NYC Cheap and Free Halloween 2011 Guide

Editor's Note: Apologies for not being in touch sooner, but I've been dealing with health issues and spent most of October in the hospital. I am now in Charlotte, NC recovering my health at my parents' house, which I may start blogging about. (details TBD...) For now I will forgo the weekend picks, but will do Guides for the major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve.

Friday October 28, 2011

A Halloween party for grown-ups is on tap at the New York Botanical Garden with artisenal beers and plenty of yummy insect treats! Cost: $20 for members, $30 for non-members!

Phantom of the Opera (1925) screening at 7 p.m. followed by a procession of the Ghouls, St. John the Divine, 112th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, one block east of Broadway. Tkts are $20 and can be bought here: or by calling (866) 811-4111 (additional service charges apply).The Young Regents group is hosting a reception after the 7 p.m. screening as well!

Metropolis screening and Happy Hour at Trinity Church 4-7 p.m. "Ghouls, Games, Graves, and Happy Hour: Children and families are invited for games, crafts, face-painting, and ghost stories in the north churchyard. Music, dancing, and a "Haunted Hamilton" cocktail hour (non-alcoholic beverages also available) take place in the south churchyard. 7-10 p.m. Silent film: Free screening of Metropolis, a futuristic sci-fi film that depicts a world strongly divided between the workers and the thinkers, with live organ accompaniment by Peter Krasinski. In the event of rain, Family Fun and the Haunted Hamilton Happy Hour will be held on the 2nd Floor of 74 Trinity Place, accessible via the pedestrian bridge behind Trinity Church. All events are free and open to the public. Donations accepted."

Saturday October 29-Mondy October 31, 2011

Join Discovery Walking Tours for their Gotham City Ghost Tours! "This Halloween weekend, come on this walking tour of the historic, infamous, eerie and macabre of Greenwich Village history. You’ll see the spooky cemetery at St Marks; the hanging elm, a 19th century execution site; the site of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire; the home of Edgar Allan Poe; and the burial ground at Washington Square, just to name a few. And you thought only subways ran beneath the city streets!" Please call 212-465-3331 for reservations and meeting location! Please note also that Monday's tours will end near the Parade route.

Saturday, October 29 at 1:30 p.m, 4 p.m., 6:30 p.m, 9 p.m.
Sunday, October 30 at 1 p.m, 3:30 p.m., 6 p.m.
Monday, October 31 at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Cost: $18!

Friday and Saturday October 28th and 29th, 2011

"Based on a real mystery surrounding a reported discovery in the building, this fictional game begins with an unidentified skeleton found in the Mount Vernon Mansion(421 East 61st Street) , hidden for 100 years under the floorboards. The perfect game for adults or families with children eight and up. Sign up for either the 6:30 pm or 7:30 pm start time."


Saturday October 29, 2011

Free Central Park Pumpkin Festival from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (Central Park Bandshell, Enter at 72nd Street) Events include:

Fright Night at the Movies Haunted House–our spooktacular haunted house is back again this year and scarier than ever!
Catch a sneak peek of the Haunted House on Friday, October 28th from 5-7pm!
Pumpkin Patch – kids take home a free pumpkin!
Arts & Crafts – including pumpkin decorating!
Marionette Performances by Puppets in the Park
Walkabout Characters
Pumpkin Decorating
NY Rangers Road Tour & Slapshot Booth
Obstacle Course by the New York Road Runners
Live Entertainment
Pride of NY Farmers’ Market
NY Giant Pumpkin (1,436 lbs)!
All events are free! Event is rain or shine!
Please note that the lines for the Haunted House and Pumpkin Patch may close early. While supplies last!


"BMX Red Bull Trick or Treat Event! With the Manhattan skyline in the background, fans will be witness to truly authentic street riding by some of the most respected riders in the industry including Scotty Cranmer, Corey Martinez, Brad Simms, Bruno Hoffmann, Dakota Roche, Jared Washington, Mike Brennan, Dave Belcher, Augie Simoncini, Tony Hamlin, Garret Hoogerhyde, and Dan Lacey with more to be announced.

There will be treats better than candy for some lucky fans. During the contest there will be a raffle for a new Kink bike, DC gift certificates and Edwin will personally donate his bike at the end of the event to the raffle.

