Home Outdoor Fun Atlanta’s Best Free (& Cheap) Events for Families in August by Allison SutcliffeJuly 30, 2022 Search more like this food truckafrican americanfamily friendlyfamily yogafree admissionmountain bikingthings to dozooanimal rescueapple pickingblack historycivil warcommunity festivalcommunity gardens Advertisement Trending Now News Disney+’s Prices Are Increasing—Unless You Want to Watch Ads Food & Drink General Mills Is Bringing Back 4 Classic Sugar Cereals That Your Mom Never Let You Eat Viral & Trending Cat Sneaks into Family Car & Joins Their Road Trip, Becomes Instant Celebrity Viral & Trending Weatherman Discovers His Map Is a Touchscreen and His Reaction Is So Pure Celeb & Entertainment Serena Williams Announces Retirement: ‘If I Were a Guy, I Wouldn’t Be Writing This’ Advertisement August in Atlanta is all about getting in those last blasts of summer and, for many families, looking toward the start of the school year. In order to offset the BTS drain on your wallet, we’ve rounded up tons of events around the city that are free (or super cheap). It’s just one way you can create family memories and still teach your kids the value of the dollar. Keep reading for our favorite ways to play in Atlanta that won’t break the bank.Free (or Cheap) Things to Do in August photo: iStockDance like no one is watching Bring a picnic or eat at a nearby restaurant then sit back and enjoy the sounds of summer on the Green at Halcyon on summer nights. Tue., Fri. & Sat. through Sep. 3. Event details.Sit down for storytime Sheri Dillard, author of Cowhide-And-Seek, will entertain kids with books and fun, making sure everyone is entertained. Tue. in Aug. Event details.Say “namaste” to family yoga Grab your yoga mat and head to this family yoga session where kids (3-7) and caregivers learn to breathe, stretch, dance, and do basic yoga poses. Wed. in Aug. Event details.Head outside Maybe the Great Smoky Mountains or the Cumberland Gap are on your list. Whatever national park you want to visit, you’ll get in for free with the kids. Aug. 4. Event details. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Booth Western Art Museum (@boothmuseum) Visit the Booth Museum Get your fill of Western Art with the kids when you get free entry to this local favorite. Aug. 4. Event details.Sing along with a movie Meet you at Midtown’s Living Room for this free summer movie series featuring High School Musical. Aug. 5. Event details.Find food trucks and flicks Bring your appetite to this outdoor summer movie because there will be food trucks a-plenty in the park. Aug. 5. Event details.Kiss summer goodbye This luau-themed street festival will also include live entertainment and BTS deals for families. Aug. 5. Event details. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Halcyon (@visithalcyon)Bust a move Show off you best dance moves while DJ Jake spins family-friendly dance tunes. This party’s all about dancing, games and giveaways. Aug. 5. Event details. Hunt for fungi The hot, humid weather is perfect for finding mushrooms and fungi of all kinds. Bring the kids on this hike to learn the basics of mushroom hunting, the weird ways they grow, and a few of the different species you may find in the area. Aug. 6. Event details.Listen to a Dixie band Part of the Village Theatre’s summer variety show series, you and the kids will love this toe-tapping show. Aug. 7. Event details.Let your tots play It’s Storybook Day at Atlantic Station. Bring the kids for crafts, sing-a-longs, snacks and more. Best for ages 5 & under. Aug. 8. Event details. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Atlantic Station (@atlanticstation)Go Back to the Future Screen on the Green at Atlantic Station is bringing one of everyone’s favorite ’80s hits to the big screen. Grab your lawn chairs, blankets and popcorn, it’s gonna be a good one. Aug. 11. Event details.Get into the groove Settle in for a summer concert just before school starts. This BTS bash features Josh Gilbert Band and is a great place to picnic too. Aug. 13. Event details. Experience the Taste of Nigeria Come experience the Nigerian culture through food, music, dance, fashion, art and history at this indoor event. Aug. 13. Event details.Learn about animals Meet Elachee’s Animal Ambassadors during a 45-minute presentation with a naturalist before touring the Live Animal Exhibit. Aug. 13. Event