Weekly roundup (March 18)

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March 18, 2026 | Issue #150

NYC FOR FREE WEEKLY ROUNDUP

Note from Rebeka:

Spring is officially starting! Celebrate with free treats at Rita's Italian Ice, explore art at the newly re-opened New Museum, and spread sunshine with Sweetgreen. Stay tuned for a cherry blossom guide + other spring festivities in the weeks to come, and cheers to 150 issues of the NYC for FREE newsletter! ☀️

– Rebeka

FEATURED EVENTS (THIS WEEK):

🎬Art House Cinema Week New York  (March 20 - 26): The inaugural Art House Cinema Week will feature affordable screenings, exciting perks, and 5,000 free tickets for eligible New Yorkers at independent cinemas across NYC!

🍧Rita's Italian Ice First Day of Spring (March 20): Rita's Italian Ice & Frozen Custard is continuing its beloved annual tradition, inviting guests to celebrate the first day of spring with a FREE Rita's Italian Ice giveaway!

🏛️New Museum Re-Opening Weekend (March 21 - 22): Enjoy free admission during re-opening weekend of the New Museum’s 60,000-square-foot building expansion.

🏀C4 Energy x Local Hoops Pop‑Up with New York Knicks’ Josh Hart (March 21): C4 Energy and New York Knicks standout Josh Hart are joining forces to motivate athletes and fitness enthusiasts to push their limits with C4 Energy Drinks.C4 Energy is taking over Local Hoops for an exclusive one‑day pop‑up!

🎤Barnes & Noble BTS Pop-Up (March 20): ARMY! Come join Barnes & Noble at its BTS pop-up in celebration of the release of ARIRANG! They will be a photo zone and ARIRANG themed giveaways, including notebooks & stickers!

🛍️Uniqlo Williamsburg Grand Opening (March 20 - 22): UNIQLO Williamsburg opens in Brooklyn’s creative center, offering modern essentials inspired by Japanese design. Come celebrate opening weekend and refresh your wardrobe with pieces made for real life.

🎸Stoney Clover Hannah Montana 20 Pop-Up (March 20 - 22): Celebrate the 20th Anniversary of Hannah Montana with Stoney Clover. Shop exclusive merch, photo moments & Magnum Ice Cream will have a custom cart with spray painted ice cream bars for all to enjoy!

🥗Spread the Sunshine with Sweetgreen (March 24 - 25): Sweetgreen is kicking off spring with the debut of its new Chicken Sesame Crunch! On the day of each takeover, guests can also enjoy a free Chicken Sesame Crunch salad.

MORE EVENTS (THIS WEEK):

☕Fellini Coffee x Plaid (March 18) 

🚀Project Hail Mary Rocky's World Tour (March 18)

🍵Matcha Cafe Maiko NYC 3rd Anniversary (March 18 - 22) 

🧁Nudestix Bakery at Derby Cup Coffee (March 20)

🎨The Power of Togetherness: Sesame Street Sculpture Unveiling (March 20)

💡Philips The Night Switch (March 20)

🏋️‍♀️Orange Theory Grand Re-Opening (March 21)

🦖Farewell Dinosaur (March 21) 

🍰AndyCakesNYC Pop-Up Shop (March 21) 

🧸Hasbro’s Spring Play Garden (March 21 - 22) 

🔍Find the Anua Oppaz Challenge (March 21 - 22) 

🌀Analog Sunday with Air (March 22) 

🎩Bridgerton Brothers Look-Alike Contest (March 22) 

💜Spotify x BTS: SWIMSIDE (March 23) 

🍕​​The Wild Honey Pie Little Pizza Party (March 23)

♟️Checkmate at BFPL (through March 27)

🍔190 × Anytime Burger Pop-Up (through March 27)

🍿Extra Butter Monday Movie Nites (through March 30)

☕Raposa Coffee and Cards (through April 14)

🖼️ Whitney Biennial 2026 (through August 23)

🚇Inspired by MetroCard Exhibit  (through October 31)

ON THE RADAR:

⚡ Harry Potter x Coffee mate Butterbeer Cafe (March 27 - 28): In honor of Butterbeer Season and the debut of Harry Potter x Coffee mate Butterbeer Flavored Creamers and Cold Foam, you are invited to the Butterbeer Cafe, a two-day pop-up tasting event in the heart of New York City.

🌸 OUAI Bond Repair Balm Pop-Up (March 27 - 28): To celebrate the launch of OUAI’s NEW Bond Repair Balm, the brand is bringing a larger-than-life “BRB (BE RIGHT BACK) Shower” experience to NYC, turning a 3-minute in-shower treatment into an immersive, street-level moment.

💜 Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Pop-Up (March 28- 29): Celebrate the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special” with a pop-up by Maybelline New York and Disney Branded Television, where you can step into Hannah’s legendary glam closet.

MISC, RECURRING & DEALS:

🍴 $20 AYCE Lunch Buffet at Fogo de Chão: $20 Market Table Lunch Deal with traditional Brazilian dishes and healthy and seasonal salads. Great affordable lunch option!

🚙Empower: Empower is a rideshare drivers set their own rates and get 100% of the fare. Get $10+ in free rides with promo code 7VJ74G.

🤑 Rakuten: Get Cash Back during at stores like Nike, Bloomingdales, lululemon & more (often 10%+). Plus, new users can get $50 (limited time!) after using the Rakuten app or browser extension to make their first purchase of $50+. Sign up here.

🙇🏽‍♀️ Get $225 for a Focus Group: Earn $225 in rewards to help to shape the future of technology! Sign up for a 3 hour in-person study in Midtown Manhattan and get $225 for your time and participation.