The event is free for all ages, and will feature beats by DJ Yamez, in partnership with The Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn and DC Shoes, Kink, Skavenger, Animal, and Post Bikes. Costumes are encouraged for both riders and onlookers. Location: Newtown Barge Park (Brooklyn.)"


"Upgrade your Trick-or-Treat bags to a more adult version at Bottlerocket Wine & Spirit's free candy, wine and spirits pairing. Candy corn will find a friend with a buttery Chardonnay and Pixie Stix will party with vodka, while caramels will hunker down with Compass Box Whiskey. Bottlerocket Wine & Spirit, 5 W. 19th St. (at Fifth Ave.); 212-929-2323 or bottlerocketwine.com


Sunday October 30th, 2011

Fright-Flight Zip Line Adventure at Alley Pond Park Adventure Center (Queens) "Experience weightlessness as if you were a ghost. What better way to get into the holiday spirit than to challenge yourself and fly through the air. Space is limited, First- come, first-served. Please arrive at least a half-hour early (9:30am). Ages 8 and older. Halloween costumes are welcome but no open toe footwear is allowed."

Monday October 31, 2011-Happy Halloween!

Get trivial with it at the Big Quiz Thing's special Halloween Show! Show starts at 7:30 p.m., Hill Country BBQ (30 West 26th Street (between Broadway and Sixth) Special themed rounds include MONSTERS DESTROY CELEBRITIES, CRAPPY HALLOWEEN MASKS and CANDY CROSS-SECTION! (Don't close your eyes!) And the audio round…SCREAM, SINGER, SCREAM! (PART II)! $10!

Hear some scary (but true!) stories at the Merchant's House Museum tonight! 7 p.m and 8:30 p.m. in a candlelit parlor arranged for a 19th-century funeral! Merchant's House Museum, 29 East Fourth Street. Buy tkts here: http://merchantshouse.org/calendar/reservations/

Say aloha to drink specials if you're in costume! "Reason enough to wear a costume: Tropics-minded Lani Kai is hosting "Mahaloween" with $8 Mai Tais for people in costume and $6 tequila drinks from 6 to 8 p.m. We hear there will be a costume contest too. Lani Kai, 525 Broome St. (between Thompson and Sullivan sts.); 646-596-8778 or lanikainy.com"


And of course there's always the Village Halloween Parade, now almost 40 (well, 39!) anyone in costume can partipate for free! more details here: http://www.halloween-nyc.com/participate.php

Cheap and Free NYC Weekend Events, August 19-21, 2011

Still need stuff to do? Check out my NEW August Guide (http://cheapchickinthecity.blogspot.com/2011/08/cheap-and-free-nyc-august-2011-events.html), as well as my Summer Museum Guide, (http://cheapchickinthecity.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nyc-cheap-and-free-summer-museum.html) and my Summer Movie Guide (http://cheapchickinthecity.blogspot.com/2011/06/cheap-and-free-nyc-summer-movie-guide.html) for more cheap and free events in New York City!

Friday August 19, 2011

Don’t go sour as Big Onion leads you through the Brooklyn neighborhoods of DUMBO and Vinegar Hill! “Stops could include the Eskimo Pie factory, Brooklyn's "Gracie Mansion," historic Fulton Ferry, and sites associated with George Washington, Walt Whitman, John Roebling, Jean Nouvel and America’s oldest national chain store,” 2 p.m., meet at the NE corner of Jay St & York St, next to the York St F train station, $18!

You won’t need to stomp any with your feet a la I Love Lucy, but you will be able to sample 11 wines Fom Australia, Argentina, France, and Chile! Wines will be paired with food prepared by Al De Winter, SSA, from Quintessential Wines, 5 p.m. to 9p.m., Manor House Cellars, 61 West 23rd Street, free!

Switched over from the “tale as old as time” with the vocal stylings of Jessica Fletcher and Lennie Briscoe, you can now sing-a-long to Teen Witch instead of Beauty and the Beast! Trivia, costume contests, and themed drinks will also be part of the festivities, The Bell House, 149 Seventh St. bet Second and Third Avenues, Brooklyn, 8 p.m., $8! Buy tkts here: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=3881235&pl=bellpl

Friday and Saturday August 19 and 20, 2011

Wyld Stallions Forever! Catch late-night screenings of Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey as they encounter Death, Midnight, IFC Center, 323 Sixth Ave. at Third Street, $14!

