Welcome to July! It’s time for fireworks, outdoor concerts and movies, splash pads, plus some indoor events for those hot and muggy July days.
Are you looking for things to do this July around metro Atlanta? This is your monthly guide to FREE & CHEAP FUN in the month of July.
Below, you’ll find an overview of July events, plus activities that are free, cheap, or discounted. Sometimes we throw in a splurge alert item that we think is especially notable.
Please remember to verify every event before you head out! That’s why we provide so many links. We try to keep up with weather cancellations, but we don’t catch every one.
July in Atlanta: top things to do this month
REMINDER:
Before making plans for a restaurant, special exhibit, concert, trampoline, or spa treatment, make sure to check Groupon for a deal! You can often save 50% or more.
Below these spotlighted events, you’ll find a rolling day-to-day calendar listing of July events.
♦ Celebrate Independence Day with fireworks & other events
Independence Day celebrations begin the last weekend in June and continue through the first weekend in July — they’re not all on July 4th!
Our roundup of July 4th events includes fireworks, parades, free concerts, festivals, and more.
We also have an interactive map that helps you easily locate fireworks near you. Just click on the icon to get a link for more info. (On a mobile device, you’ll have to click the icon, then the name of the venue.)
View the list of fireworks & celebrations
♦ Enjoy FREE museum days in July
• The Georgia Aquarium offers you FREE admission on your birthday — so all of you JULY babies are in luck!
Details on the Aquarium offer
• The High Museum of Art hosts its Second Sundays FREE day on July 14, 2024.
Details on Second Sundays at the High
• The High Museum also hosts its FREE Access For All program on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 — you need to register in advance for this one.
• The Museums On Us program offers FREE admission to Bank of America cardholders at four metro-area museums on July 6th and 7th. This includes the High Museum, Tellus Museum, Atlanta History Center, and Center for Civil & Human Rights.
Details on Museums On Us
• The Marietta History Center hosts its FREE monthly Family Fun Day on Saturday, July 20, 2024.
• The Carlos Museum has a FREE admission day on Sunday, July 14th.
♦ Find FREE craft and DIY workshops in July
Take advantage of one of these FREE crafting events — just click through for details and to register.
In most cases, supplies are provided.
• Sunday Makebreak at Michael’s — happening July 7th and 21st at all local stores.
• Saturday Kids Club at Michael’s — happening on July 27th at all local stores.
• Home Depot Kids Workshop — make a Soccer Game on Saturday, July 6, 2024.
• Lowe’s Kid Workshop — make a Kinetic Sandbox on Saturday, July 20, 2024.
• Decatur Makers’ Family Build Night — happening on Wednesday, July 27th
♦ Freebies for kids & teens in July
School is out, and summer vacation comes with special freebies and discounts for the younger crowd!
Check out these summer offerings:
• Kids Bowl Free
• Teens work out for FREE at Planet Fitness
♦ Head to these FREE outdoor concerts & movies in July
The summer concert series and outdoor movie series are in full swing in July, with something going on every weekend.
Browse our special calendars for:
◊ FREE outdoor summer concerts
◊ FREE outdoor movies on the lawn
These events cover the extended metro area, including the suburbs.
♦ Titanic: An Immersive Voyage
This NEW immersive exhibit just landed at the Exhibition Hub Art Center, on Buford Highway at I-285. It allows you to virtually hop aboard the Titanic and walk through life-sized recreations of parts of the infamous ship.
You can also:
- Discover an impressive collection of artifacts related to the Titanic’s short life
- Relive the ship’s final dramatic moments from a lifeboat in an immersive room
- Dive into the depths of the ocean aboard a virtual submersible and discover the RMS Titanic’s wreck site
- Learn about the story of the Titanic—from its creation to the crash and aftermath
♦ Play in these splash pads, spraygrounds, & interactive fountains
The splash pads and spraygrounds in Atlanta are a fun way for kids to cool off and play in the water, without going to a pool. No matter where you live in metro Atlanta, there is most likely a park with a water feature near you — and most of them are FREE.
The splash pad season starts in early May and goes through September at most locations. We’ve put together a handy list of splash pads, spraygrounds, and interactive fountains. The list is organized by county.
Find a splash pad or sprayground near you
♦ Have a close-up butterfly encounter
You can get up close to hundreds of flying butterflies at local nature centers and gardens. If you’re lucky, you may have a butterfly land on your hand or arm.
Each summer, there are opportunities to enter a butterfly house, also known as a butterfly conservatory or lepidopterarium. (These are different from outdoor butterfly gardens.) They are special facilities designed for breeding and displaying butterflies, often with an emphasis on education.
More info and find a butterfly house
♦ Get big savings at the Georgia Aquarium
A limited time offer gets you $25 admission after 5 p.m. on weekdays. Just plan ahead and buy online. To take advantage of the deal, go to the website to buy your ticket, and select an entry time between 5 and 8 p.m. The aquarium stays open till 9 p.m.
More info
♦ Have fun & get freebies at a back-to-school bash
There are tons of family fun days and backpack giveaways happening from mid-July through early August! Families can get freebies like school supplies, hair cuts, snacks, and more — often in a fun, festival-like atmosphere.
Find a back-to-school bash near you
♦ Take the kids to CHEAP movies at theater chains
Beat the heat and take the kids to a cheap movie!
Four national theater chains with an Atlanta presence are offering cheap summer movies for families on a budget. They include AMC, Regal, Cinemark, and Marcus Theatres.
The family-friendly films are offered one to five times a week, usually in the morning or early afternoon. Prices range from $1 to $3, and are the same for kids and adults.
