Fourth of July Summer Family Fun in Richmond

Tips and AdviceRVA-related
Written By Allison Patel

If July snuck up on you and you’re not sure what you’re going to do with your kids during a three (or four, in some cases) day weekend, I have some ideas for you. The first ones on this list are decidedly July 4th activities, but if you need general “summer” activities this weekend, I have a little grouping of ideas for that too. 

Little girl smiling at the camera with a watermelon in her hand. She's dressed in a blue top with white stars for Independence Day.

Fourth of July specific ideas:

  • Lewis Ginter has free admission on Saturday for Independence Day. Open 9am-5pm, they have a splash pad, a popular treehouse, and their current Alebrijes: Creatures of a Dreamworld exhibit in the gardens.

  • Crump Park in Henrico is hosting its free, annual event. Lots of food trucks, music with the Richmond Symphony, and a laser light show. Starts at 6pm and runs through 10pm. Free watermelon, face painting, balloon animals, bounce houses, a car show, and an interactive US Air Force exhibit. Check out the website for more details. They also have an event happening on July 3 at Dorey Park.

  • The Richmond Squirrels are out of town but CarMax Stadium is having an event with apparently the largest fireworks display in Richmond.

  • Chesterfield Fireworks at the Fairground - free event at the Chesterfield Fairgrounds, including food vendors, a kids zone, and live music before the fireworks. Gates open at 5pm.

Two kids in red, white, and blue, sitting in the dark with glow-in-the-dark toys while they wait for fireworks.

Now for some non-Independence-Day-themed, summer ideas in RVA: 

  • A picnic on the VMFA lawn, followed by art inside in the AC. The museum is free to enter and tour. They’re open 365 days, starting at 10am.

  • Walk along the trails at Pony Pasture, Belle Isle, or many of the other spots along the James River Park system trails. Pony Pasture and Belle Isle both have flat, even paths, good for little legs. 

  • The Science Museum of Virginia is air conditioned too! Don’t forget the playground on the basement level for kids 5 and under. Admission at the door.

  • Go playground-hopping: Huguenot Park and Forest Hill Park are both newly renovated. Park 365 is a classic favorite for everyone in our house, and the newest (and farthest, for us) spot at Taylor Farm Park has a splash pad and a creek running through it (so maybe do that one last, and/or bring a change of clothes?)

  • Ice Cream! Run to Ruby Scoops, Gelati Celesti, Bev’s, or grab some for-sure nut-free Nightingales from Kroger or Costco (or a ton of local spots like Perk and Stella’s) and run home for some sprinkler fun. 

  • Need a movie? Family Classics are playing at the Byrd at 10am on Saturdays. Check out the other theaters in Richmond for Kids’ Day movies during the week. 

A shadow of a boy hanging on a playground above mulch in Richmond, VA.

That’s my list! Summer is officially 1/3 over; feel free to rinse and repeat these outings throughout the summer here in Richmond.

Oh, and ps: don’t forget to check your Richmond, Henrico, or Chesterfield library for other indoor funtivities for young kids!

A pile of admission stickers at the Science Museum of Virginia. They are red, yellow, green, and blue. Some of them are torn, all of them are used.
Allison Patel
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