Saturday August 20, 2011

Have you fully explored every inch of the High Line? No? Take a free tour today with Friends of the High Line, 11 a.m., meet at Gansevoort Plaza, under the High Line at the corner of Gansevoort and Washington Streets, and covers the length of Section One, the tours are free, but are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and space is limited, so you might want to get there early!

As we get through the dog days of summer, celebrate the Dog Days of Astor, with a special day of fun with man’s best friend! Today’s event features animal adoption, doggy portraits, ticket giveaways to Astor classes, food, and wine and cocktail tastings, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., Astor Center, 399 Lafayette St., free!

Is that a rocket in your pocket? Or are you just happy to see me? You can find out during a World’s Fair tour with the Urban Park Rangers at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., meet in front of the Queens Museum of Art, free!

As the summer winds to a close, you have time to attend one more street fair, right? Today it’s Brooklyn’s Washington Rocks Street Fair! There will be Brooklyn food, artists, music, and even a fashion show, 12:30 p.m., Washington Avenue between St. Marks Ave. and Prospect Pl ., free!

Get literary with it in Fort Greene with their 7^th Annual Summer Literary Festival , which puts young, aspiring writers (7-18) alongside experienced, local authors, 3 p.m., Fort Greene Park (rain venue: Greenlight Bookstore, 686 Fulton St., Brooklyn, 3 p.m., with after-party at bookstore at 6 p.m., free!

Join Discovery Walking Tours as they explore Sutton Place and the Treadwell Historic District at Twilight! “Discover how these two well-to-do areas evolved from humble beginnings. Stops include Sutton Square and the one-time homes of Marilyn Monroe and the Vanderbilt, Morgan and Roosevelt families,” 5:30 p.m., Call 212-465-3331 for reservations and meeting place, $18!

Bid farewell to Rooftop Films’ summer series with short movies with the theme of conclusions, in a variety of genres, including Diary by war journalist Tim Hetherington, who was killed recently in Libya, 8:30 p.m., Old American Can Factory, 232 Third St. at 3rd Ave., Brooklyn, $10 online or at the door, buy tkts here: http://rooftopfilms.ticketleap.com/rooftop-films-rooftop-shots!

And South Street Seaport is hosting a food truck rally with more than 30+ mobile vendors today (http://www.meanredproductions.com)!

Saturday and Sunday August 20 and 21, 2011

Celebrate the Battle of Brooklyn with Discovery Walking Tours as you taste your way through Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights! The tour may include stops at Plymouth Church, where Lincoln and Walt Whitman worshipped; the Promenade with its glorious view of Manhattan, the house where Truman Capote penned Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the homes of Jennie Jerome, Churchill’s mother; and writer Thomas Wolfe, and a special stop at the Four Chimneys – Washington’s headquarters during the Battle. Along the way, taste the area’s classic and contemporary foods, from Brooklyn egg creams and baklava to spinach pie,” 2 p.m., call 212-465-3331 for meeting place and RSVP, $26, includes food!

Can Kermit and Miss Piggy’s relationship survive Broadway? Find out at screenings of The Muppets Take Manhattan, 1 p.m., Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35^th Ave. at 37^th St., $12 (inc. museum admission)!

Sunday August 21, 2011

How could you be sad when the Hudson River Park’s Blues/BBQ festival is happening today? The 12^th annual festival features food from local restaurants such as Daisy Dukes BBQ, Dinosaur Bar B Que, and the Ember Room, and live music on the Hudson, 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., Hudson River Park at Pier 54 (W. 14^th St.), free! (except for food/drink purchases)

Get off your butt and get ready for a laugh at the ASSSSCAT 3000’s comedy show, 7:30 p.m. (tkts are $10, but are sold out online, tho standby tkts will be available:, 9:30 p.m. (tkts are free, but distributed at the door at 8:15 p.m.,) Upright Citizens Brigade, 307 W. 26th Street!

Hopefully it will be both mad and hot ballroom when you witness the tangoing of Martin Vargas, 1: 15 p.m., Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Boulevard, free!

I sceam, you scream, it’s artisanal ice cream time at the New Amsterdam Market’s Ice Cream Sunday! 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., New Amsterdam Market, South Street at Fulton St., scoops are $3-$5!

