“Diversity” isn’t just a word that describes the myriad of plant, flower and tree species that you’ll see at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. It’s also apparent in its Cocktails in the Garden music series that kicked off last month and will stretch through September.
Upcoming shows include such acts as Gypsy jazz-flavored Bonaventure Quartet, the New Orleans-flavored Wasted Potential Brass Band and the folk-rock sound of Smith & Calvert.
“The goal was to bring the community outside for activities and to revive the local music scene (after the pandemic) as well,” said Thomas Helland, curator of music events at the Garden.
Helland has a music promotion background and the contacts needed to make the venture a success: Last year he booked nearly 100 music acts for the Cocktails in the Garden event, most of them musicians and bands local to the Atlanta area.
The hope is to widen the demographic of visitors to reflect the cultural diversity of the Atlanta metro area, a commitment echoed in the musical offerings this year. Expect to hear jazz, funk, Brazilian-Latin, folk, bluegrass, reggae, blues and more in six different areas around the Garden.
The series will continue through September 30, followed by the Fest of Ales beginning October 5 through October 28.
Performances are every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening. Non-members can buy timed tickets to individual music events ($27.95 for adults and $24.95 for children), but with the purchase of a one-year membership ($80 for one person or $115 for two), you can experience it all.
Tickets to individual events and the full calendar of performances can be found HERE.
::
Shannon Marie is a freelance music journalist and educator.
