A talk with the owner of The Back Room, a fire circle on Grand Street, a dumpling-folding workshop inside Essex Market and a free outdoor show for toddlers in Corlears Hook Park are all on the Lower East Side calendar between Tuesday, Oct. 20, and Tuesday, Oct. 27. Most of it is free. Here is what is happening, where, and what it costs.

Wednesday, Oct. 21: The Back Room's story, told at Abrons

Abrons Arts Center, the performing arts program of Henry Street Settlement at 466 Grand Street (at Pitt Street), hosts From Yesterday to Tomorrow: Bagels, Barley Soup and the Back Room at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Johnny Barounis, owner of The Back Room, sits down with Eric Ferrara, founder of the Lower East Side History Project, for a conversation framed around the neighborhood's food and nightlife history, from bagels and barley soup to the bar itself. Admission is free. Abrons says reservations are honored first come, first served, and while reserving is not required, it is encouraged. The event is part of the center's rentals program, which opens its spaces to outside presenters.

Thursday, Oct. 22: A fire and a gathering at Abrons

On Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m., choreographer Emily Johnson and artist Kai Recollet lead Kinstillatory Mappings in Light and Dark Matter at Abrons. The evening is built around a fire that centers Indigenous protocol and knowledge, with guest artists and curators sharing stories and performances honoring the land, water and air of Lenapehoking, the Lenape homeland that includes Manhattan. It is free with an RSVP, though Abrons notes that space is limited and a reservation does not guarantee entry, so arriving on time helps. The series continues on Nov. 19 with a second gathering.

Thursday, Oct. 22: Fold dumplings inside Essex Market

Also on Thursday, from 7 to 9 p.m., Essex Market at 88 Essex Street turns its demonstration kitchen into a workshop for the fall edition of its Talk and Taste series. Called Pinch of Us, the hands-on session is led by multidisciplinary artist LuLu Meng and draws on the Lunar New Year traditions of her Taiwanese family, treating the dumpling as a symbol of prosperity and care made through shared work. Guest artists Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya and Rujuta Rao will each show their own family folding techniques and flavors. The program is presented with Cuchifritos Gallery and Project Space, the market's in-house gallery, and The Immigrant Artist Biennial, whose 2026 edition is titled Identity Card. Tickets are $10 through the market's events page.

Friday, Oct. 23: A free set at Catalyst Records

Catalyst Records, at Stall 16 inside Essex Market, hosts a free in-store performance by Dmitry Wild from 5 to 6 p.m. on Friday. He will play his new single, Fiery. Catalyst runs these free shows throughout the year, and the market also hosts a monthly Bring Your Own Records meetup at the stall, with the next one on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 24: The Garden, outdoors for kids 5 and under

Flying Leap Productions, presented by Abrons, stages The Garden in Corlears Hook Park, by the East River off the FDR Drive, on Saturday at 2:15 and 3:30 p.m. The interactive outdoor piece is designed for children up to age 5 and their caregivers. It follows nature's life cycle through movement theater, play and poetry in English, Spanish, Mandarin and Cantonese, with milkweed seeds from Jamaica Bay, pine needles from Green-Wood Cemetery and leaves gathered in Inwood Hill Park. The performance is built to be accessible for families with disabilities and is neurodiversity-friendly. Tickets are free but reserved through the Abrons site.

Sunday, Oct. 25: Free Zumba at Essex Market

On the last Sunday of every month, Essex Market and Community Healthcare Network hold a free Zumba class, and this month's session runs 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. All levels are welcome and the class can be done standing or seated in a chair. The market suggests comfortable clothes and sneakers.

Looking ahead: Trick or Streets on Broome Street

Essex Market and the Lower East Side Partnership are already set for Halloween. On Saturday, Oct. 31, from noon to 4 p.m., Broome Street outside the market becomes a free, all-ages block party as part of the city Department of Transportation's Trick-or-Streets program, with trick-or-treating, face painting, a bounce house, live music and a photo booth. This year adds a costume contest: photos taken in the booth are entered to win.

Getting there

Abrons Arts Center (466 Grand Street at Pitt Street) is a short walk from the F train at East Broadway or the F, J, M and Z at Delancey Street-Essex Street. Essex Market sits directly above the Delancey Street-Essex Street station; it is open Monday to Wednesday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday to Saturday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., though individual vendor hours vary. Corlears Hook Park is at the east end of Grand Street by the river, about a 10-minute walk from Abrons. Free events at Abrons fill on a first come, first served basis, so reserving on the center's website ahead of time is the surest way in.

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