The Museum at Eldridge Street is hosting a Love and Courtship Walking Tour, “Discover romance turn-of-the-last-century style. Before eHarmony and JDate, there were perfumed love letters, elaborate courtship rituals and brokered marriages. Visit the sites where sparks once flew, including former nickelodeons, cafés, parks, synagogues and dance halls,” 11 a.m., meet at the museum, 12 Eldridge Street, bet Canal and Division, $15, RSVP here: http://www.eldridgestreet.org/index.php/august

Plus have a taste from the edible garden during a cooking demonstration inspired by southern Spanish cuisine (http://www.nybg.org/alhambra/programs.phps), and see just how many whiskey sour pickles you can stuff down your mouth in five minutes-or just watch others attempt this feat-(http://newyork.nearsay.com/nyc/williamsburg-greenpoint-bushwick/nightlife-second-annual-pickle-eating-contest-black-rabbit-bar), and it’s time for Food Trucks to honk their way to Proepect Park for a Food Truck Rally (http://www.prospectpark.org/calendar/event/foodtrucks)!

Plus all weekend long and beyond (!) there are plenty of events related to the BMW Guggenheim Labs (http://bmwguggenheimlab.org/)!

Cheap and Free Weekend NYC Events, August 12-14, 2011

Still need stuff to do? Check out my NEW August Guide (http://cheapchickinthecity.blogspot.com/2011/08/cheap-and-free-nyc-august-2011-events.html), as well as my Summer Museum Guide, (http://cheapchickinthecity.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nyc-cheap-and-free-summer-museum.html) and my Summer Movie Guide (http://cheapchickinthecity.blogspot.com/2011/06/cheap-and-free-nyc-summer-movie-guide.html ) for more cheap and free events in New York City!

Friday August 12, 2011

Channel your inner Perez Hilton or live your Entertainment Tonight dreams at Literary Karaoke! Tonight’s them is Celebrity Memoirs-you have three minutes to wow the crowd with your fave star’s tell-all tome, 7 p.m., WORD Bookstore, 126 Franklin, Street, Brooklyn, free!

Don’t forget it’s Free Bike Fridays on Governors Island today (http://www.bikenewyorkcity.com/submain.php?category=locations), and the Del Close improv marathon starts today (http://by150w.bay150.mail.live.com/default.aspx#!/mail/InboxLight.aspx?n=236865527!fid=1&fav=1&n=689563189)!

Friday and Saturday August 12 and 13, 2011

Darn those dinosaurs! Watch Jurassic Park during special late-night showings on the big screen, Midnight, IFC Center, 323 Sixth Avenue at West Third Street, $13!

Plus catch the last two performances of Shakespeare in the Parking Lot’s "Hamlet" (http://shakespeareintheparkinglot.com/)!

Saturday August 13, 2011

Relax with an evening concert featuring music and dance at the Queens Botantical Garden! Tonight’s concert includes a performance by the Korean Traditional Music and Dance Institute on the Oak Allee, and Korean food will be available for purchase, 6 p.m., Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main Street, Flushing, free with garden admission, $4!

Are you a Kelly, Jessie, Slater, Screech, Lisa, or Zack? Find out during tonight’s Bayside High Summer Dance and Benefit, 9 p.m., The Bell House, 143 Seventh Street bet. Second and Third Avenues, $12 in advance, $15 at the door! Tkts can be bought here: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=3777925&pl=bellpl

Play Sherlock Holmes in the village as you solve clues and answer questions during Discovery Walking Tour’s Greenwich Village Scavenger Hunt! The first team to come back first with the most correct answers win prizes, 5:15 p.m., Call 212-465-3331 for reservations and meeting times, $18!

Get locavore with tours of the Union Square Greenmarket! If you thought you knew the market, think again! Certified integrative health coach Sandra Dubrov will showcase seasonal ingredients as well as foods that energize, detox, and cleanse, 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., meet at 33 E. 17th St., bet. Broadway and Park Ave. S., tkts are $5 and can be bought online here: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1935028723/DailyCandy1

Let’s go fly a kite! No Mary Poppins here today, but you can make your own flying machine with free materials and kite-making instruction at the Brooklyn Kite Festival, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Brooklyn Bridge Park, free, but supplies and space may be limited!

