Washington Heights has a full calendar for the week of October 19, 2026, from free dance and fitness classes in Highbridge Park to a candlelight choral concert at the Hispanic Society Museum & Library and an after-dark ghost hunt at the Morris-Jumel Mansion. Here are eight things to do between Wednesday and Sunday, each confirmed with the organization hosting it.

Wednesday, October 21: Zumba at Highbridge Recreation Center

NYC Parks runs a free Zumba class from 6 to 7 p.m. in the gymnasium of Highbridge Recreation Center, 2301 Amsterdam Avenue. The class is part of the Shape Up NYC program and is led by instructor Yhajaira Muniz, with routines set to Latin and international music. It is free, but NYC Parks asks participants to register online, and registration closes the day of the class. It is the last gym session until November, since NYC Parks lists the gymnasium as unavailable from Thursday, October 22 through Wednesday, November 4.

Wednesday, October 21: An Online Talk From the Morris-Jumel Mansion

The same evening, from 7 to 8 p.m., the Morris-Jumel Mansion hosts a Virtual Parlor Chat on Zoom about Augustin Le Prince, an inventor who began his motion picture experiments in Washington Heights in the 1880s and then vanished in France in 1890, shortly before he was due to show his work at the mansion. Author and dress historian Laurel Avery will talk about researching his life for her novel. Registration is free, with a suggested donation of $5.

Thursday, October 22: Jazz Age History at the Hispanic Society

At 6 p.m., the Hispanic Society Museum & Library presents author Jonathan Ezra Goldman in conversation with Rochelle Rives, a professor of English at the Borough of Manhattan Community College, about Puerto Rican life in New York in the 1920s. The talk covers figures including Pura Belpré, Jesús Colón, Arturo Alfonso Schomburg and Bernardo Vega. Goldman's book on lesser-known stories of 1920s New York will be available for purchase and signing. The event is free with an RSVP through the museum's website.

Friday, October 23: A Paranormal Investigation at the Morris-Jumel Mansion

The mansion is closed for tours while its roof is replaced, but it is opening its doors after the construction crews leave for a series of evening paranormal investigations. Guests learn about the house, its former residents and its collection, then get after-dark access to period rooms that are normally closed to the public. The program starts at exactly 7 p.m. at 65 Jumel Terrace, entry is not allowed before 6:45 p.m., and the gates lock at 7:05 p.m. It is for ages 18 and up, is capped at 16 people, and requires advance tickets, which are listed from $71.21 to $103.22 on the mansion's Eventbrite page. Guests are limited to one investigation per season. Remaining 2026 dates after Friday are October 30 and 31, and November 6 and 7. The program involves long periods of standing and stairs, as the mansion has no elevator.

Friday and Saturday: Free Tours at Two

Every Friday and Saturday at 2 p.m., museum educators at the Hispanic Society lead a free guided tour of the museum, its special collections and Audubon Terrace. Tours last about 45 to 60 minutes, and the museum asks visitors to RSVP. Museum admission is free with a reserved ticket, with a suggested donation, and the galleries are open Thursday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.

Saturday, October 24: Morning Circuit Training and a Nahuatl Play Reading

Saturday starts with Rise&Restore Circuit Training, a free Shape Up NYC class from 10 to 10:45 a.m. in the dance room at Highbridge Recreation Center.

In the afternoon, the Hispanic Society hosts a reading from Antichrist and the Hermit, a Nahua play written for Indigenous audiences. Doors open at 3 p.m. At 3:30 p.m., translator Ben Leeming presents the history of Nahuatl-Christian texts and his work on the translation. Excerpts are read in the original Nahuatl with English subtitles from 4 to 4:30 p.m., followed by a discussion of current efforts to preserve Nahua culture and the Nahuatl language. Admission is free with registration.

Sunday, October 25: Victoria's Requiem by Candlelight

Skylark Vocal Ensemble, a six-time Grammy nominee, performs Tomás Luis de Victoria's Requiem of 1605 by candlelight at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. in the Hispanic Society's Sorolla Gallery, surrounded by Joaquín Sorolla's Vision of Spain murals. Victoria wrote the work, his final composition, for the death of Empress Maria of Spain. Tickets are sold through Skylark's ticketing page, doors open 30 minutes before each concert, and the museum says a limited number of free tickets for the 6 p.m. performance will be released before the program.

Getting There

The Hispanic Society Museum & Library is on Audubon Terrace, entered at 3741 Broadway between West 155th and 156th Streets. Take the 1 train to 157 St and walk one block south, or the C to 155 St and walk two blocks west. The Broadway entrance is wheelchair accessible.

The Morris-Jumel Mansion is at 65 Jumel Terrace. The closest station is 163 St-Amsterdam Av on the C. Use the southeast staircase to St. Nicholas Avenue and walk one block east. The surrounding Roger Morris Park is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Highbridge Recreation Center is at 2301 Amsterdam Avenue inside Highbridge Park. To join a Shape Up NYC class, create a free account on the NYC Parks website and register for the session you want.

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