Free in Alpharetta: the Big Creek Greenway, five city art galleries, the history museum at City Hall, Old Rucker Farm, library story time and Avalon's free events.
Last checked 2026-10-04. Sources: the City of Alpharetta’s parks, arts and history pages, the Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau’s free things to do list, Avalon’s event pages and the Fulton County Library System’s calendar, linked below.
A lot of what Alpharetta offers costs nothing: a 12-mile greenway, city galleries, a history museum, a working community farm and festivals that charge no admission. Here is what is free and when to go.
Key contacts
- Recreation, Parks and Cultural Services: 678-297-6100
- Arts & Culture (galleries, history tours): 678-297-6078; Arts Center 678-297-6135
- Alpharetta Welcome Center: 178 S. Main St., Suite 200, 678-297-2811
- Alpharetta Branch Library: 10 Park Plaza
Parks, trails and the farm
Our parks and trails guide has addresses and hours for every city park. The highlights that cost nothing:
- Big Creek Greenway. The city puts the concrete trail at about 12 miles, from Union Hill Park to Mansell Road. Park at Rock Mill Park, 3100 Kimball Bridge Road.
- Arboretums. The visitors bureau lists four, inside Wills Park, Webb Bridge Park, Cogburn Road Park and Brooke Street Park.
- Disc golf. The city has a renovated 18-hole course at Wills Park (city disc golf page).
- Waggy World Paw Park, the fenced dog park behind the Alpharetta Community Center, 175 Roswell St., open 8 a.m. to sunset.
- Old Rucker Farm, 900 Rucker Road. The city’s community farm has vegetable, fruit, flower and herb gardens, beehives, a chicken coop and an orchard. The visitors bureau says it is open daily from sunup to sundown with free access.
Art you can see for free
The city says all five of its galleries are free and open during business hours (city art galleries page):
| Gallery | Where | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Arts Center Gallery | Alpharetta Arts Center, 238 Canton St. | Arts Center hours: 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mon.-Thu.; 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fri.; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat. |
| Studio Gallery | Same building, along the studio halls | Arts Center hours |
| Community Gallery | City Hall, 2 Park Plaza | 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon.-Thu.; 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Fri. |
| Mini Free LionArt Gallery | Old Roswell Street downtown parking lot | Outdoors |
| Alpharetta Public Art Walk | Around downtown | Self-guided, outdoors |
The main gallery changes about every two months. At the Mini Free LionArt Gallery, small works by students in the Lionheart program are free to take, no exchange needed.
New outdoor sculptures from the Dazzle & Discord exhibition are going up across town, including at Brooke Street Park, Webb Bridge Park, the greenway entrance at Union Hill Park, Thompson Street Park and Ole Milton Park, the city said in August.
History
- Alpharetta & Old Milton County History Museum, inside City Hall, 2 Park Plaza. It traces the city’s past, including its years as seat of Milton County from 1858 to 1932. Open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday; weekends by appointment (city museum page).
- Alpharetta History Walk, a self-guided tour of downtown historical markers. Download the map from the city’s history tours page.
Free events
- City festivals. The city’s Wire & Wood Songwriters Festival, Boo Bash and tree lighting are free; see fall festivals and the tree lighting.
- Alpharetta Food Truck Alley, the fourth Thursday of the month, April through October, 5 to 9 p.m. on Old Roswell Street, with live music and face painting. The city page lists no admission fee; you pay for food. The last one of 2026 is Thursday, Oct. 22. Bring a chair or blanket (city special events).
- Alpharetta Farmers Market, Saturday mornings on the Town Green through Nov. 14. Details in our farmers markets guide.
- Library programs. The Alpharetta Branch Library, 10 Park Plaza, runs story time at 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays, a monthly Lego Club, a Pokémon club and book clubs (library calendar). It is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
Avalon
Avalon, 400 Avalon Blvd., runs weekly events on The Plaza from April through October. In October 2026:
- Avalon Nights Live, 6 to 8 p.m. Fridays through Oct. 30 (listing). The visitors bureau lists it among Alpharetta’s free events.
- AvalOM yoga, 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Oct. 28; no sign-up is listed (listing).
- Little Acorns, for preschoolers, 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays, Oct. 13 and 27 (listing).
Frequently asked questions
What can you do for free in Alpharetta? Walk the Big Creek Greenway, visit the city’s five art galleries and the history museum at City Hall, explore Old Rucker Farm, and catch free city festivals such as Wire & Wood.
Are Alpharetta’s art galleries free? Yes. The city says all five of its galleries are free and open during business hours, including the Arts Center gallery at 238 Canton St. and the Community Gallery at City Hall.
When is the Alpharetta history museum open? The Alpharetta & Old Milton County History Museum inside City Hall, 2 Park Plaza, is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday.
Is Old Rucker Farm open to the public? The visitors bureau says the farm at 900 Rucker Road is open daily from sunup to sundown with free access.
What this means for you
- Park free downtown in the decks at 92 Milton Ave. and 2 Park Plaza.
- City Hall is a one-stop free outing: the history museum, the Community Gallery and the library next door.
- Avalon’s free outdoor series end in October; Food Truck Alley’s last 2026 date is Oct. 22.
Related: things to do, things to do this month, kids’ activities, walking and biking trails and dog-friendly Alpharetta.
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