Piedmont Park Evening Hike + Optional outdoor Atlanta Symphony Concert

IN a NUTSHELL:  We AOC hikers & music fans have always had a blast together on these festive summer evening Piedmont Park Hike + Symphony al fresco outings.  We're excited about offering this "encore" double-header on Thu June 22nd.  Hope you can join us for a leisurely ~2-mile hike through historic Piedmont Park, with a big 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 shady hillside that surrounds the stage.  (For Joyce's colorful Facebook photos of our AOC outing last June 15th 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 (just 2 blocks east of the Park).  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.  (See Directions & GPS info below and please be on time, allowing for rush-hour traffic.)  After brief introductions it will take us only ~10 minutes to walk together into the Park - see suggested things to wear & bring below.
  At the beautiful Oak Hill concert venue pictured above (just N. of 10th St) 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 portion of the hike 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 - and likely also a colorful sunset framing the midtown skyline as the performance comes to a close.
  During the outing feel free to "split" at any time from the group 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.

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 a mesmerizing selection of Latin-inspired pieces.  The "grand finale" encore at these crowd-pleasing outings is often Sousa's rousing Stars & Stripes Forever, which never fails to get everyone in the Park up on their feet singing & dancing, and with some even waving sparklers!  For more about this and other exciting 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 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 '70s in the NW quadrant of the 200+ acre property. 
  For an interactive Color Map of the Park 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:
For a zoomable map & satellite view of this shady corner and quiet residential area click the square 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 Directions steps 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 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 the traffic light at Park Drive.)
6. Turn onto Elmwood (left or right) and parallel-park in any of the vacant street-side spaces near Monroe.  (In the past we've always managed to find safe and convenient free parking here.)
7.  Then walk back to the shady corner at Monroe Drive (via the Elmwood sidewalk) where we'll begin gathering at about 5:45 PM.
8.  After introductions we'd like to begin our ~10-minute group Hike into the Park by 6:00 PM, carrying any concert-related items in our daypacks, etc.
9.  Special Note for AOC Latecomers:  Between about 6:15 and 6:30 we'll likely again stake out AOC space for our concert viewing just 100 feet out from the center of the Oak Hill stage beside the small sound-control tent - which worked out well (with great acoustics!) for both of last year's concerts.  Feel free to try and hook up with us there if you prefer.

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