Piedmont Park: 3 easy Evening Hikes + Optional free outdoor Atlanta Symphony Concert - Thu, Jun 15 2017

REGISTRATION REQUIRED: Once you've reviewed the event details, and decided you'd like to join us, you MUST sign up at the bottom of this page.



Piedmont Park: 3 easy Evening Hikes + Optional free outdoor Atlanta Symphony Concert


The Basics:
Event Type:Volunteer
Event Location: Midtown: Elmwood Drive at corner of Monroe Drive   Volunteer: Piedmont Park: 3 easy Evening Hikes + Optional free outdoor Atlanta Symphony Concert  National Weather Service Forecast
Date(s) & Time:Thu, Jun 15 2017  6:00 pm >> Thu, Jun 15 2017 9:00 pm
Registration Opens: Thu, Jun 8 2017 12:00 pm
Registration Cut Off: Wed, Jun 14 2017 9:00 pm
Event Duration:3 Hours
Difficulty Rating:D1: Easy
Distance:2 Miles
Pace:Leisurely
Trip Leader(s):
Charlie Cottingham
Joyce T.
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Member Cost:None

Participant Info:
Who's Invited: Members Only, 21 And Older Only
Maximum Group Size:16
Minimum Group Size:2
Number Registered So Far: 10 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)
Are Dogs Permitted: No

Itinerary:

We AOC hikers & music lovers had a blast together with similar "combo events" in the park in 2013, '14, '15 and '16.  By popular demand we're offering this memorable outdoor experience again and intend to go ahead with it rain or shine.  The latest forecast for Thu evening  expects partly sunny skies with anout a 40% chance of scattered showers and temperatures in the mid-80s - falling into the low 80s after 8:00 PM.  Dress accordingly and consider carrying an umbrella.

IN a NUTSHELL:  Hope you can join us for three leisurely paced short hikes in historic Piedmont Park, with a big bonus just after the 2nd hike! - a rare FREE outdoor ASO concert in the beautiful "Oak Hill" section of the park (just north of 10th Street and about halfway between Piedmont Ave. & Monroe Dr.)  No tickets are required  Feel free to split from the group at any time if you like, provided you let us know you're splitting.  We can easily direct you back to our initial meetup spot if you like.
  We've been asked by our friends in the Piedmont Park Conservancy to carry a few small trash bags during our hikes and to pick up occasional litter we find along the way and properly dispose of it in Park trash cans - hence our decision to recategorize this as a much-appreciated "Volunteer Event."  Thanks in advance for pitching in!

PARKING, MEETUP SPOT & other EVENT DETAILS:  On previous midweek concert evenings we've had no problem finding free parallel parking along Elmwood Drive, a quiet shady residential street just east of Piedmont Park - please follow my precise Directions below, esp. if you wish to park there. We'll gather a few minutes before 6:00 PM on the sidewalk on the SW corner of Elmwood Drive and Monroe Drive.  PLEASE BE ON TIME allowing for Atlanta's insane rush-hour traffic.  Thanks to AOC members Jerry & Gloria Colley for volunteering to help me and Joyce greet and assist you there.  Our AOC group can easily walk together from that corner into the Park in about 5 minutes.

During our three short hikes we'll enjoy visiting a few of Piedmont Park's prettiest places - esp. those in and near the southern end of the Park where the concert will take place.  The 1st short hike will be from our "central east-side" meetup spot described above to our chosen viewing spot in the amphitheatre, the 2nd hike from there around beautiful Lake Clara Meer and back, and the 3rd hike back to our original meetup spot.

We hope you can plan to stay with us at least part of the free ASO performance - you're sure to enjoy it!  During the first few minutes of our hike we'll stake out our concert viewing space.  (See Recommended Items to bring below.  As worked out well last year we can sit anywhere on the big grassy slope out in front of the stage - no tickets required.)  Most of us will then continue with our 2nd short hike.  We'll ask a couple of AOC volunteers to watch our beach towels, food & refreshments, etc. until we return in time for the 7:30 PM concert.

