13 completely free and pretty fun things to do in NYC this June

It always seems to happen without warning: After you spend months searching far and wide for events compelling enough to brave the cold, rainy weather for, summer arrives with an explosion of excellent free cultural happenings.

This June is no different. Not only does Pride Month offer dozens of marches, parties and protests to attend, but there also all kinds of free concerts, fitness classes and more to keep you occupied all month.

So, without further ado, here are some of the best free things to do in the city this June. And you won’t have to spend a dime!

Celebrate the last days of spring with a puppet show

Kick off the month with the Puppeteers Cooperative, which will be performing its annual parade and puppet pageant at Washington Park’s Old Stone House in Brooklyn on June 1.

This year’s theme is the magical world of insects, which means you can expect to find gigantic bees, ladybugs and more in the parade and an “insect opera” titled “Vespa: A Girl and Her Pet Wasp.” The parade steps off Sunday, June 1 starting at 4 p.m., followed by live music and the opera.

Enjoy the dulcet sounds of ChamberQUEER

There are virtually limitless Pride events to attend all month long, but one can’t-miss show is ChamberQUEER’s yearly concert. This year’s show is called “BaroQueer: Historically Informed,” and is a collaboration with Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society.

The show will feature baroque works, of course, but also new pieces, all of which celebrate queerness in classical music. It’s on Thursday, June 5, starting at 7:30 p.m. at Judson Memorial Church in Greenwich Village. It's just one of several free ChamberQUEER events happening this June.

See performing arts on the East River

Williamsburg’s Domino Park will bring performing arts to the masses all month long thanks to a series called "Sugar, Sugar” – so named because, you know, the Domino sugar factory used to pump out tons of the white stuff here.

What kinds of performing arts are we talking about? Puppetry (again!), experimental theater, music, dance and “joyful weirdness.” Sugar, Sugar performances happen Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7 p.m., with a closing block party on Saturday, June 28.

This year's Mermaid Parade is Saturday, June 21.

Join (or watch) the Mermaid Parade

For the 43rd year in a row, Coney Island’s Mermaid Parade will inaugurate the start of summer with a massive display of mermaid- and merman-inspired art. It's inspired by old Coney Island Mardi Gras parades, so you can expect that level of amateur ingenuity and artistic expression – all topped with the crowning of King Neptune and Queen Mermaid. The parade flops and floats down Surf Avenue to the Boardwalk on Saturday, June 21, starting at 1 p.m.

Party at an army fort’s 200th birthday

Fort Hamilton Army Base down by the Verrazzano Bridge has been around for 200 years, and you can’t let a birthday like that pass without a celebration. On Friday, June 13, the base will put on a free festival celebrating its bicentennial, complete with live music, food vendors, and fireworks.

It’s a free, family-friendly event, but make sure you register first. The festivities start at 4:30 p.m.

Check out a Pride photography exhibition at The Hispanic Society

The Hispanic Society Museum and Library adds to the citywide Pride celebrations with its “Out of the Closets! Into the Streets!” exhibition. It features photographs of early Pride marches in the mid-1970s, taken by the multimedia artist Francisco Alvarado-Juárez. The exhibition is on view through the end of August, and the museum’s main gallery is open Thursday-Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Participate in a massive group audio experiment

Improv alert! For the 20th year, Improv Everywhere will stage a participatory audio mob called “The Mp3 Experiment.” Basically, people get together and listen to synchronized audio instructions delivered via app — the effect is a bunch of people performing (potentially) strange actions simultaneously. This year, participants are asked to bring a picnic blanket, a stuffed animal and a spray bottle filled with water, among other items, so it sounds like a guaranteed good time. Make sure you register beforehand to get updated instructions, especially in the case of weather-related changes to the plan. The mob assembles Saturday, June 21, at 2 p.m. in Hudson River Park — Piers 62 and 64 (around 25th Street).

You’re sure to find something that appeals to you in June at the Whitney.

Explore all the Pride offerings at the Whitney

Yet another of the city’s museums has robust programming for Pride Month, much of which is completely free. In addition to its usual free Friday evenings and free second Sundays, the Whitney is hosting free events like a Radical Joy Ball, Queer Teen Night, and a performance by the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus.

Hang out at Museum Mile

Museum Mile Festival is where many of the institutions along Fifth Avenue open their doors and put programming on the street, which is closed to cars. You could stop at the Met and Neue Galerie for access to some of the more popular offerings, but also be sure to head north to 104th Street. There, El Museo del Barrio opens access to its current exhibitions, “Mestre Didi: Spiritual Form” and “Candida Alvarez: Circle, Point, Hoop.” You’ll also be able to listen to music from DJ Chiquita Brujita, and make your own artwork with Museo administrators. Museum Mile Festival is Tuesday, June 10, from 6 to 9 p.m.

Enjoy free drinks and snacks at a gallery exhibit

The art world can occasionally feel inaccessible to the masses, but that’s only true if you don’t show up. So, this June, show up at 137 Grand Street in Chinatown for an evening of “curiosity, revelry and discovery,” which basically means a gallery opening. The works of artist Matthew Stanners will be on display, presented by the artist himself. The best part? Free food and drinks! Get drinking and arting on Thursday, June 5 at 6 p.m.

Listen to traditional Cypriot music

New York City really does have it all! Where else can you hear the beautiful melodies of Cyprus on a Tuesday evening in June, for free? (Besides Cyprus, of course.) Gantry Plaza State Park in Long Island City will host the Cypriot celebration on June 17, complete with traditional dances in which the audience is invited to participate. Head to Queens on Tuesday, June 17, from 5 to 7 p.m. for those sweet Cypriot sounds.

Do Zumba on the waterfront

You can’t spend ALL June partying, watching fireworks, and lazing around listening to Cypriot music. It’s also a good idea to take care of your body by participating in free fitness classes. Why not Zumba? Zumba on the Waterfront goes down every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in Hunter’s Point South Park in Queens. Experience the transformative power of dance fitness without spending a dime.

Chill out at vinyl parties

Now that you’ve started dancing, there’s no reason to stop. Vinyl Nights at Bella Abzug Park in Hudson Yards aims to recreate the New York City club culture of the '70s, '80s, and '90s, when DJs would spin vinyl deep into the night. Expect plenty of disco, funk, house, hip-hop and more of the genres that kept people up all night in bygone days. Vinyl Nights is a mere sampling of that scene; it’s open to all ages and lasts from 6-9 p.m. This month’s parties are on Thursday, June 12, and Saturday, June 21.