Things To Do in Nashville in July

This post covers the top things to do in July in Nashville (updated for 2020), including nighttime activities, free things to do, and family-friendly options.

Be sure to read our master post on things to do in Nashville for even more ideas.

Top 10
Nighttime Activities
Free Things to Do
Family-Friendly
Nashville Walking Tours

TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN JULY

This top 10 list has concerts, events, attractions, and festivals to check out during July. Don’t forget to check out our popular Nashville posts:

1. See a Concert

If you’re looking for a concert, Music City is the place to find it. We’ve listed the highlights below.

For other shows, look into the famed Ryman Auditorium and of course the Grand Ole Opry House.

Steel Drivers | July 2
San Cisco | July 12
Christopher Cross | July 14
Alabama & The Charlie Daniels Band | July 17 + 18
Kraftwerk | July 24
The Monkees | July 30
Katie Pruitt | July 31

Check out all the Nashville events in July on Stubhub.

2. Go to a Sporting Event

Nashville is a competitive city that loves its sports! July is a great time to catch a game, especially baseball!

It is also an excellent way to spend the day with the family. For more family-friendly activities, check out our full post.

Baseball

Nashville Sounds

Soccer

Nashville SC

Take a look at StubHub to see all the events happening in Nashville in July.

3. Take a Sightseeing Tour

July in Nashville is a great time to explore the city on a guided tour, be it on a walking tour or a bus tour.

There are a number of walking tours in Nashville, including pay-what-you-like tours, self-guided tours, and paid small group tours.

On days that are warmer than you’d like, you can stay cool and still see the city by taking an air-conditioned bus tour or a hop on hop off trolley tour.

4. Celebrate the Fourth of July

Celebrate America’s independence in the Music City at the annual free celebration Let Freedom Sing: A Nashville July 4th.

The Nashville Symphony will perform at Ascend Amphitheater during the fireworks show. Before the fireworks, there will be food vendors and kids’ activities to enjoy.

Also on July 4th, there is the Hot Chicken Festival, an annual tradition since 2007.

The event takes place at East Park, 700 Woodland St., rain or shine and includes plenty of music and kids’ activities.

As the name implies, this festival celebrates a favorite Nashville food — hot chicken! There will be free samples of hot chicken from a variety of restaurants.

5. Take a Food Tour

Can’t make it to the Hot Chicken Festival? No worries! You can still try this Nashville specialty on the Nashville Secret Food Tour.

On this tour, you’ll get to sample hot chicken, as well as savory barbecue, pulled pork tacos, plus a ‘Secret Dish’ you’d never find without a guide.

Another food tour option is this downtown food tour on Viator that offers tastes of the city’s best foods and also it’s history and culture.

Read more about food tour options from our post on various types of tours of Nashville.

6. Save Money with a Nashville Tourist Attraction Discount Pass

With all the exciting things there are to do in Music City, we suggest getting a tourist city pass for Nashville.

All-inclusive passes are available, and others can include up to 55% discounts on retail prices for select attraction admission, gift shops, and restaurants.

Here are some of the attractions included in at least one of Nashville’s tourist passes:

7. Music City Brewer’s Festival

Music City Brewer’s Festival is one of the longest-running annual beer festivals in Nashville. In 2020, it takes place on July 25, 2020, from 5 pm to 9 pm at Walk of Fame Park.

There will be tastings from more than 40 local, regional, national, and international breweries. You can also dine on food from various and enjoy live music.

Your beer will taste even better as a portion of ticket sales will go to assist the Nashville Humane Association.

Ticket prices are $49 general admission; $75 VIP (includes early entry at 4 pm and free tastings) and $20 entry without drinks. This event is 21+ only.

Beer lovers who miss this event nay want to look into taking a brewery tour or pub crawl of Nashville.

8. Bluegrass Along the Harpeth

Bluegrass Along the Harpeth is a two-day celebration of bluegrass music that includes music, dancing, food, and art.

