Get the Gettysburg, PA Inspiration Guide
Check out our Inspiration Guide online or have us send you one. Have an immediate question? Call us at 1.800.337.5015
Get the GuideIf there is one month linked to Gettysburg, it’s definitely July. More than 160 years ago, it was July when tens of thousands of soldiers showed up at Gettysburg’s doorstep to wage the biggest battle on the continent. And now, it’s July when tens of thousands of visitors arrive to commemorate that epic moment in America’s history.
But July is also about summer vacations, when families pack up the car and hit the road to see some of the country’s most scenic landscapes and indulge in a little vacation fun.
Here are just a few of the many reasons that make July a great time to visit Gettysburg, Pennsylvania:
The anniversary is the biggest of all reasons. This year, Gettysburg commemorates 161 years since the battle changed the course of American history. In 2024, we mark the occasion with a 10-day event that begins on June 28 and runs through July 7. We have pulled together 30-plus events to help you plan your next Gettysburg getaway.
As part of that 10-day commemoration, we celebrate Independence Day with “A Gettysburg Fourth” on July 4. Starting in the late afternoon and into the evening, thousands gather at the Gettysburg Rec Park for entertainment, food and drink, and of course, a spectacular display of fireworks.
By the second weekend of July, the rumble of cannon turns to the roar of motorcycles as Gettysburg Bike Week kicks off with a slate of great musical entertainment and activities including the popular Parade of Chrome through downtown Gettysburg. Come one day, two days or every day and enjoy live music and great food with your friends on two wheels.
Explore Lee’s Headquarters with the staff at the Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center. On select dates throughout July, and into August, you can tour the house of Mary Thompson, a place where the famous Confederate general assembled his leaders to map out the Battle of Gettysburg.
Throughout the Mid-Atlantic, July is a time where blueberries are ripe for the picking, and Hollabaugh Bros. Fruit Farm celebrates these sweet treats with its Blueberry Festival on July 13 and 14. Enjoy blueberry pie, sundaes and everything blue … berry.
The Gettysburg countryside is awe-inspiring, and Rise Yoga of Gettysburg invites you to enjoy the tranquility of the scenic landscape and amazing craft cider with its Yoga in the Orchards series. This July, the event is held twice – at Big Hill Cider Works on July 14, and the Ploughman Cider Taproom in Downtown Gettysburg on July 28.
In Gettysburg, we don’t play baseball … we play base ball, two words. The 19th Century Gettysburg Base Ball Festival is back, welcoming 32 teams to play in the style, the rules, the uniforms and the equipment of the 1860s. Come out and enjoy a weekend of festive fun with base ballers from around the country for this special occasion.
And to beat that July heat, down a cold one on the Adams County Pour Tour, a collection of more than a dozen craft beverage locations throughout Gettysburg and its countryside. Ranging from beer to wine to cider, spirits and even Viking-inspired mead. Download your Pour Tour passport and head out on the trail this July!
For a full list of events happening in July – from live music, to art, and other entertainment and historic activities – visit Destinationgettysburg.com/things-to-do/gettysburg-pa-events/.
Check out our Inspiration Guide online or have us send you one. Have an immediate question? Call us at 1.800.337.5015
Get the GuideCheck out our unique festivals, fairs, exhibits, theater, & concerts.
View the CalendarCheck out our Inspiration Guide online or have us send you one. Have an immediate question? Call us at 1.800.337.5015
Get the Guide