A rooftop screening of Bill & Ted, Cheech turning 80, and a World Cup final on the big screen — July in Riverside goes all in on America's 250th and still finds room for everything else.
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Heritage House Marks America's 250th With Special July 5 Tours
The historic Victorian home hosts its final day of the season with period music, living history and free lemonade on the lawn.
Heritage House, a two-story Queen Anne Victorian home at 8193 Magnolia Ave., is decorated with bunting ahead of its July 5 event marking America's 250th anniversary. Inset: A silk ribbon bookmark from 1892 commemorates the 400th anniversary of Columbus's arrival in the Americas, part of the collection on display during Heritage House's July 5 tour. (Courtesy of the Museum of Riverside)
Heritage House closes out its public season July 5 with immersive patriotic tours — then goes dark until fall.
Why it matters: It's your last chance to tour the 1891 Victorian before summer closure, with living history performers, period music, and free lemonade on the lawn.
What's happening: Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution will roam the property fully in character, interacting with visitors on special tours spotlighting the museum's collection.
Period music plays both inside and outside, including an 1890s-era piano in the home's music room.
The backstory: Built in 1891–92 for citrus heiress Catherine Bettner, Heritage House dates to an era when Riverside was reportedly the wealthiest city per capita in the U.S.
What's next: July 5 tours run 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at 8193 Magnolia Ave. On July 24 at 8 p.m., the lawn hosts a free screening of Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) — the site's only summer event before fall reopening.
July ArtsWalk Has Art, Music and Wonderful Weather
Two openings, a rooftop movie, live music and a hands-on sculpture project headline Thursday's ArtsWalk in Downtown.
Two dancers share a moment during Salsa Dancing at The Cheech on June 28. The typically cool museum heated up with movement as silhouettes played against the gallery's colorful backdrop. (Ken Crawford)
Riverside's ArtsWalk returns Thursday, July 2, from 6 to 9 p.m., and this month it comes with something you rarely get in July: a comfortable evening. Forecasts put the night in the 70s, a real break from the usual summer heat. The lineup matches the weather. Two gallery openings, a hands-on sculpture project, live music, a free rooftop movie and one last ArtsWalk chance to catch one of the region's most talked about exhibitions.
Raincross Rundown: The Best of Riverside in July 2026
A rooftop screening of Bill & Ted, Cheech turning 80, and a World Cup final on the big screen — July in Riverside goes all in on America's 250th and still finds room for everything else.
Just before sunset, Golden Hour fills Café Oro Dos Aztecas with warm light — and the 3521 Main St. café fills with people. Community members packed the welcoming space for market night, exactly the kind of gathering the café was made for. (Café Oro Dos Aztecas)
July doesn't ease in. It arrives with fireworks already lit, a drone show lighting up Fairmount Park, and a city leaning all the way into America's 250th birthday. Heritage House goes red, white, and blue for the occasion. Evergreen Memorial Historic Cemetery turns into one of the best seats in town for a Founders' Day show. The Riverside Festival Orchestra plays patriotic standards under the stars at the National Cemetery. It's a month that knows exactly what it's celebrating.
But July isn't only about the holiday. There's a poetry mic at Café Oro with a chair waiting for you, a lotería night built for community, Shakespeare on the lawn at Fairmount Park, and a rooftop screening of Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure for anyone who wants their movie night with a view. Cheech Marin turns 80, and the whole city's invited to the party. There's a World Cup final watched together over snow cones and a beer garden. The kids have their own summer running in the background — library lunches, storytimes, movies that start at dusk. Take a look below and find your version of the month.
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