All for one and one for all! The NYPL celebrates the 90th anniversary of The Three Musketeers with a screening of the Douglas Fairbanks classic and Q&A by film historians Bruce Lawton and Steve Massa, and live piano accompaniment by Ben Model, 2:30 p.m., New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, free!

There’s also a classic Volkswagon car show on Governors Island today as well! (http://www.volkswagentrafficjam.com/)!

Saturday and Sunday August 13 and 14, 2011

Join Discovery Walking Tours for a history and eating tour of Eataly, Gramercy Park, and Madison Square! “Tour these important centers in the Victorian era with a discussion of their evolution throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Stops include the 19th century Players Club and Teddy Roosevelt birthplace, the 20th century skyscrapers Flatiron Building and Metropolitan Life Tower (once the world’s tallest); and the 21st century Italian food and market development Eataly. There we will pause for some pizza, homemade bread and Italian dessert treats.” 2 p.m., call 212-465-3331 for meeting place and reservations, $28 includes food!

And you can take in a screening of the Muppet classic The Dark Crystal at the Museum of the Moving Image at 1 p.m. (http://www.movingimage.us/visit/calendar/2011/08/13/detail/the-dark-crystal) !

Sunday August14, 2011

Two of the Cheap Chick’s favorite things, books and BBQ come together today with the Desk Set as they host their regular Books-B-Qs event to benefit different literary groups. The event is co-sponsored by Pete’s Candy Store and includes drink specials and raffle prizes, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Pete’s Candy Store, 709 Lorimer St., Williamsburg, $10 gets you food and acts as a donation to Urban Librarians Unite!

LOL during the NY Laughs Comedy Show, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Washington Square Park, free!

Get a little exercise during a night hike (moderate level) led by the Urban Park rangers in Central Park, 7:30 p.m., meet at the Dana Discovery Center, 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues, free! Call (212) 628-2345 for more info!

Plus AniMiniCon is happening all weekend long (http://www.animiniconsoho.com) !

Cheap and Free NYC Weekend Events, August 5-7, 2011

Still need stuff to do? Check out my NEW August Guide (http://cheapchickinthecity.blogspot.com/2011/08/cheap-and-free-nyc-august-2011-events.html), as well as my Summer Museum Guide, (http://cheapchickinthecity.blogspot.com/2011/06/2011-nyc-cheap-and-free-summer-museum.html) and my Summer Movie Guide (http://cheapchickinthecity.blogspot.com/2011/06/cheap-and-free-nyc-summer-movie-guide.html ) for more cheap and free events in New York City!

Friday August 5, 2011

See what lies beneath the surface and explore illusions during Rooftop Films’ “Nothing is as it Seems” Short Film Festival! Doors open at 8 p.m., live music at 8:30 p.m., films begin at 9 p.m., Location is on the pier at Solar One, Kips Bay, 2420 FDR Drive, Service Road East at 23rd Street and the East River, take the 6 to 23^rd Street and then walk over, tkts are $10 at the door or online (can be bought here: http://rooftopfilms.ticketleap.com/rooftop-films-nothing-as-it-seems/)!

Plus the Noguchi Museum is open late today with pay-what-you-wish admission and a cash bar (http://www.noguchi.org/visitor-info/hours), First Fridays are free at the Neue Galerie from 6 to 8 p.m. (http://www.neuegalerie.org/visit/hours-and-admissions), Ra Ra Riot takes over the Prospect Park Bandshell (http://www.bricartsmedia.org/events/ra-ra-riot-with-delicate-steve-and-buke-gass), and the Paley Center begins special We Love Lucy screenings (running through September 3, 2011, http://www.paleycenter.org/2011-we-love-lucy-screenings)!

Friday and Saturday August 5 and 6, 2011

See “Henry V” as interpreted by the Classical Theater of Harlem at Marcus Garvey Park, 8 p.m., free!

Saturday August 6, 2011

Visit historic Wall Street Pubs and Taverns with Discovery Walking Tours! Enjoy “a walking tour of historic pubs and taverns in Lower Manhattan, all with historic associations, with stops at several for refreshment. Stops include where Washington bid farewell to his officers; a downtown pub frequented by Mark Twain and Abraham Lincoln; and a watering hole on a site once associated with the Cotton Exchange and Captain Kidd,” 5:45 p.m., Call 212-465-3331 for meeting place and reservations, $18 + cost of drinks!

