Piedmont Park Evening Hike + Optional outdoor Atlanta Symphony Concert

EVENT & WEATHER UPDATE from CHARLIE as of Thu June 22nd at 3:30 PM:  The latest forecast for the Piedmont Park vicinity this evening is looking QUITE GOOD for late June despite all the recent wet weather!  Comfortable temperatures in the low 70s are expected, with partly sunny skies and only a 25% chance of an isolated light shower or two. Our Hiking plans are still ON (as discussed below) and our Atlanta Symphony friends confirm that their big outdoor Concert is also still ON (~7:30-9:00 PM) with its exciting "Latin-inspired program" - plus food trucks, cash bar & other amenities.  For all the details click: https://www.aso.org/announcements/concerts-in-the-park  

IN a NUTSHELL:  We AOC hikers & music fans have always had a blast together on these festive summer evening "Hike + Symphony" alfresco outings.  Hope you can join us for a leisurely ~2-mile hike through historic Piedmont Park, with a world-class outdoor concert immediately afterward.  The free Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performance will be in the beautiful Oak Hill section of the Park adjoining 10th Street, with hundreds of music fans and nature buffs of all ages joining us.  (See concert Photo above and suggestions below about What to Wear & Bring.)  We and all others who love the great outdoors and great music are welcome to be part of the memorable experience on the huge grassy hillside that surrounds the stage.  (For Joyce's colorful Facebook photos of our memorable similar AOC outing on June 22nd, 2022 click: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=joyce.taaffe&set=a.10160571051490260 )

EVENT DETAILS:  Let's all gather a few minutes before 6:00 PM on the sidewalk at the shady corner of Elmwood Drive and Monroe Drive, 2 blocks east of the Park. See Directions & GPS info below and please be on time, allowing for rush-hour traffic.)  In the past we've always found plenty of safe free street-side parallel parking here along Elmwood within a block or two of Monroe.  After brief introductions it will take us only about 10 minutes to Hike together into the Park - see suggested things to wear & bring below.  During the entire outing feel free to "split" at any time from the group if you like, provided you let us know.

At the Park's beautiful Oak Hill Concert Venue pictured above (just N. of 10th Street) we can stake out prime viewing space for our AOC group (at ~6:15 PM, likely directly in front of the stage, with a clear view of the orchestra & good acoustics) - then continue with "Segment 2" of the Hike. (An AOC volunteer or friendly concert neighbor can watch our things till we return in time for the concert.)   We'll explore a bit of the  "wilder 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 portion of the Atlanta Beltline - then return to our Oak Hill seating area in time for the 7:30-~9:00 concert - hope everyone can stay and enjoy at least part of it.  We're sure to enjoy the relaxing but festive experience - and likely a colorful sunset framing the midtown skyline as the performance comes to a close.  Then our final "Segment 3" of the Hike (for all who wish to join us) will be to walk together back eastward through the Park to our cars.

ATLANTA SYMPHONY PROGRAM:  The concert will celebrate the timeless rhythms and melodies of Latin America.  Led by ASO Associate Conductor Jerry Hou, it will feature Latin-inspired pieces from around the world, including De Falla's The Three Cornered Hat, Piazzolla's Tangazo, Gershwin's Cuban Overture, Bizet's Carmen, and more. Pre-concert activities include a 6:30-7:00 PM performance by the Community Brass Ensemble, led by ASO Principal Tuba Michael Moore - also an "instrument petting zoo" with folks getting to hold and perhaps even play some of them! The "grand finale" encore at these crowd-pleasing Park outings is often Sousa's rousing Stars & Stripes Forever, which gets many of us singing, dancing, and perhaps waving sparklers!  For all the concert details (and for links to other upcoming Atlanta Symphony events) go to: https://www.aso.org/announcements/concerts-in-the-park

MORE about PIEDMONT PARK:  Almost 130 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, excellent maintenance  and nice variety of visitor programs. The thriving Atlanta Botanical Garden has also been a big plus for the park's popularity & reputation since its founding in the late '70s - in the NW quadrant of the 200+ acre property. 
  For an interactive Color Map of the Park and its miles of trails & walkways click:  https://www.piedmontpark.org/maps/
    and for more info visit the main site:  http://piedmontpark.org/ 

DIRECTIONS to our SIDEWALK GATHERING SPOT at the MONROE DRIVE/ ELMWOOD DRIVE corner (+ tips for adjoining Free Parking):

For a zoomable map & satellite view of this shady corner and quiet residential area just east of the Park click the square Blue & Green "Event Location" icon near the top of this article.
GPS DATA for this SPOT:  GPS or Google.com/Maps users can enter either of these as your Destination address (to augment or replace Directions steps 1-5 below):
- Street Address at SW corner of Monroe & Elmwood: 1096 Monroe Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
- Lat/ Lon Address of same sidewalk corner (being sure to include comma & minus sign):  33.7847, -84.3679

DRIVING DIRECTIONS (assuming you begin in North Metro Atlanta and drive south toward Midtown via I-75 or I-85)
 + Details about FREE PARKING along ELMWOOD and our HIKING ROUTE to the PARK CONCERT VENUE
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 the traffic light at Park Drive.)
6. Turn onto Elmwood (left or right) and parallel-park in any of its vacant street-side spaces.  (We've always managed to find safe and convenient free parking here.)
7.  Then walk back (via Elmwood) to the Monroe sidewalk corner where we'll begin gathering at about 5:45 PM.

8.  After introductions we'd like to begin by 6:00 our ~10-minute group sidewalk Hike into the Park carrying any concert-related items in our daypacks.  Walking route will be: 1) South 1 block along Monroe, 2) West 1 block along Cresthill Ave and into Park, then 3) West ~1/4 mile across big meadow and straight ahead to grassy Oak Hill concert venue shown in above photo.
9.  Special Note for AOC Latecomers:  By about 6:30 we'll likely try to stake out AOC space for our concert viewing in a flat grassy spot just 100 feet out from the center of the stage beside the small sound-control tent - which worked out well in the past, with great acoustics & view of orchestra!  You can likely hook up with us there, at least for the 7:30-9:00 concert.

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