CONCERT PROGRAM:  Below are the ASO's program notes for June 15th as posted on this webpage:
 http://www.atlantasymphony.org/ConcertsAndTickets/Calendar/2017-2018/Piedmont-Park-Performance

Free Live Orchestral Concert in Piedmont Park on June 15th at 7:30 PM:  Led by Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Assistant Conductor Joseph Young, this year's concert will follow a "Song and Dance" theme, featuring David Bowie's "Let's Dance," Tchaikovsky's Polonaise from Eugene Onegin, Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5, Borodin's Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor, a special performance of Haydn's Trumpet Concerto featuring Principal Trumpet Stuart Stephenson - and more! The Orchestra will close out the performance with Dvořák's Symphony No. 9, "From the New World." 
  The Orchestra's history at Piedmont Park dates back to the first performances in 1976 led by conductor Robert Shaw. Over the years, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra has performed more than 100 concerts in the park, delighting audiences with free live symphonic music.  Admission is FREE to the general public and no tickets are required.
  The "grand finale" at these outdoor Symphony concerts is usually the time-honored tradition of dancing and singing (and even waving sparklers!) to Sousa's rousing Stars & Stripes Forever.
  Patrons may bring outside food & beverages into the concert area but grills, glass containers & alcohol are not permitted.  Pets are not permitted.
  Here's the link to a detailed Map of the Concert venue area in the "Oak Hill" section of the Park:  http://www.atlantasymphony.org/~/media/Sites/ASO2011/Res/PDF/17-18/ASO-Piedmont-Park-Performance-Map_2017.ashx?la=en

MORE about PIEDMONT PARK:  Now more than 125 years old, it became world famous in 1895 as the site of Atlanta's "Cotton States & International Exposition."  Volunteers from the Piedmont Park Conservancy deserve much credit for the Park's dramatic improvements and excellent maintenance in recent years. The thriving Atlanta Botanical Garden in the NW corner of the Park has also benefited the Park's popularity and reputation.  Check out http://piedmontpark.org/ for more information.
  Color Park Map: For an interactive "slideable & zoomable map" of the 200+ acre park click here: https://www.piedmontpark.org/maps/


Required Items to Bring:


- Wear lightweight comfortable Clothing and Walking Shoes (+ carry a little emergency lightweight Raingear and/or an Umbrella in case there's a shower).
- Hydrate prior to the event and bring a little Water for the hike.

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.


For the Concert (if you can plan to stay):
- Towel or low-profile lightweight Folding Chair to sit on (and/or large clean plastic bag, twin sheet, etc.) carried in a light Daypack + a few ounces of emergency Rain Protection gear -  e.g., disposable Poncho, compact Umbrella, various size Plastic Bags, etc.
- Snacks & Beverages (No glass containers of any kind are allowed.  Although Alcohol is officially prohibited in the Park polite and discreet consumption of wine, beer, etc. is normally tolerated (from plastic, metal or paper containers at these ASO concerts.)
- Camera (or Smartphone, etc.) for taking photos
- Small Flashlight or Headlamp if you like (for just after the concert) - but not vital since there's plenty of light from streetlights, etc. after dark.


How to Get There:
Event Directions:

6:00 PM MEETUP SPOT:  Sidewalk on SW Corner of Monroe Drive and Elmwood Drive 

GPS and GOOGLE.com/Maps Users: Enter as your destination address: "1096 Monroe Dr, Atlanta, GA 30306,"
  or enter this concise Lat/Lon of the corner (including middle comma & minus sign):  33.7847,-84.3679
  For a zoomable Map/ Satellite View of the meetup spot click the square Blue & Green "Event Location" icon near the top of this AOC article.)

DRIVING & FREE PARKING DIRECTIONS - assuming that you're initially PROCEEDING SOUTHWARD toward Downtown Atlanta via I-75 or I-85
1. As you near the I-75/ I-85 interchange (which is ~2 miles north of downtown Atlanta) get into the second lane from the right side of the Interstate.
2. Avoid exiting onto the other Interstate, but as you pass the interchange bear right toward I-75 Exit #84 and exit there (for "17th St, 14th St and 10th St").
3. Then bear leftward along the access road (a.k.a."Techwood Drive") for about 0.3 mile to the traffic light at 10th Street (bypassing 17th St and 14th St en route).
4. Turn Left onto 10th Street and go 1.3 miles eastward to the traffic light at Monroe Drive (crossing Peachtree St, Piedmont Rd, etc. en route).
5. Turn Left onto Monroe Drive and go just 0.2 mile northward to Elmwood Drive, (The "Elmwood" street sign may be slightly obscured by trees, but note the traffic light 1 block ahead at "Park Drive" - the east-side entrance street into the Park.)
6. Turn Left onto Elmwood Drive (westward off Monroe) where (at least in the past) we've found plenty of parallel parking spaces along the street in this nice residential neighborhood. If you park on Elmwood Drive walk back to the Elmwood/ Monroe SW corner (west side of Monroe) where we'll meet between 5:45 and  6:00 on the sidewalk for the hike.

Notes:
* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

Cost Includes:

Free event, with free entrance into the Park and outdoor Symphony Concert.  Also free (suggested) parallel Parking along Elmwood Drive.


Cancellation/Partial Attendance:   Please review the AOC cancellation policy.