details.photo: iStockSit for storytime Ms. Nikita will lead children through stories, songs, and more during this library storytime. Wed. in Aug. Event details.Attend a community festival Head to Alive in Roswell to experience the best of life including music, food trucks, hundreds of interactive vendors, kids’ games and entertainment. Aug. 18. Event details. Enjoy pigs and peaches Now in its 21st year, Pigs & Peaches has grown into one of the region’s most beloved festivals attracting an estimated 30,000 attendees annually. It’s two days of non-stop music, good eats, cold beer and interactive family-fun. Aug. 19 & 20. Event details.Find art in the park The Piedmont Park Summer Arts Festival is a two-day outdoor event with an emphasis on the visual arts and family fun for people of all ages, customs and interests. Look for artist demonstrations, live music, a children’s play area and healthy festival food. Aug. 20 & 21. Event details.photo: iStockGet on your bikes and ride Join in on this casual 4.5 mile loop around Dunwoody and stick around for some post-ride socializing. It’s a great way for kids to learn biking safety pointers. Aug. 21. Event details.Seek out shade Join the crowd heading to Grant Park to say farewell to summer at the Summer Shade Festival. Families can enjoy the Kids Zone where they’ll find bouncy houses and other free games and activities. Aug. 27 & 28. Event details. Attend the African American Culture & Art Festival This open-air, family-friendly festival will feature live performances throughout the day by local artists, singers, poets and dancers so families can experience the talent and creativity of our local African American artists first hand. Aug. 27. Event details.Always Free in Atlanta View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tiny Doors ATL (@tinydoorsatl)Seek out street art. An art scavenger hunt is always a great way to get out with the kids and explore the city. Whether you’re looking for Tiny Door or the newest Lela Brunet masterpiece, bring your phone and strike a pose.Walk on the BeltLine. This 22-mile loop gets better every year, with art installations to find and Atlanta’s tree canopy to enjoy. It’s as simple as hopping on at the nearest entry point and exploring as you go.Give mountain biking a spin at a beginner course. A short drive from the heart of the city you’ll find multiple groomed mountain biking trails—most with beginner courses—for bikers who long to get off the beaten path.Go skateboarding at a skatepark. Atlanta’s skateparks are spread out, which means accessing one is relatively easy, no matter where you live. The Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark is a local favorite, and the Brook Run Skate Park in Dunwoody, the largest skatepark in Atlanta, is surrounded by trees and close to trails for biking, walking, and running. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Piedmont Park (@piedmontpark)Spend a day in Piedmont Park. With paved paths perfect for biking, triking and boarding, plus a lake, fields and playgrounds, this Atlanta institution is a great place to spend a day.Visit the Noah’s Arc Animal Sanctuary. Noah’s Ark is a 250-acre sanctuary for abused, unwanted and neglected animals in a park-like setting with paved pathways. Noah’s Ark is open Tuesday through Saturday. The Welcome Center, picnic area, and playground are open at 9 a.m. for visitors, and the animal habitat is open from 12-3 p.m.Bike the Silver Comet Trail. Located 13 miles northwest of Atlanta, this 61.5-mile long path is free of charge and travels west through Cobb, Paulding and Polk counties. Expect a quiet, non-motorized, paved trail for walkers, hikers, bicyclists, rollerbladers, horses, dog walkers and strollers.Explore Arabia Mountain. Once part of a quarry, Arabia Mountain is now protected as part of the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve. This otherworldly rock outcrop is a monadnock, a geologic formation that has the seen the ground around it erode away, leaving the mountain we know and love today. Arabia Mountain also contains a variety of rare and endangered plants, such as Diamorpha, which grows in the fragile solution pit ecosystems that appear on the rock face. The Arabia Mountain PATH (AMP) is a 30+ mile recreational trail located just 20 minutes east of Atlanta. Walkers, cyclists and joggers share the multi-use trail. AWARE, or the Atlanta Wild Animal Rescue Effort, has been operating at the base of Arabia Mountain since 2006. The nonprofit rescues sick or injured wild animals, rehabilitates them at their facility and returns them to the wild. View this post on Instagram A post shared by High Museum of Art (@highmuseumofart) Check out the High Museum of Art on the second Sunday each month. That’s when The High offers free admission for all visitors from noon to 5 p.m. Right now you can enjoy the Oliver Jeffers exhibit before it heads elsewhere.Check out Kennesaw Battlefield Park. Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park is a 2,965 acre National Battlefield that preserves a Civil War battleground of the Atlanta Campaign. Opposing forces maneuvered and fought here from June 19, 1864 until July 2, 1864. Picnic and play in designated areas and then enjoy a hike on some of the over 22 miles of maintained interpretive trails.Explore Historic Oakland Cemetery. Atlanta’s oldest public park and the final resting place of many of the city’s most noted citizens, Oakland is less than a mile from downtown on 48-acres. Explore history and gardens, sculpture and architecture, and play under the ancient oaks and magnolias. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Zoo Atlanta (@zooatl)Head to Zoo Atlanta with your library card. Gain free admission to the wonderful Zoo Atlanta through the Library Pass Program. If you have a library card, you can check out a family pass (for a family of four) at Georgia’s public libraries. The pass is available at participating branches in all 159 counties. It’s a great way to see Sean Kenney’s Nature POP! exhibit while you still can.Pay a visit to the Marietta Fire Museum or the Roswell Fire Museum. Discover and learn the history of the firefighting through collections of antique fire apparatus, tools, and gear dating back to the 1800s. Learn how fire departments have changed over time through self-guided tours. —Allison Sutcliffe & Shelley MasseyRELATED STORIES:5 Mountain Biking Trails for Beginners near AtlantaPlay All Day: Discover Atlanta’s Top PlaygroundsWade Into Atlanta’s Local Lake SceneThe Spin: 9 Kid-Friendly Bike Trails in & around AtlantaBucket List! How to Have an Epic Atlanta Summer Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Copy (Opens in new window) Search more like this food truckafrican americanfamily friendlyfamily yogafree admissionmountain bikingthings to dozooanimal rescueapple pickingblack historycivil warcommunity festivalcommunity gardens Welcome to our Tinybeans family! Be sure to check your email for new activities, recipes and parenting hacks – and to see if you’ve won! Do you have a dog or cat? Select YES below and click submit to start receiving FREE pet ideas and inspiration, news about new pet products, exclusive offers and limited-time promotions. Yes, I have a pet! Submit GET READY FOR SUMMER! Enter to Win a $250 Gift Card! Enter your email and zip code below for a chance to win a Mastercard Gift Card. We’ll pick one winner per month through August 31, 2022 – 5 lucky winners in all! email zip_code campaign_name Enter Now! I agree to the official rules and to receive email communications from Tinybeans. By providing my email address, I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience possible. Accepting the use of cookies enables important site functionality including personalization and analytics. Accept Decline Create an account to save this content on Tinybeans Choose how you would like to sign up. Continue with Apple Continue with Facebook Continue with Google or Continue with Email By signing up, you agree to Tinybeans Terms of Service and acknowledge you have read and agreed to our Privacy Policy. Sign in to your Tinybeans account Don’t have any account? Create an account here. Forgot your password? Reset it here. Sign In or Continue with Apple Continue with Facebook Continue with Google Personalized recommendations Tinybeans uses personal information to share useful recommendations and ideas for your family. This may include your previous activity, family profile and your hometown. Tinybeans keeps your data safe and does not sell personal information to any third party. Learn more about your privacy and location choices. Close
Celeb & Entertainment Serena Williams Announces Retirement: ‘If I Were a Guy, I Wouldn’t Be Writing This’