Things to do in June in Atlanta!

Welcome to June! It’s time for summer concerts, movies on the lawn, Juneteenth celebrations, and summer vacation activities. Are you looking for things to do this June around metro Atlanta? This is your monthly guide to FREE & CHEAP FUN in the month of June.

Below, you’ll find an overview of June 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.

You may also be interested in:

• Summer Festival Guide: Things to do in June, July, & August
• Complete list of FREE outdoor concerts in 2024
• FREE outdoor movies: enjoy a night under the stars
• Free & cheap things to do this weekend
• Guide to summer farmers markets

June 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 spotlight events, you’ll find a rolling day-to-day calendar listing of June events.

♦ Free museum days in June

• The Georgia Aquarium offers you FREE admission on your birthday — so all of you JUNE babies are in luck!
Details on the Aquarium offer

•  The High Museum Art hosts its Second Sundays FREE day on June 8, 2024.
Details on Second Sundays at the High

• The High Museum also hosts its FREE Access For All program on Wednesday, June 19, 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 June 1st and 2nd.  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, June 15, 2024.

• The Carlos Museum has a FREE admission day on Sunday, June 30th.

Deposit Photos

♦ Free craft and DIY workshops in June

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 June 2nd at all local stores.

 • Saturday Kids Club at Michael’s — happening on June 8th and 22nd at all local stores.

• Home Depot Kids Workshop — make a Grill Gift Card Box on Saturday, June 1st

• Lowe’s Kid Workshop — make a butterfly biome on Saturday, June 15th

• Decatur Makers’ Family Build Night — happening on Wednesday, June 26th

♦ Enjoy FREE outdoor summer concerts & movies in June

The summer concert series and outdoor movie series is in full swing in June, 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.

♦ Cool off at a splash pad or sprayground

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

Deposit photos

♦ 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

♦ Enjoy a cheap movie at the theater

This summer, taking the kids to the movies doesn’t have to be an expensive outing.
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

♦ Head to these festivals in June

For festival details, just click thru the links.
Or, you can also browse our complete 2024 Guide to Summer Festivals in Atlanta.

• Flying Colors Butterfly Festival
• Virginia-Highland Summerfest
• Live in Roswell Street Festival
• Suwanee Summer Porch Jam
• Norcross Bluesberry & Beer Festival
• McDonough Caribbean Cultural Festival
• Alpharetta Art in the Park

♦ Save the date for Atlanta Streets Alive

Sunday, June 16, 2024
FREE

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

♦ See “The Preacher’s Wife,” a NEW blockbuster musical

The Preacher’s Wife is a brand new musical that is playing now at the Alliance Theatre. This is the show’s world premiere — which means Atlantans have an amazing opportunity to see this show NOW, in an intimate setting, for a reasonable price. If you don’t see The Preacher’s Wife now, your next chance to see it will involve a trip to NYC to see it on Broadway.

Singer/actress Amber Riley, from the cast of Glee, leads a talented all-Black cast.
The show is scheduled to run through June 16, 2024.
The Alliance Theatre is a small venue with excellent sight lines from every seat.
Buy tickets online

♦ Celebrate Juneteenth

Celebrate Juneteenth in Atlanta with free concerts, festivals, tours, art, and parades!
The federal holiday falls on Wednesday, June 19th in 2024 — but there are special events on weekends before and after that date. Find a Juneteenth celebration

♦ Get a freebie on National Doughnut Day

Friday, June 7th, 2024

Check out all the doughnut shops giving away freebies!
Find free doughnuts for National Donut Day

♦ Stone Mountain Park: deals & discounts

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!

Photo courtesy of Stone Mountain Park

♦ 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

♦ Alice’s Wonderland Returns at the Botanical Garden

This temporary exhibit features 38 larger-than-life sculptures in seven installations inspired by Lewis Carroll’s timeless tales, plus Shaggy Dog and the now-iconic Earth Goddess, two pieces in the Garden’s permanent collection.
More info

Photo: H. Brucker 

♦ 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

Immerse yourself in the mind and art of Van Gogh. Photo: H. Brucker.

♦ Summer 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 Green Meadows Preserve (Marietta), on June 8 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 spring 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

♦ Shop at summer farmers markets

There are dozens of farmers markets in metro Atlanta. You can find one every day of the week, and nearly every week of the year. Who doesn’t love to browse the stalls while munching on a freshly baked pastry?

Bonus: Some Atlanta-area farmers markets participate in the Georgia Fresh for Less program, which matches SNAP/EBT benefits, dollar for dollar — or, in some cases, doubles the benefit.
Find a farmers market