Don those hats and dark glasses as Blues Brothers screens indoors tonight, pre-show starts at 8:15 p.m. with old-time shorts and previews, movie starts at 8:30 p.m., Coney Island Museum, 1208 Surf Ave. bet. Stillwell Ave. and West 12th Street, tkts are $6 and bar and concessions are available!

Find Mr. or Ms. Right (or Right Now) during Meet Market Adventure’s Famous Singles Pub Crawl! Visit a variety of NYC bars and participate in activities like interactive icebreaker games, 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., $19.99 cost includes all bar covers, skipping lines, event organizers, and prizes! Register and get tkts here: http://www.meetmarketadventures.com/events/4296/New-York-MMA-Famous-Singles-Pub-Crawl.html!

How far could you travel with a bunch of balloons? Crusty Carl Fredericksen attaches them to his house in the Disney movie Up, which is screening tonight, 8 p.m., Roosevelt Island, Firefighters Field, free (food and drink will be available for purchase)!

Cheer on Molly Ringwald as a girl from the wrong side of the tracks (is there every really a right side of the tracks?) in Pretty in Pink, 8 p.m., Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street, $7, buy tkts here: https://tickets.symphonyspace.org/public/auto_choose_ga.asp?area=8

Discover where the sidewalk ends, if there’s a light in the attic, or how to say your ‘A,B,Z’s’ at Shelebration! A Tribute to the Works of Shel Silverstein, 7 p.m., Central Park Rumsey Playfield, free!

Play King or Queen for a day as you preside over castles and other sculptures built by amateurs and professionals alike during the 21st annual Coney Island Sand Sculpture Contest! Feel like letting others do that gritty work? Watch on then and listen to live music, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., West 10^th Street on the beach, free to enter and watch!

Also it’s that time again, free First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum, tonight’s theme is Caribbean Countdown (http://www.brooklynmuseum.org/visit/first_saturdays.php)!

Saturday and Sunday August 6 and 7, 2011

Grab a taste of Brooklyn during Discovery Walking Tour’s new Park Slope and Prospect Park History and Dessert tour! “A tour of Prospect Park with stops at Long Meadow, Vale of Cashmere, and the Ravine along with a stroll through Park Slope with stops at the Montauk Club, Temple Beth Elohim, and St John’s. And what would make this tour even sweeter? A sampling of sweets from the Slope’s notable shops along the way, where you can try Hamentashen, chocolate truffles, and apple crumb, to name a few!” Call 212-465-3331 for meeting place and reservations, $26 cost includes sweets!

Sunday August 7, 2011

Do Brooklyn for free today as Heart of Brooklyn hosts a day of free admissions and programming at some of your fave Bklyn hangouts and cultural institutions! http://www.heartofbrooklyn.org/free!

Still having nightmare visions of melting on the sidewalk into a Wicked Witch of the West-type puddle from the last heat wave? Cool down with the Cold Soup Cook-off, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Grand Street at Lorimer, Brooklyn, $10!

Say aloha to hula dancing with free Hawaiian dance lessons with Josh Cho, 1:15 p.m., Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Boulevard (at the corner of Linden Place) Queens, free!

Celebrate that summer classic the road trip during the Jukebox Road Trip comedy show where comics will try to make you laugh with stories of hitting the road, 7:30 p.m., Union Hall, 702 Union St. bet. Fifth and Sixth Aves., Brooklyn, $5!

Plus save at Housing Works’ 30% off Books, Movies, and Music Sale on Saturday and Sunday (http://www.housingworks.org/events/detail/monthly-30-off-sale-all-day-august-6th-and-7th), Bank of America cardholders also get in free at some of NYC’s cultural institutions (http://museums.bankofamerica.com/, click thru for New York and then NYC museums), Can you generate 1.21 gigawatts of electricity? Doc Brown can in Back to the Future Pt. II, which is screening Saturday and Sunday at 12:15 a.m. at the IFC Center (http://www.ifccenter.com/films/back-to-the-future-part-ii/) , and join the lines-Alexander McQueen closes on the 7^th, but take note, the museum is open until midnight Sat and Sunday in anticipation of the crowds (http://blog.metmuseum.org/alexandermcqueen/)!

Cheap and Free NYC August 2011 Events Guide (Free Tkts Still Available for Rooftop Films for August 4, 2011!)

