Piedmont Park Evening Hike + Optional free outdoor Atlanta Symphony Concert featuring favorites by great French Composers

Update as of 4:00 PM Wed June 15th:  This hot, muggy and possibly showery weather isn't ideal, but the AOC and our Atlanta Symphony friends are still on for this event for all who'd like to join us!  The latest forecast for the Park vicinity this evening expects it to be partly sunny with about a 40% chance of rain showers or an isolated thunderstorm, and a little windy at times.  It'll be in the low 90s at 6:00 PM but should drop into the mid-80s by the concert's end at ~9:00 PM. Let's each plan to wear lightweight summer clothing and bring appropriate rain gear and perhaps also a hand-held fan, etc. - see suggestions below. - Charlie

IN a NUTSHELL: We AOC hikers & music lovers have had a blast together on these Piedmont Park summer evening "double-header" outings in past years.  We're excited about offering this one on Wed June 15th - also a similar event on the following Wed June 22nd that's posted separately on the home page calendar. Hope you can join us for this leisurely ~2-mile hike through historic Piedmont Park, with a bonus afterward! - an outdoor Atlanta Symphony Orchestra concert.  The free performance will take place in the beautiful grassy "Oak Hill" section of the Park adjoining 10th Street (see Photo above and "What to Bring" etc. for the concert below).  Anyone who loves classical music and the Park is welcome to attend these open-air special performances at no charge.

EVENT DETAILS:  Let's all gather "ready to hike" a few minutes before 6:00 PM on the sidewalk at the shady corner of Elmwood Drive and Monroe Drive.   In the past we've always found plenty of free street-side parallel parking along Elmwood within a couple of blocks of Monroe.  (See Directions & GPS info below and please be on time, allowing for Atlanta's insane rush-hour traffic.)  After introductions we can conveniently walk together into the Park with our concert items, etc. in about 10 minutes - see suggestions items to bring below.  At the beautiful Oak Hill concert venue (above photo) we can stake out prime viewing space for our AOC group with a clear view of the stage & good acoustics - then continue the hike.  We can ask a friendly neighbor or two on the lawn (or AOC volunteer) to watch our stuff till we return in time for the concert.   During this 2nd hike segment we'll explore a bit of the  "wild side" of Piedmont Park via some of its lesser-known scenic trails, including a few shady pathways just east of the Atlanta Botanical Garden and perhaps a gravel section of the Atlanta Beltline - then return to our Oak Hill seating area in time for the 7:30-9:00 concert.  Hope you can plan to stay with us for at least part of it, and if so you're sure to enjoy the relaxing but festive experience!   Regardless of our individual Covid-vaccination statuses, etc. the Symphony encourages everyone to politely maintain appropriate social distances while at the concert and at least to keep mask handy - esp. in case an emergency situation arises that requires direct physical contact with one another.  During the evening free to "split" from the group at any time if you like, provided you let us know.  We'll be glad to direct you back to our Elmwood/Monroe gathering area or other destination.

SYMPHONY CONCERT PROGRAM:  The all-French program will be led by ASO Associate Conductor Jerry Hou, featuring selections from favorite French works including Bizet’s Carmen, Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Debussy’s Nocturnes and more.  The "traditional grand finale" of these outdoor concerts is Sousa's rousing Stars & Stripes Forever which never fails to get almost everyone singing, dancing and even waving sparklers!

MORE about PIEDMONT PARK:  More than 125 years old now, it became world famous in 1895 as the site of Atlanta's "Cotton States & International Exposition."  Hundreds of member volunteers from the Piedmont Park Conservancy deserve much credit in recent years for the park's dramatic improvements and excellent maintenance. The thriving Atlanta Botanical Garden has also been a big plus for the park's popularity & reputation since its founding in the late 1970s in the NW corner of the 200+ acre property. 
  For an excellent interactive Color Map of the park click here:  https://www.piedmontpark.org/maps/
    and also for more info visit the main site:  http://piedmontpark.org/ 

DIRECTIONS to our SIDEWALK GATHERING SPOT at the MONROE DRIVE/ ELMWOOD DRIVE corner:
For a zoomable map & satellite view of this shady corner and quiet residential area click the Blue & Green "Event Location" icon near the top of this article.

GPS DATA for GATHERING SPOT:  GPS or Google.com/Maps users can enter either of these as your Destination address (to augment Driving Directions below):
- Street Address at SW corner of Monroe & Elmwood: 1096 Monroe Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
- Lat/ Lon Address of same corner: (Be sure to include Comma and Minus sign.)  33.7847, -84.3679

DRIVING DIRECTIONS, assuming you begin by driving southward toward Atlanta via I-75 or I-85:
    (+ Advice about FREE Street-side PARKING along ELMWOOD DRIVE)
1. As you near the I-75/ I-85 interchange (about 2 miles north of downtown Atlanta) get into the second lane from the Interstate's righthand side.
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 10^th Street (bypassing 17^th & 14th Street).
4. Turn Left onto 10th Street and go 1.3 miles eastward to the traffic light at Monroe Drive (crossing Peachtree Street, Piedmont Ave, etc.).
5. Turn Left onto Monroe Drive and go just 0.2 mile northward to Elmwood Drive. (You've gone a block to far if you reach traffic light at Park Drive.)
6. Turn RIGHT onto Elmwood Drive and park in any of vacant street-side spaces.  (In the past we've always managed to find free parallel parking along this quiet tree-lined residential street, esp. in the first couple of blocks just east of Monroe.)
7.  Assuming you park in that area, walk via the Elmwood sidewalk to the shady corner at Monroe Drive where we'll begin gathering at about 5:45 PM.
8.  After introductions we'd like to begin our group Hike into the Park by 6:00 PM, carrying any concert-related items in our daypacks, etc.

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