Last Week in Atlanta : Free ASO Concert

 Last week, I had the absolute pleasure of getting to attend my very first performance by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra!  The best part was, as fun as dressing up and being all fancy is, I was barefoot, taking pictures, and snacking on cheese!  Thanks to a big Atlanta collaboration, the ASO gave their (free) performance at Piedmont Park, and everyone was invited!

My friend Cary is my go-to person when it comes to knowing what's going on in Atlanta.  She has already invited me to way too many events than I could ever accept, but I'm really glad I was able to make it to this one.  I used to visit the Chattanooga Symphony often in college because the events were required for my music minor.  I always love listening to beautiful music played well, and the ASO's Performance in the Park was no exception.  I'd had a very busy week last week, and I thought that I might have to head home early from the concert just so I could get some extra rest, but turns out listening to lovely live music was just what I needed!  I stayed all the way through the encore and had a great time.

Look at how many people were there!  I'm pretty sure this picture covered maybe half of the entire audience.  It was so delightful to see how many people had come out to enjoy the performance!  There were kids dancing to the music, people who stopped by after their workout in the park, and even some folks with their dogs on the outskirts of the crowd (because they technically weren't allowed).  I wonder how many people there were listening to a symphony for the first time ever! 

Last year, the ASO gave 4 free performances in the summer, but required guests to RSVP, which meant a smaller number of folks could attend.  This year, they decided to hold one free concert but have the guest list be unlimited.  I'm hoping they'll keep up the unlimited plan for next year, and I think you should keep an eye out for them, too!