Out & About: Things to Do in July

School’s out, the weather is finally warming up (we’re looking at you Chicago and Denver!), festivals are in full swing. Summer is most definitely here!

If you’ve looked at an event calendar for your city, we’re sure you’ve seen all the fun events happening this summer. But don’t worry. We’re here to help you pick the best ones.

Check out your region below to see the must-dos for the month of July.

Atlanta

• Start your Fourth of July weekend off with  the Peachtree Road Race! The largest 10K in the world is July 4, 2015 and starts in Buckhead near Lenox Square Mall and ends in Piedmont Park.
• Enjoy the best in local food trucks, craft beer, and local bands at the Atlanta Street Food Festival July 11, 2015 at Piedmont Park.
• Downtown Restaurant Week kicks off July 18 and runs through July 26, 2015. Indulge in food from more than 30 participating restaurants with prix-fixe menus throughout the city.

Austin

• Celebrate local food all month long with the Go Texan Restaurant Round Up. Hundreds of restaurants throughout Texas collaborate with food and beverage producers to highlight the best food and wine in Texas, and they donate proceeds to local food banks.
• 101X Summer Cinema series is back this year at the Central Market. Get there early to grab a spot and don’t forget your chairs, food, and drinks. The Sandlot, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and Hook are playing in July. Movies start at 8:30PM.
• Trailer Food Tuesdays is back at the Long Center. Taste some of Austin’s best food trucks and enjoy live music, lawn games, drinks, and just all around fun on July 7, 2015 at 5PM.

Chicago

• Love ribs? Head to Naperville Rib Fest starting July 2, 2015. Enjoy great food, live music, and fireworks on the Fourth of July at Knoch Park. If ribs aren’t your thing, head to Naperville Ale Fest and sample 200 craft beers, live music, and food at Naper Settlement on July 18, 2015.
• Sample food from local restaurants, shop local vendors, and listen to live music at the Taste of River North at Ward Park July 17 through 19, 2015.
• There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy live music, but some of our favorites happening in July include the Ravinia Festival at Ravinia Park, Lollapalooza, in Grant Park, and the free-spirited Pitchfork Music Festival in Union Park

Dallas

• Put together a picnic and head to Addison’s 2015 Summer Series featuring live music from a variety of genres throughout the month of July at Beckert Park.
• Rockin’ the River returns to Panther Island Pavilion for its fifth year. Enjoy a new band every Thursday through August 27, 2015 while tubing on the Trinity River or enjoy the music from the shore. Each concert ends with a fireworks show.
• Find your next boat an other on-water accessories you need to enjoy the on-water lifestyle at the 2015 DFW Summer Boat Expo July 10 through 12, 2015 at the Dallas Market Hall.

Denver

• Celebrate award-winning visual, culinary, and performing arts at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival July 3 through 5, 2015 at Cherry Creek North.
• Denver Post Underground Music Showcase returns for the 15th year on July 23 through 26, 2015. Enjoy over 400 local and national acts over four days in nearly 20 venues.
• Films on the Rocks is back for its 16th season. Nine cult-classic movies are scheduled this year, but one of our favorites, Pretty Woman, is playing July 31, 2015. A live comedy and music act precedes each film showing.

Houston

• Take in a spectacular fireworks display and listen to country music at Freedom Over Texas on July 4, 2015 at Eleanor Tinsley Park on Buffalo Bayou. Other festivities include the Walmart All-American Kids Zone, the Bud Light Lime-A-Rita Bash, and the Dr Pepper One of a Kind Zone.
• Sample food and beer, and enjoy live music at the Best Damn Food Truck Festival Ever at NRG Park on July 18, 2015.
• Jazz music will fill the air for three days at the 25th Houston International Jazz Festival starting July 31, 2015 at the Bayou Music Center.

Seattle

• ZooTunes is back for another season of outdoor concerts at Woodland Park Zoo. Enjoy live music from top talent in rock, folk, soul, and blues throughout the month of July.
• Sample over 200 rare, hard-to-find, and exotic beers at the Seattle International Beerfest July 10 through 12, 2015 at the Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion.
• At the Ballard SeafoodFest  on July 11 and 12, 2015, you can eat all the seafood your heart desires, listen to live music, enjoy the BeerFest, and watch what some consider to be the most unique attraction at this festival: The Lutefisk eating contest.

SoCal

• Enjoy a free concert as Summer Concerts in the Park returns to Verdugo Park in Glendale every Wednesday starting July 1 through August 5, 2015. Pack your picnic basket, grab some friends, and enjoy a night of great music.
• Enjoy live music, entertainment, classic cars, carnival, and food at the Camarillo Fiesta! on July 9 through 12, 2015.
• Celebrate surfing and surf culture at the 2015 Vans US Open of Surfing. Starting July 25 through August 2, 2015, enjoy nine days of surfing at Huntington Beach and see who becomes crowned the world’s best surfer.

South Florida

• Enjoy live music at the Friday Night Sound Waves Summer Music Series every Friday through August 7, 2015 from 5:30 to 8:30PM at the Fort Lauderdale Beach Hub.
• Sample a world of flavors from more than 50 top chefs and participate in a silent and live auction at Taste of the Nation Miami on July 16, 2015 at Lowes Miami Beach Hotel.
• If you crave cold beer on a hot, summer day, head to Palm Beach Summer Beer Fest on July 25, 2015 at South Florida Fairgrounds. Enjoy more than 150 craft beers, live music, and a food truck invasion.

Have an event you’re attending this month? Share it in the comments! Have an event you want featured in August? Email our editorial team!

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