 20 at Central Park’s Rumsey Playfield, where you’ll hear two singers featured in starring roles next season, soprano Gabriella Reyes and baritone Will Liverman, plus tenor René Barbera, who made a strong impression in the Met Opera’s recent staging of “Der Rosenkavalier.” The same program repeats at Brooklyn Bridge Park on June 23; four additional parks concerts happening June 24-30 will feature up-and-coming performers. June 20, Rumsey Playfield, Central Park; details here.

Participate in a yoga class smack dab in the middle of Times Square

Solstice in Times Square returns for the longest day of the year, offering yoga classes in the Broadway Pedestrian Plazas. Mats and water are provided; changing rooms and bathrooms aren’t. Classes are free, but participants are urged to donate what they might have paid to Community First, an initiative meant to build trust among vulnerable people reluctant to accept assistance. Advance registration starts on June 1, and if you’re too shy to try it out in person, you can boot up the livestream and stretch along at home. June 21, Broadway Pedestrian Plazas; details here.

Encounter an all-day free musical event spanning the entire city

You pretty much won't be able to cross a street, visit a park or walk your dogs without encountering a musical performance on June 21, when Make Music New York returns to resonate throughout the city's urban canyons and open spaces. It's a movable feast, for sure, but some highlights you can opt to target include “Pueblo Harlem,” featuring the award-winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, from noon to 8 p.m. on Johnny Hartman Plaza in Hamilton Heights, and Medeski Martin & Wood drummer Billy Martin's participatory project “Stridulations,” on Little Island at 5 p.m. June 21, times and locations vary; details here.

Take in a concert at Hudson Yards

Hudson Yards and The Bowery Presents are joining forces for Summer Concerts at The Wells Fargo Stage, a weekly series offering free concerts by acts like Geese (June 21), Thuy (June 28) and The 502s (Aug. 2) in the Public Square & Gardens. The concert series is just one part of a summertime lineup that also includes movie nights and live sporting events on an outdoor screen; DJ events on the plaza, fitness classes, music for kids and more. June 21-Aug. 9, Hudson Yards; details here.

Dance to the sounds of steelpan music in Brooklyn

Cultural organization I Am Caribbeing partners with Prospect Park Alliance to celebrate the sound of the steelpan, the unique melodic percussion instrument native to Trinidad and Tobago, on June 25 at 5 p.m. Admission to the concert is free, but an RSVP is requested. June 25, Lefferts Historic House, Prospect Park; details here.

Explore experimental music on your evening commute

The New York experimental music scene usually resides in intimate spaces well off the beaten path, but starting June 28, the estimable Red Hook arts organization Pioneer Works will curate "The Commuter Series," offering free outdoor performances on a Broadway plaza in Times Square. You can drop by and discover something new every Wednesday at 5 p.m.; especially highly recommended are The Chutneys, a boundary-bursting combo fronted by charismatic vocalist Gelsey Bell, playing on Aug. 16. June 28-Sept. 13, Broadway Pedestrian Plaza at 43rd Street; details here.