17 fun events for Atlanta families in July

Attend a panda birthday sleepover, see Elsa belt it out, take a ride down a 1,000-foot water slide, and more.
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Drum Corps International

Photograph courtesy of Drum Corps International

7/10
Mooovies at the Mable
Where: Mable House Barnes Amphitheatre
When: 7:30 p.m. (gates open; movie begins at dusk)
Cost: Free
What: Settle in for a showing of Rio 2 at the 2,000-seat outdoor theater. How To Train Your Dragon 2 screens two weeks later on 7/24.

7/11
Reptile Day
Where: Fernbank Museum of Natural History
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Cost: Free with admission ($18 for adults; $17 for students; $16 for kids 3 to 16; free for kids 2 and under)
What: Get up close and personal with lizards, salamanders, turtles, and other reptiles and amphibians.

7/11
Giant Panda Birthday Extravaganza
Where: Zoo Atlanta
When: 6 p.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Cost: $52 per member, $62 per nonmember
What: Camp out in the backyard, and you’ll be lucky just to spot a squirrel. Instead, take your wildlife-loving critter to spend the night at Zoo Atlanta, which celebrates two years of twin panda cuteness with a behind-the-scenes birthday sleepover.

7/15-29
Rapunzel
Where: City Center Auditorium in Woodstock, Georgia
When: 10 a.m. (Wednesdays) and 2 p.m. (Saturdays and Sundays)
Cost: $10 in advance, $12 at the door
What: In this updated stage adaptation—subtitled “a hair-raising tale like you’ve never seen before”—Rapunzel busts loose to discover the world outside her tower.

7/17-25
Georgia Mountain Fair
Where: Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds
When: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Monday through Saturday) and 10 a.m. to 6 a.m. (Sunday)
Cost: $12 (free for kids 12 and under), plus additional fees for certain attractions
What: Introduce your kids to the “olden ways” with demonstrations on soap-making, quilting, corn-milling, blacksmithing, and more, plus a replica “pioneer village,” complete with a one-room schoolhouse, general store, and log cabin. You’ll also find arts and crafts, live music, carnival rides, and a petting zoo.

7/18
Atlanta Zine Fest
Where: Eyedrum
When: 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Cost: Free
What: Bring your young artist (or feminist) to the third annual DIY festival, this year celebrating girl/grrrl creations. Expect panel discussions, how-to workshops, and vendor exhibits.

7/18
Master Class With Savion Glover

Where: High Museum of Art
When: 12 p.m.
Cost: $20
What: As part of the 2015 National Black Arts Festival, tap legend Savion Glover offers a special all-ages, all-levels class for aspiring dancers. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for little tap lovers.

7/18
International Youth Poetry Slam

Where: Atlanta Symphony Hall
When: 8 p.m.
Cost: $15 for adults, $5 for teens under 21
What: The teen poetry on display here is anything but embarrassing. This 18th annual poetry slam festival showcases the talent of young writers from cities around the world, who compete all week to take the stage at Symphony Hall.

7/24
Idina Menzel
Where: Chastain Park Amphitheater
When: 8 p.m.
Cost: $35.50 to $79.50
What: Beat the July heat with a blast of Frozen fever. The Broadway icon is sure to “Let It Go”—and you just might hear songs from Mendel’s other kid-friendly hits, the musical “Wicked” and Disney’s modern-day fairytale Enchanted.

7/24–26
Atlanta African Dance and Drum Festival
Where: Tri-Cities High School
When: 6 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. (Friday), 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Saturday), 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Sunday)
Cost: $12 per class ($15 day of festival) or $5 to observe a class
What: Check out traditional African music and dance performances—or take a dance or drumming class—at this seventh annual Morehouse event.

7/25
Drum Corps International Southeastern Championship
Where: Georgia Dome
When: 2 p.m.
Cost: $30 to $60
What: Whether you’re a full-fledged marching band parent, or your kid just loves a good show, head to the Dome to see 27 of the country’s best bugle and drum corps, including three local groups: the Alliance, the Atlanta CV, and the Spirit of Atlanta.

7/25
Chattahoochee River Summer Splash
Where: Powers Island
When: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: Free, though you may need to rent a boat
What: Hop aboard the ‘hooch in this six-mile float along the river (bring or rent your own kayak or raft), which starts at Morgan Falls Dam and ends at Powers Island, where families can enjoy food and live music.

7/25
Slide the City
Where: Downtown Decatur
When: 10 AM to 7 PM
Cost: $15 to $60, depending on when you register and how many rides you take
What: What better way for the Decatur Business Association to celebrate its 30th anniversary than with a gigantic water slide? The slippery contraption will stretch 1,000 feet down the center of Ponce de Leon. BYO floatie.

7/25
Bragg Jam
Where: Macon, Georgia
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Arts & Kids Fest); 5 p.m. (Concert crawl)
Cost: Free for Kids Fest, $20 for concert crawl
What: Day-trip to Macon for the circus-themed Arts & Kids Fest, featuring fire breathers, jugglers, and magicians, plus a water slide, rock wall, animal shows, food trucks, and more. At night, stay for genre-spanning concert series at venues around the city.

7/28–8/9
The Reluctant Dragon
Where: Center for Puppetry Arts
When: 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. (Tuesday through Friday); 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday), 11:00 a.m. (Saturday only)
Cost: $16.50 for ages 2 and up; free for kids under 2
What: In this 19th-century children’s tale, a boy discovers a bookish dragon living above his home. When the other townspeople find out, they (perhaps understandably) freak, until the boy and a knight help them learn to accept the creature.

7/29–8/2
Varekai
Where: Gwinnett Center
When: 7:30 p.m. (Wednesday through Saturday), 4 p.m. (Friday and Saturday), 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. (Sunday)
Cost: $40 to $145
What: Canadian circus troupe Cirque du Soleil channels The Wizard of Oz in their newest show, in which young man drops from the sky into a magical forest, where he meets fantastical creatures and embarks on an adventure.

7/30
Ghostbusters
Where: Fox Theatre
When: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $10
What: Before the (sure to be epically awesome) female-driven reboot comes out in 2016, introduce your kids to the 1984 original, on screen at the fabulous Fox.

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