Cheap$kate: FREE events in NYC this week

Photo credit: Getty Images

Soccer

Steve Nash Foundation Showdown
Stop by the Sara D. Roosevelt Park this Wednesday evening to catch some of your favorite NBA and professional soccer players take part in an 8-a-side soccer match to support the Steve Nash Foundation's work to benefit underserved children. General admission is FREE and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, but if you want to support the foundation and purchase VIP packages to the Showdown and After Hours events, visit stevenash.org/showdown. (Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., FREE, Sara D. Roosevelt Park at Chrystie and Stanton sts., stevenash.org/showdown)

Exhibit

Lunch Hour NYC
How do you usually spend your lunch hour? This week, head over to the New York Public Library's Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street for the Lunch Hour NYC exhibit, which features books, pamphlets, photographs, menus, manuscripts and memorabilia from various collections at the NYPL, all centered around the midday city meal tradition. The FREE exhibit officially opened last Friday and is on view through Feb. 17. (Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tues. & Wed. open until 8 p.m.; Sun., 1-5 p.m., FREE, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, Gottesman Exhibition Hall, Fifth Ave. and 42nd St., 917-ASK-NYPL, nypl.org/lunchhour)

Promotion

Hotels.com's 'Bedventure'
Hotels.com and Welcome Rewards want to take you on a "Bedventure" tomorrow. Travel to exotic locales without stepping out of bed when you stop by the 22/23 Broadway Pedestrian Plaza to enjoy FREE refreshments and snacks while you get your picture taken on a large bed with exotic travel destinations superimposed behind you. Sign up for Welcome Rewards while you're there for a chance to win a FREE trip! (Tuesday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., FREE, 22/23 Broadway Pedestrian Plaza, Broadway btwn E. 22nd and E. 23rd sts., hotels.com)

Movie

'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory'
Oompa, loompa, doopa-dee-do; what's worth a trip to Staten Island for you? How about a FREE screening of "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," complete with complimentary popcorn? Note: That's the original one with Gene Wilder. Grab a picnic, blanket and snuggle buddy and cozy up under the stars tomorrow evening at the Westervelt Community Garden. And remember to pack plenty of chocolate! (Tuesday, 8-10 p.m., FREE, Westervelt Community Garden, 143 Westervelt Ave., Staten Island, 212-333-2552, nycgovparks.org/events)

Music

Glen Hansard
Get to Barnes & Noble Union Square fast on Thursday evening so you can fall slowly in love with the vocal talents of Oscar-winning songwriter Glen Hansard, who will be performing tracks from his first solo album "Rhythm and Repose." Hansard won the Academy Award, along with Markéta Irglová, for "Falling Slowly" from the 2006 movie "Once." (Thursday, 7 p.m., FREE, Barnes & Noble Union Square, 33 E. 17th St., 212-253-0810, bn.com)

Dance

FREE dance classes
Shine up your dancing shoes and head over to the Ailey Extension this week as it celebrates NYC Dance Week with a plethora of FREE dance classes.

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