Details for each summer film series
♦ See a planetarium show for just $6
Did you know the Fernbank Science Center is one of a handful of ALWAYS FREE museums around metro Atlanta? You can check out the exhibits at no charge any time it’s open. (Don’t confuse the Fernbank Science Center with the flashier Fernbank Museum of Natural History!)
More info
And if you want to spend a few bucks, get advance tickets for a planetarium show for just $6, thanks to a special deal.
Get the Groupon deal
♦ Escape the heat with these indoor Candlelight Concerts
Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations around metro Atlanta. These are live performances in intimate venues, lit by flickering candles. The concerts range from iconic classical music to tributes to pop artists like Adele and Queen.
For a limited time, you can save 20% with promo code CDLBDAY20.
We don’t know when the promo will end, but there’s no home in trying the code!
More info and tickets
♦ Head to these festivals in July
For festival details, just click thru the links.
These are all FREE or very cheap!
Or, you can also browse our complete 2024 Guide to Summer Festivals in Atlanta.
♦ Save the date for Atlanta Streets Alive
Sunday, July 21, 2024
During Streets Alive, for four glorious hours, three miles of Peachtree Street is closed to cars — and open for people to stroll, roll, bike, and play!
The Streets Alive route stretches from downtown to midtown, right through the heart of the city. Peachtree Street will be closed from Mitchell Street, downtown, to 15th Street in midtown.
More info on Streets Alive
♦ Visit a summer farmers market
There is a farmers market happening somewhere on every day of the week in July. Check out our full schedule of markets, organized by day of the week and location. We also let you know which markets double EBT dollars.
Find a farmers market near you
♦ Celebrate National Ice Cream Day
Sunday, July 21, 2024
There are usually deals and freebies to be had on this day, which falls on the third Sunday in July each year. And of course, we compile a list of them for your convenience — so you can get your brain freeze on!
Find a Nat’l Ice Cream Day deal
♦ See Alice’s Wonderland Re-imagined, at the Atlanta Botanical Garden
Check out this special exhibit, complete with topiary-like statues of Alice, the White Rabbit, a giant chess board, and more. You can also take advantage of Cocktails in the Garden, an evening event that features specialty cocktails available for purchase.
Details on visiting ABG
♦ Find a FREE yoga class in a park near you
These outdoor yoga classes happen on Saturday mornings and weekday evenings, after work.
Find a yoga class near you
♦ Take a scenic drive
Too hot to hike? Then get in the car, crank up the AC, and take a scenic drive — without going far from home. The South Fulton Scenic Byway has been called the loneliest road in metro Atlanta — and it is so gorgeous, you won’t believe you’re still in Fulton County. Remember to make a plan for safe and hygienic bathroom breaks!
Get the route details
♦ Visit Stone Mountain Park for half price
For a limited time, a Groupon deal lets you purchase the Attractions Pass for HALF PRICE — that’s just $19.99. We don’t know how long this deal will last, but we hope it will extend all month long!
♦ Horizon of Kufu: Take a virtual reality trip thru ancient Egypt
Horizon of Khufu has landed in Atlanta, completely reshaping the immersive experience. Step back into the golden age of ancient Egypt, where you can relive the reign of King Khufu and explore the iconic pyramids from 4500 years ago.
The 45-minute virtual reality experience costs $27 for adults, and $24 for kids, seniors, military, and students.
It’s located in the same building as the Illuminarium, at 550 Somerset Terrace NE, Atlanta 30306.
More info and get tickets
♦ See the Dutch Masterpieces at the High
The exhibit, Dutch Art in a Global Age: Masterpieces from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, will be at the High Museum from April 19th through July 14th, 2024 — including many FREE admission days.
It brings together more than 100 paintings, prints, maps and decorative art objects that span the 17th and early 18th centuries. The exhibit includes works by the period’s leading Dutch artists, including Rembrandt, Jacob van Ruisdael, Frans Hals, Jan Steen, Willem Kalf, and Rachel Ruysch.
More info + FREE admission dates
♦ Cheer on the Gwinnett Stripers at Coolray Field
It’s baseball season! If you’ve never been to minor league game, make time this spring to visit Coolray Field and cheer on the Gwinnett Stripers, the triple-A affiliate team to our Atlanta Braves.
A Stripers game is an affordable outing for families, and a perfect cheap date — with tickets starting at just $8 and special promotion days that bring added value. Everything about the experience is less expensive than a Braves game at Truist Field. Plus, you’re sitting much closer to the action.
More info
♦ Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience
This immersive exhibit lets you step into a Van Gogh painting as you explore his life and work through 360-degree digital projections and a virtual reality excursion through the French countryside. It’s running all month long — so you can treat your mom for Mother’s Day!
More info and tickets
♦ Take some shady walks and easy hikes
It’s getting hotter and more humid — so head out early to one of these shady trails.
• Cobb County Trail of the Month program will meet at Price Park (Kennesaw), on July, 13 2024. Register in advance.
• Wednesday morning group walks at Mason Mill Park are lead by a guide, starting at 10 a.m. each Wednesday. No reservation needed!
• Here’s a short list of some of our favorite shaded walks to do on your own:
- Stroll around the lake and thru the woods at Murphey-Candler Park
- Visit old homestead ruins on the nature trail at Mary Scott Nature Park
- Walk the paved trail at the Peachtree Creek Greenway
The day-by-day July calendar:
Please double-check everything! Especially with recurring events, it’s possible something is canceled and we didn’t catch it.
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