Along with music performances, there will be contests, all of which will be great fun to see. It takes place on July 24-25, 2020.

This event has been going on for over 20 years and it a Nashville tradition.

To see the lineup and plan your trip, check out their website.

9. Nashville Cocktail Festival

From July 7-11, 2020, you can go to the Nashville Cocktail Festival to celebrate the art of cocktail-making.

Over five days there will be an array of events and activities. The main events are the Polynesian Pop on the night of July 10 and Art Deco Night on July 11.

Some of the other experiences offered at the festival are a pop-up Jazz bar, a Tequila dinner, a pool party and an opportunity to build your own bottle of bourbon!

This will be a very memorable event to enjoy in Music City.

10. Chihuly at Cheekwood

Since the 1970s, Dale Chihuly has been an innovator in the creation of classwork and his pieces are in over 200 museums globally.

From July 18, 2020, to January 10, 2021, a number of his works will be at Nashville’s historic Cheekwood Estate and Gardens.

Cheekwood’s grounds are already beautiful and the addition of Chihuly’s works makes a trip to this historic estate worthy of your time.

If you are looking for a way to spend an evening in Nashville, you can go to Chihuly Nights (Thursday through Sunday nights) and enjoy cocktails as you wander the estate grounds.

Cheekwood Estate admission is included in many of Nashville’s tourist discount passes so if you plan on seeing a number of Nashville attractions, including Cheekwood, you may want to consider a pass.

THINGS TO DO AT NIGHT IN NASHVILLE

July is a lovely month weather-wise so spending some time outside after the sun goes down is a treat! Several items throughout this post are ideal for the nighttime, like Chihuly Nights at Cheekwood, the Music City Brewers Festival and the fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Here are a few more night time activities for the month of July.

For more nighttime activities, visit our post on things to do at night in Nashville.

Enjoy the Theatre

Music City isn’t only about concerts. You can find theatre and ballet too. One highlight this month is Mary Poppins at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.

This musical is based on the much-beloved Disney movie about everyone’s favorite nanny.

You can see it from July 2-5 and July 9-11, 2020. Tickets are $25-$60.

Summer Cocktail Crawl

The Summer Cocktail Crawl runs from June to August at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens.

This beautiful mansion built in the 1930s is now open to the public as an art museum and botanical garden, and now a place to sip cocktails!

This walking tour shows off the gardens while you sample signature cocktails along the way.

Tickets are $25 and you can reserve your spot here.

Cinema by JW

This is a free movie series hosted on the hotel’s new 17,000 sqft outdoor event lawn in downtown Nashville.

Bring your blankets and chairs! No outside food is permitted, but there will be options for dining there.

Gates open at 6 pm and movies start between 8-8:45 pm depending on sunset.

While the event is free, attendance is limited to 500 so be sure to RSVP here.

Gulch Night Market

The Gulch Night Market takes place monthly on Thursdays from May to December. This July, the dates are 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30.

The market takes place from 5 pm to 9 pm at 11th Avenue South and Laurel Street.

Come out and wander the market and see artists stalls, vendors, food and drink. There will be live entertainment too. It’s all for free!

Music City Jazz Festival

Public Square Park is hosting the annual Music City Jazz Festival full of great music and incredible musicians.

Visitors flock from all around the world to enjoy this event, which is sure to impress everyone.

Bring a blanket or chairs and relax to the soothing music. You can grab your tickets here.

FREE THINGS TO DO IN JULY IN NASHVILLE

Nashville has a bunch of free stuff to do year-round. We’ve mentioned some in our other sections, like Waterfest. Here are a few more free things to do in Nashville in July.

For even more budget-friendly ideas, check out our post on free things to do in Nashville.

Crockett Park Concerts

On select dates, head to the Eddy Arnold Amphitheater in Crockett Park for the Brentwood Summer Concert Series.

