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 13, 2025.
Details on Second Sundays at the High
• The High Museum also hosts its FREE Access For All program on Wednesday, July 16, 2025 — 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 5th and 6th. This includes the High Museum and Atlanta History Center.
Details on Museums On Us
• The Marietta History Center hosts its FREE monthly Family Fun Day on Saturday, July 19, 2025.
• The Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville hosts its Free Family Thursday each month on the second Thursday, which is July 10, 2025. The free hours are 4 to 8 p.m.
♦ 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.
• Home Depot Kids Workshop — make a Toucan Mobile on Saturday, July 5, 2025.
• Lowe’s Kid Workshop — make a Soccer Shootout Game on Saturday, July 19, 2025.
♦ Teens work out for FREE at Planet Fitness in July
Thanks to a special offer from Planet Fitness, teens age 14 to 19 can work out for free all summer long, at any of the gym’s locations — there are about 40 of them in the extended metro Atlanta area.
Get more info on the Planet Fitness Summer Pass
♦ Register for the Kids Bowl FREE program
Kids Bowl Free is a family-friendly program that allows kids to bowl at no cost, all summer long. This is a great indoor option for days that are rainy or extra hot and humid.
Once your children are registered with the program, they can bowl two games a day for FREE, all summer long.
More info here
♦ Enjoy FREE outdoor summer concerts July
The summer concert series are in full swing in June, with something going on every weekend. These events cover the extended metro area, including the suburbs.
Browse our special calendar for FREE outdoor summer concerts
♦ Take in a movie under the stars in July
There are FREE outdoor movies all month long, all over the extended metro area! You’ll find them at parks, shopping malls, town centers, and more. Some of them even include FREE popcorn!
Most of these series focus on movies that are rated G or PG, although you might occasionally find a PG-13 thrown in, so parental discretion is advised.
Browse our special calendar for FREE outdoor movies on the lawn
♦ Celebrate July food holidays with special deals
These silly food holidays exist for many reasons, including to celebrate a culinary tradition, promote a specific food, and boost the restaurant industry.
Quite often, restaurants and groceries will offer special deals in conjunction with a food holiday.
In July, we’re compiling deals and freebies on or around these dates:
♦ 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 in July
For a limited time this summer, there are big savings when you visit in the late afternoon.
Get tickets for $10 OFF when you plan a visit for after 4 p.m.
Plus, all month long, your evening visit includes Glow Nights, an evening experience inspired by the ocean’s bioluminescence with glow-themed photo ops, surprise character appearances, specialty food and drinks, live performances from jugglers, aerialists, and more!
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 indoor 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.
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 2025 Guide to Summer Festivals in Atlanta.
♦ 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 20, 2025
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!
PLUS, you can save 25% on a ticket to the NEW Zip Line Adventure Course — that’s just $29.99, for a savings of $10 when you buy through Groupon.
♦ 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 $9 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 Allatoona Creek Park (Acworth), on July 26, 2025. Register in advance.
• Wednesday morning group walks at Mason Mill Park are lead by a guide on the third Wednesday of each month, starting at 10 a.m. That’s July 16, 2025. 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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