Free stuff is the best.
T-shirts shot out of guns, free tote bags with our purchases, free sandwiches after 10 punches on our rewards cards. Its all great.
It's the little things in life, ya know?
Luckily, you can find a lot more than a free t-shirt this month in New York City.
There's tons of events, festivals, and exhibits all over the city that won't cost you a thing. Whether you're interested in sports, food, the arts, or learning about other cultures, there's something for everyone.
Read on to find out about all the free events coming to NYC in May.
1. Bryant Park Dance Series (Fountain Terrace @ Bryant Park)
Throw on your dancin' shoes and get ready to kick off Bryant Park's annual dance event with the Opening Party on May 4th.
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Take part in the opening festivities by learning the Charleston, Foxtrot, and Jitterbug, and come back on Wednesday evenings this summer to learn even more old school moves.
2. Louis Vuitton America’s Cup World Series New York Event Village (230 Vesey Street)
This annual international sailing event is coming to the New York Harbor for the first time in nearly 100 years. It's a unique opportunity to watch the best sailors from all over the world compete against each other in races along the Hudson River.
The event will also be host to outdoor entertainment, food vendors, sponsor activity and hospitality to celebrate the races, and is free and open to the public from May 6th-8th.
3. Japan Day (Central Park - 69th Street & 5th Avenue)
This annual event celebrates Japanese culture in NYC and strives to bring increased awareness to the Japanese presence in America.
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There will be live music events, food vendors, as well as a run to kick off the festival at 8 a.m. It takes place in beautiful Central Park on May 8th.
4. International Food Festival (9th Avenue from 42nd to 57th Streets)
Prepare for the most epic international food crawl of your life.
The 9th annual International Food Festival is a two day event (May 14th & 15th) jam packed with diverse food vendors, retail shops, live music, games, and rides.
There's tons of different kinds of cuisine from all over the world, so prepare to expand your horizons and try something new. Check out the full list of vendors here.
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5. Bayfest (Emmons Ave from East 27 Street to Ocean Avenue - Brooklyn)
Brooklyn's largest waterfront festival brings together musical performances, food vendors, and of course, some pretty amazing views.
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The annual event will be taking place on May 15th from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m.
6. Multicultural Festival (St. Nicholas Avenue between 141st and 145th Streets)
It's no secret that NYC is the most culturally diverse city in the world, and this annual event aims to celebrate that.
The event will happen on May 21st between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., and is an opportunity for New Yorkers to learn all about the different, food, drink, dance, and art that make the city what it is.
7. Stay Hungry (795 Lexington Avenue - Brooklyn)
Stay Hungry is a culinary event that "brings hip hop to the table." It's a chance for young culinary artists to show their stuff by creating dishes that correlate with specified hip hop lyrics.
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Ya know, stuff like "Go fill my belly / A T-bone steak, cheese eggs and Welch’s grape" from Notorious B.I.G. Pretty cool, right? The event goes down May 21st and is totally free and open to the public. RSVP right here!
8. The Lower East Side Festival of the Arts (155 1st Avenue)
The Lower East Side of Manhattan is renowned for its thriving art scene, and there's no better time to celebrate that than this 21st annual festival occurring on May 27th, 28th, and 29th.
Head downtown later this month to catch some of the best theater, music, dance, comedy, performance art, poetry, video and fine art that the city has to offer and get to know some incredible local artists.
Check out 20 Can't Miss Concerts Going Down in NYC This May.
[Feature Image Courtesy The Lodown NY]