NASHVILLE, TN (TN Tribune) – July is Parks and Recreation Month and Metro Parks has a variety of activities planned for residents of all ages and abilities to help celebrate how Nashville is stronger, more vibrant, and more resilient because of the undeniable benefits of parks and recreation.
Parks Director Monique Horton Odom said, “Parks and Recreation Month is an excellent opportunity for people to get to know just how much this department has to offer. We have one of the best parks Departments in the nation and most of our programs, events, and activities are free or very inexpensive.”
Metro Parks will celebrate Park and Recreation Month through a variety of free events and activities. The attached Calendar of Events lists just a few of the options. In addition to the free events and activities, there will be a variety of fun trivia challenges (on and offline) for residents to enjoy while also winning some parks-related items along the way.
Metro Parks also encourages people that support parks and recreation to share their park and recreation stories hashtag #OurParkAndRecStory on Facebook @MetroNashvilleParks, on Twitter @MetroParksNash, and on Instagram @nashville_parks.
Metro Parks offers a variety of facilities and programs throughout Davidson County. Currently, Metro Park oversees 15,134 acres of open space, including 178 parks and 99 miles of greenway. There’s something for everyone -after school programs for kids, programs for seniors and special populations, cultural arts classes, fitness classes, dog parks, a variety of trails, nature programs, sports leagues, ice hockey, art galleries, and so much more. It is the mission of Metro Parks to sustainably and equitably provide everyone in Nashville with an inviting network of parks and greenways that offer health, wellness and quality of life through recreation, conservation and community.
Parks and Recreation Month is an initiative of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). To learn more about Park and Recreation Month, visit and www.nrpa.org/July.
July 1: Take a stroll on the Stone’s River Greenway or walk, skate or bike on our 100 miles of trails throughout the city.
July 2: Sunset Blackberry Picking Soiree, Shelby Bottoms Nature Center, All Ages. Registration required. Free! Join us for
a stroll to harvest a modest amount of wild blackberries and to celebrate the beginning of the harvest season.
July 3: Check out the greens on the Harpeth Hills Golf Course. A natural wildlife habitat surrounds the Par 72 for the
USGA Public Links Championship.
July 4: Celebrate the 4th all day! The city’s famous Hot Chicken Festival starts at 11 a.m. at East Park and from there
travel downtown for the Fourth of July Concert & Fireworks Downtown.
July 5: Check out the Hydro Aqua HIIT Class, 6:30 p.m., at Smith Springs Regional Center. $4 per class
July 6: Register for the Beginner’s Tennis Clinic, 7 p.m. Centennial Sportsplex. Call for fee and info.
July 7: Birding at Beaman, 9:30 a.m., Beaman Park Nature Center. All age levels. Call to register. FREE
July 8: Check out the exhibit Lynn Goldsmith: The Looking Glass at The Parthenon.
July 9: Night Hike, 7 p.m. Bells Bend Nature Center. All age levels. Call to register. FREE
Big Band Dance on the Cumberland, 7 p.m., Cumberland Park. FREE
July 10: Ancient Processes: Shibori and Indigo Dyeing Workshop with Jan Quarles, 1-7 p.m., Centennial Art Center. $80
Archery, 2 p.m., Bells Bend Nature Center, Age Level:5+. Call to Register. Bows and Arrows provided
Fort Negley Guided Walking Tour, 9:30 a.m., Limited Spaced. RSVP to FortNegley@nashville.gov. FREE
July 11: Cool off at Wave Country! Located at 2320 Two Rivers Pkwy, it’s one of the area’s only wave-action swimming
pools! Ride the waves or just let them lap at your feet. Log on to https://www.nashville.gov/Parks-andRecreation/Water-Activities/Wave-Country.aspx for more info.
July 12: Take that cute pooch to one of 8 Dog Parks around the city. Remember to pick up the poop! FREE!
July 13: Register for Don’t Worry, Be Tappy! Theater Dance Camp at the Centennial Performing Arts Studio in Centennial
Park for ages 8-11. This dance camp youngsters to the fundamentals of theater, jazz, and tap dance and refines
their skills in coordination, rhythm, and stage presence as well as giving them insight behind-the-scenes. Call
615.862.8439.
July 14: Check out the Skate Park at Wave Country! Remember to wear a helmet! FREE
Creek Exploration, 1 p.m., Beaman Park Natured Center. Age level: 5+, Call to register. Free!
July 15: Drop-In Pickleball, Tuesdays & Thursdays, 7 a.m., Centennial Sportsplex. $5
July 16: Big Band Dance on the Cumberland, 7 p.m., Cumberland Park
Outside Cinema, 7 p.m., Mill Ridge Park
YOUTH/FAMILY Tie-Dye Workshop with Darreth Walker, 1-4 P.M., Centennial Art Center, Centennial Park, $15
July 17:Cornelia Fort Pickin’ Party, 6 p.m., Cornelia Fort
July 18: Jazz on the Cumberland, 5:30 p.m., Cumberland Park. FREE
July 19: Take advantage of the hot weather and jump into one of our indoor or outdoor pools! Indoor pools are located
at Hadley, Smith Springs, Coleman, and East Community Centers and the Centennial Sportsplex. Outdoor pools
are located at Cleveland, Looby, and Rose Community Centers.
July 20: We have some of the best Mountain Biking trails in the city! Trails are located at Percy Warner, Hamilton Creek,
Bells Bend and Cane Ridge Parks. Log on to our website www.nakskhville.gov/parks for detailed info.
July 21: Parthenon Symposium: Conserving Bronzes at the National Archaeological Museum, Athens, Greece, 10 a.m.
July 22: Parthenon Creates – Sketching Class, 5:30 p.m. Join us for a rare opportunity to draw from casts of the
Parthenon Marbles. This class is free with museum admission and open to the public.
July 23: Full Moon Pickin’ Party, 6 p.m., Percy Warner Park
Big Band Dance on the Cumberland, 7 p.m., Cumberland Park
July 24: Take time to visit the Antikythera Mechanism in the Parthenon’s West Gallery. The exhibit tells the story of one
of antiquity’s most significant technological artifacts.
July 25: Bring your own horse to explore the nine miles of trail in Percy Warner Park (2500 Old Hickory Blvd) and the
three miles of trail at Peeler Park (on Overton Rd). The Metro Parks horse trails are open from dawn to dusk,
seven days a week. Individual usage of the horse trails is free of charge.
July 26: Can’t make it to a pool. Check out our Spraygrounds at Kirkpatrick and Watkins Community Centers.
July 27: Take a Staycation and try overnight camping at Bells Bend Park. The campground features ten campsites with
camping platforms and fire rings and a central fire ring with picnic tables. Call 615-370-8051 for details.
July 28: Snakes, Skinks & Salamanders, 10 a.m., Warner Park Nature Center. All Ages. Registration opens July 13. FREE
July 29: Live on the Cumberland Music Showcase, 5 p.m., Cumberland Park
July 30: Big Band Dance on the Cumberland, 7 p.m., Cumberland Park, FREE
Exploring Insects at Night, 5 p.m., Warner Park Nature Center. All Ages. Registration opens July 15. FREE
July 31: Pastel Workshop with Shawn Krise, 9 a.m. – Noon, Centennial Art Center, $50
Kid’s Day, 8:30 a.m., Shelby Park