As summer winds down in NYC, enjoy these cheap and free August events!

August 4, 2011-Show some R-E-S-P-E-C-T as Aretha Franklin performs at the Brooklyn Seaside Concert Series, http://www.brooklynconcerts.com/seaside.html

Aug. 4, 2011-What a wonderful world when there’s a free jazzmobile concert at the Louis Armstrong House Museum! http://www.louisarmstronghouse.org/news/article.php?Summer-Events-Schedule-67 (scroll down!)

August 5, 2011-I don’t know if there will be any tequila, but there will definitely be bikes at this screening of Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, lawn of the Onderdonk House, http://onderdonkhouse.org/Documents/Wonderdonk-PeeWee-Web.jpg (rescheduled from earlier date)

August 6, 2011-Strike a pose at Lululemon’s all-day yoga festival on Governors Island! The day-long event will feature picnicking performances and more! http://www.facebook.com/lululemonNYC

August 11, 2011-Travel back in time to the early 20th century with a night out on the Jewish Rialto with the Museum at Eldridge Street! Period food will be served, you can participate in a beer tasting, and enjoy gypsy violins and a comedic performance, all inspired by the LES theater experience! http://www.eldridgestreet.org/index.php/august

August 12-28, 2011-Check out the multi-arts New York International Fringe Festival, which welcomes participants from around the globe! http://fringenyc.org/

August 13 and 14, 2011-No fire breathing reptiles at the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival! http://www.hkdbf-ny.com

August 13 and 14, 2011-The Civil War lives again for a weekend on Governors Island! Speak with soldiers, and women and see weapons demonstrations and music and other diversions of that era! http://www.nps.gov/gois/index.htm

August 16, 2011-Travel to Korea via Central Park with the 2011 Korea Day! There will be free food, music, entertainment, and the chance to win a free trip to Korea using your vocal talents! http://www.koreanculture.org/?document_srl=15414

August 18, 2011-Do you want me to want you? Find out at the free Cheap Trick Concert! http://www.brooklynconcerts.com/seaside.html

August 20 and 21, 2011-Get those jazz hands ready for the Governors Island Jazz Age picnic on Governors Island. Dance the afternoon away with Michael Arenella and His Dreamland Orchestra! http://www.dreamlandorchestra.com/calendar.php

August 20, 2011-“Let’s go fly a kite up to the highest height! Tho I don’t think Mary Poppins will be there! The Cooper-Hewitt and NYC Parks are hosting the free FlyNY Kite Festival, which will include kite flying demonstrations by the American Kiteflyers Association, origami instruction, live music, and an appearance by the Parks’ mascot Pearl the Squirrel! Participants are encouraged to bring their own homemade or store-bought kites to fly! http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/events/output_pages/flyny.html

August 23-26, 2011-Watch balls fly at the Qualifying Tournament for the U.S. Open with free matches starting at 11 a.m. every day! http://www.usopen.org/Visiting_the_Open/tickets/ (scroll down for official info!) Plus you can also see the tennis greats practice for free on the 28th-gates open at 10 a.m., but get there early for seats!

August 23-27, 2011-Park your butt outside during the Central Park Conservancy Film Festival! This year’s theme is music, and includes films focusing on famous musical icons! Screenings are held north of Sheep Meadow (enter the park at 72nd Street) and start at 8 p.m., but the gates open at 6:30 p.m. http://www.centralparknyc.org/visit/things-to-do/family-community/cpc-film-festival.html

August 27 and 28, 2011-The Bird’s the word at the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival! Two days worth of free concerts will be performed from Harlem to the LES (Aug. 27, Marcus Garvey Park; Aug. 28, Tompkins Square Park; 3 p.m., http://www.summerstage.org.)

August 27 and 28, 2011-Bring on the noise and perhaps a little funk at the free Afro-Punk Festival! Performances feature talented musicians like Cee Lo Green Fishbone, Santigold, Reggie Watts, Janelle Monae, and more! http://www.afropunk.com/page/afropunk-festival-11

Plus check out these August street Fairs (http://manhattan.about.com/od/eventsandattractions/a/augstreetfairs.htm), enjoy streets free of traffic during Summer Streets (http://www.nyc.gov/summerstreets), and Harlem Week events last all month (http://harlemweek.com/august.htm)!