Free Friday - 10/17/08

Each week we're telling viewers about events, activities and items that are free. That's right, no money required.

This week's free list:
1) Movie in the Garden - Nightmare Before Christmas
2) Fall Family Fun Day with magic shows, storytelling, live horses, FDNY fire engine and more in the Bronx
3) Women receive a glass of champagne just by showing their business card with their VP title
4) AC/DC truck to promote upcoming album and giving away free t-shirts and CDs

MORE INFO AND VIDEO AFTER THE JUMP...

Movie in the Garden: The Nightmare Before Christmas
Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 7 p.m.
Location: Community Garden (124th Street between Lenox Avenue and Mount Morris Park West); Manhattan.

Come see Christmas collide with Halloween in The Nightmare Before Christmas. Admission is free and snacks will be sold. Bring a lawn chair and warm clothes or blankets.

Click here for more information.

Free Glass of Champagne
The Westin New York at Times Square is offering a female-focused perk that is both timely and a light-hearted break from the two big E's: election and economy.

The Westin New York at Times Square is toasting powerful women with a complimentary glass of champagne at the hotel's Bar 10. To coincide with Sarah Palin's vice presidential nomination, women presenting a business card boasting a VP title will receive a glass of bubbly from October 1 through November 4.

For more information, visit www.westinny.com.

National Cupcake Day
October 20: Madison Ave (501 Madison Avenue - Madison and 52nd)
The new shop on Madison Ave is giving away 1,000 complimentary cupcakes (1 per person) beginning at 8 a.m. on opening day.
October 28: Lexington Ave. (1418 Lexington)
November 3: Upper East Side (Lexington Avenue at 93rd Street - near 92nd Street Y)
December 22: Mid-Town East (880 Third Avenue at 54th Street)
December 29: Mid-Town West (1675 Broadway between 52nd and 53rd)

There are new Crumbs Bake Shops opening up in the city in the next couple months. Crumbs Bake Shop is the originator of the gourmet cupcake and while many cupcake shops feature a few traditional flavors (vanilla, chocolate, and that's it), Crumbs shook up the cupcake world introducing a wide variety of new flavors. And Cupcakes have never been the same.

According to MarketResearch.com, even with the economy in a slump, sales of gourmet foods are still holding stead, and in some cases, growing. U.S. retail sales of gourmet, specialty and premium foods are growing at faster rates than those of the overall food industry. Also, as many companies are decreasing their product lines and limiting their offerings, Crumbs has expanded each of their Bake Shop showcases by 10 feet, to accommodate more flavors adding 25 more varieties to the menu on a daily basis.

Mia and Jason Bauer, co-founders of Crumbs, attribute the growth to a combination of elements, but right now, feel the most important factor is that cupcakes are an affordable luxury; a comfort food that people don't feel is a splurge at $3.50 each, especially when at Crumbs you get a lot of cupcake for your money - the shop is known for their generous servings in all 3 sizes. In a downloadable, on-demand world, people want customization and Crumbs offers 75 varieties, providing customers options without committing to just one flavor.
In an effort to invite the entire community to celebrate cupcake couture, Crumbs has a long standing tradition when opening a store.

Release of AC/DC's Black Ice Album
AC/DC Fans Get Ready: Black Ice rolls into Manhattan including a custom, fully decked-out interactive Black Ice truck and "pop up" store in Times Square, events surrounding AC/DC's first album in eight years launch here this week to bring thousands upon thousands of New York rock-n-roll fans a "first taste" in the countdown excitement. With the release of the new album Black Ice on Oct. 20, AC/DC-mania is already rocking and literally rolling its way through New York streets.

Starting this Thursday, AC/DC fans can:
1. Visit the Black Ice truck (various locations) to listen to AC/DC's Black Ice album in advance of its release, on interactive listening stations
2. Demonstrate their music talents, gaming skills and best impersonation of the band on stage in live demos of the not-yet-released AC/DC LIVE: Rock Band(r) Band Track Pack(tm) video game for exclusive merchandise
3. Compete for exclusive AC/DC concert tickets * Meet other AC/DC "super fans" to test their fan knowledge
4. Join fans Sunday, Oct. 19 at the Times Square MTV store where Walmart and MTV will "unveil" the "AC/DC-Rock Band" store and sell the first copies of the new album from the store and nearby Black Ice truck

WHERE/WHEN: AC/DC Black Ice Pre-Launch Fan Events
10/16 Union Square (West Side @ 15th St) 12PM - 8PM
10/17 Times Square - Military Island (44th and Broadway/44th), 9 AM - 6 PM
10/18 Roving through the streets of Manhattan 10/19 Walmart and MTV "Pop Up" store at Times Square, 9 PM - 2 AM "It may look like an Ice Cream truck but this vehicle rock-n-rolls!"

BACKGROUND: The new AC/DC album Black Ice and of AC/DC LIVE: Rock Band(r) Track Pack(tm) game (released Nov. 2) will be sold exclusively at Walmart in the U.S. To give New York fans easy access and a special celebration, AC/DC and Walmart are excited to partner with MTV to create their own retail location in Manhattan this fall. Fans can also purchase the album from the Black Ice truck beginning Oct. 20 in its stops across New York. Millions of AC/DC fans are converging throughout the country to celebrate the group's first album of all new material in eight years. In celebration, Walmart also is creating an AC/DC "Rock Again" store inside each one of its 3,500 locations

The only place you can get the new album is at Walmart… but as we know there isn’t a Walmart in New York. So guess what? On Sunday, Walmart and MTV are turning the MTV store in Times Square into a special AC/DC Rock Band Store so you can buy the album - and it’s only $11.88.