Take a writing class with an award-winning playwright

5 p.m. on Zoom

Participate in a virtual writing workshop with American playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, who is well-known for her 2001 Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Topdog/Underdog.” Students have the opportunity to improve their own writing, and to ask questions about the writing process and profession. Sessions will be recorded and available online following the live workshop. The sessions, which are free and run for an hour, will be held every Monday starting in December.

A conversation about art business with an experimental filmmaker

7 p.m. at the Museum of Modern Art

Join filmmaker Linda Goode Bryant for a discussion about her production “The Business of Being an Artist” — a piece directed by Dieter Froese as a part of JAM, a program that explores the contemporary art market of the 1980s. Goode Bryant will be joined by Sarah Workneh, the co-director of the Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, an art residency program. The two will discuss art-based activism and experimentation, as well as the influence of money on creativity. Tickets are $8 for students and $12 for the general public.

The Met reimagined

6-7 p.m. at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Kulapat Yantrasast — the founder of the architectural and design firm WHY — will explain the process of redesigning the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, which currently houses art from Africa, Oceania and the Americas. The event is free and open to the public. Registration in advance is required.

Learn about religion’s role in photography

7-8 p.m. at 281 Park Ave. South

Join a conversation about religious iconography in photography, specifically through the work of photographer and film director David LaChapelle. The panel event, which will focus on LaChapelle’s current exhibit at the Fotografiska museum titled “makeBelieve,” will be led by Kathryn Lofton, a professor of religious studies and divinity at Yale University. General admission tickets are $50.

Witness the Washington Square tree lighting ceremony

6 p.m. at Washington Square Park

Watch as the lights of Washington Square Park’s 45-foot Christmas tree turn on for the first time this season as the Rob Susman Brass Quartet plays festive holiday tunes. Join locals in gathering under the park’s iconic arch, and sing Christmas carols during the countdown to the tree’s lighting. The event is free and open to the public.

See an award-winning tap dance ensemble

7:30 p.m. at 175 Eighth Ave.

Be the first to watch three world premieres from Dorrance Dance, an award-winning tap dance company. All three shows — “Rhythms of Being,” “A Little Room” and “45th & 8th” — will be performed during each night of the program, which runs until Dec. 18. Tickets start at $10.

Listen to a local clarinet orchestra perform jazz music

7:30-10 p.m. at Greenwich House Music School

Dance Clarinets — an orchestra of 20 musicians who perform with students from the Greenwich House Music School — will play the music of James Reese Europe, an American ragtime and jazz composer. The performance will include a panel discussion with musician Jimmy Owens and Elena Martinez, an art director at the Bronx Music Heritage Center — a space that celebrates music and art from the Bronx. Tickets are $20.

Watch free performances on Target Free Thursday

7:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Center

Attend a series of free performances on Target Free Thursday — a weekly program offered by the Lincoln Center in partnership with Target. This program will present free rock, pop, classical and jazz music, as well as dance performances by musicians from The Juilliard School, Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Chamber Music Society, among others. Performances will be held every Thursday in the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center.

Join an a capella music group in holiday caroling

10-11 a.m. at Astor Place

Visit the Astor Place cube and listen to CooperTones — the Cooper Union’s first and only a cappella group — perform holiday carols. CooperTones will sing popular and festive tunes at the free event, which is hosted in partnership with Greenwich Village community advocacy group Village Alliance.

A contemporary dance approach to Alice in Wonderland

7:30-9:30 p.m. at 126 E. 13th St.

See a reimagined version of “Alice in Wonderland,” featuring music, choreography and animation segments. “Alice: Beyond the Mirror,” is an immersive dance experience performed by Peridance — a contemporary dance company committed to innovation and social engagement. Find humor, a touching story and themed treats at this unique spectacle. Tickets start at $35.

See the universe in 3D at a historical planetarium

Noon-3 p.m. at 200 Central Park West

Visit the Hayden Planetarium with NYU’s Space Exploration Society. The planetarium is in the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History, and features several exhibitions. The club is providing pizza near the museum at 11 a.m. Participants must register in advance to RSVP.

Learn about climate change at Governors Island

1-4 p.m at Soissons Landing, Governors Island

Attend the Climate Fresk workshop hosted on Governors Island to learn about the science of climate change. Activities include crafts, discussions and brainstorming sessions about solutions for climate change. This three-hour lesson aims to encourage participants to take action against the damaging impacts of climate change. Advance RSVPs are required to attend.

Experience the behind the scenes craft of “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”

10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. at the Museum of Modern Art

View the “Guillermo del Toro: Crafting Pinocchio” exhibit, which highlights the filmmaker’s first stop-motion animated film “Pinocchio.” The exhibit allows visitors to experience a movie set, and features props, production art and a look into the various phases of the puppet-making craft. The exhibition also includes time-lapse videos which show the film’s stop motion process and sets from the movie. NYU students can book a free affiliate ticket through the MoMA website. 

See a student-produced holiday cabaret

6-8 p.m. at the Riese Lounge of the Tisch School of the Arts

Visit the Tisch Talent Guild Holiday Cabaret for a gripping holiday-inspired performance. The Talent Guild comprises filmmakers, directors, dancers and actors who seek to collaborate on creative projects and gain experience in the industry. The event will include free holiday food and drinks, as well as a giveaway of free Broadway tickets. The event is free and open to the public.

Contact Yezen Saadah at [email protected].