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ESO Outdoors Returns This August!

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ESO Outdoors Returns This August!

By Micha Poworoznik

After last year’s success, ESO Outdoors will make its return to a neighbourhood near you this August!

In the summer of 2021, we welcomed thousands of music lovers to nine concerts held in outdoor spaces across Edmonton and surrounding cities. With public health restrictions in place throughout the pandemic, our patrons couldn’t experience live music inside the Winspear Centre. ESO Outdoors was initially a pilot project to bring music into the community to safely combat social isolation while giving ESO musicians a chance to perform in larger groups for the first time since March 2020. These concerts attracted music lovers from all walks of life – from long-time ESO supporters to those who simply wanted to hear live music again. The support we received was overwhelming and this initiative has since transformed into a community-building event where anyone can experience the ESO in a more accessible way.

There is a lot to look forward to this summer, from new locations to bigger productions. We are excited to visit surrounding cities again, including St. Albert, Fort Saskatchewan, Beaumont, Stony Plain, and Devon. Within Edmonton, ESO Outdoors will return to familiar venues like Borden Park and 124th Street, as well as beautiful new locations – Snow Valley and Castle Downs Park. Another new feature this year is the varying size of groups that will be performing. The first two weeks of concerts will be performed by a chamber-sized orchestra, and the last two weeks will grow, ending the month with a full orchestra at Symphony Under the Sky in Hawrelak Park. There is something for everyone this year with a variety of programs, from Mozart and Vivaldi to Lady Gaga and Latin rhythms.

This year’s ESO Outdoors will kick off at The Arden Theatre Plaza in St. Albert. Join us from August 4-21 for a unique experience and enjoy live music in a new environment. Bring your chair and a hat (or umbrella!) and soak up the sun while members of the ESO serenade you with approachable, lighter classic pieces in a casual outdoor setting. Tickets are pay-what-you-can – thanks to EPCOR’s generous support, we create an accessible live-music atmosphere in Edmonton and surrounding communities.

View the ESO Outdoors schedule here. Advance registration is highly recommended.