The series runs June until mid-July. The 2020 concerts in July are:

July 4 – Red, White and Boom 7-10 pm with Tim Akers and the Smoking Section
July 25 – Summer Festival 5-9 pm Dueling Pianos & Rubiks Grove

Franklin Farmers Tomato Festival

Spending the day at a farm is a great summer activity, and Franklin Farmers is hosting its annual Tomato Festival for everyone to enjoy!

Come out from 8 am-1 pm for tomato tasting and a number of other fun activities. Learn about eating local as you enjoy farm-fresh foods.

There are a number of events and festivals going on all summer long, so be sure to check out their website.

First Saturday Art Crawl

Across the city center, art galleries open their doors to the public on the first Saturday of every month. In 2020, this is July 3. This event is free!

The participating galleries for the First Saturday Art Crawl swap out and are easily accessible by walking and using the Gray Line Trolley.

Most offer refreshments, including wine. Many of the galleries are at the Nashville Arcade Mall.

Music in the Vines

Arrington Vineyards hosts Music in the Vines, a free event taking place every Saturday and Sunday from April through October.

July is the perfect month to come out and enjoy the music, the wine, the whole atmosphere!

You can bring your own picnic or order a gourmet one there so you don’t have to prep.

There’s something different happening every weekend, so we encourage you to check out their calendar to plan your visit.

Attend a Titans’ Open Practice

It’s a little early for football, but you can attend a Titans’ open practice for free!

Starting in July you can attend their practice from about 10 am-12 pm (check times and schedule here) at Nissan Stadium.

This is great for the whole family! For more sports happening in Nashville in July, check out our Top Ten section above.

THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS IN JULY

Nashville is super family-friendly! Other activities listed throughout this post are suited for kids, like seeing a family-friendly musical, attending the Hot Chicken Festival and seeing the fireworks on July 4th.

Below are a few more kid-friendly things to do in July.

Be sure to read our master post on things to do with kids in Nashville for even more ideas.

Waterfest

Who knew water awareness could be so much fun? Waterfest is a free annual event that aims to inform the public about the importance of water quality. It takes place on July 12, 2020.

There’ll be interactive and enjoyable environment-based activities, music, educational exhibits, waterslides, and more!

Come out to Waterfest at Cumberland Park from 1-4 pm.

Family Mondays at Frist Art Museum

On July 13, 2020 head to the Frist Art Museum where for the price of one admission ticket ($15) you can bring the whole family.

From 10 am-2 pm enjoy special programming that everyone will love, including trilingual storytime. This is a great way to escape the sun a bit and enjoy some art!

To learn more and plan your visit, see the museum’s website.

Tales at Twilight

Tales at Twilight is a free event series of performances put on for a younger audience. They are held on Friday evenings in July.

These performances take place at Cumberland Park from 7-8 pm and are aimed for parents and their children under 8.

Storytime at the Tennessee State Museum

The Tennessee State Museum is a free museum and has the most comprehensive display of the state’s history.

While great for all ages, they also host a storytime for children every Thursday and Saturday.

This event is geared towards children ages 3 to 6, and a staff member will read to the children. Free crafts are also supplied!

Vintage Market Days

This market is great for the whole family. You can browse the of vintage items including repurposed and salvaged goods, clothing, jewelry, unique items and more.

There will be food vendors on site. For the little ones, there’s a kids zone. For the grown-ups, drinks are available for purchase.

Tickets range from $5-$15 and children 12 and under get in for free! See the Vintage Market Days website details.

Taco Tuesday and Live Music

Come out to Peg Leg Porker, Nashville’s award-winning barbecue restaurant every Tuesday from 7-10 pm for live music and tacos. This is a great place to relax with the kids for dinner!

For the grown-ups, there’s also a happy hour on their Pig Pen Roof Deck beforehand, which is a great view overlooking Nashville.

Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair

The Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair is one of the most popular summertime events in Tennessee. It happens from July 10-19, 2020.

Hosted in the Gatlinburg Convention Center this event has live music, plenty of beautiful handmade items to peruse and purchase, as well as demonstrations.

Admission is $8 for adults and FREE for children 12 and under.

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