Grab a pal and a picnic and head to Downs Park or Quiet Waters Park for Pops in the Park, a FREE concert perfect for the entire family.
The Annapolis Symphony will perform highlights from Season 64, light classics, and danceable tunes for the entire family at this annual event. Grab your picnic and a blanket and prepare for the perfect outing to a park near you!
DETAILS
Saturday, August 30, 11:30AM – Downs Park, Pasadena, Maryland
Sunday, August 31, 5:30PM – Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis, Maryland
Monday September 1 – Rain Date, Quiet Waters Park, Annapolis, Maryland
Cost: FREE
Parking: FREE. Plan to arrive a little early as parking near the concert shell fills up fast. DO NOT PARK ON THE GRASS
Pets: Pets are allowed, but must be leashed. You know your best friend: most dogs love music, but if they don’t like crowds or warm weather, this may not be the best event for them. There is a dog park and there are quiet walking trails near the concert area.
Raffle Registration: A ticket is not required to attend this event. However, when you register in advance, you can win great prizes like tickets to our 2025-26 season concerts. Please click here to register.
Picnic: Food trucks will be on hand. Anne Arundel County Recreation and Parks Department work with local vendors to secure your favorite truck! Cellular service is not strong in the park, so you may want to bring cash. This concert is a great opportunity to show off your picnic brunch plan! Show us your best by posting photos of your picnic on social media with the hashtag #ASOPicnicinthePark Remember to be responsible, use the available trash bins, or carry out what you carry in. Alcoholic beverages are not allowed in Anne Arundel County parks.
MUSIC PROGRAM
View the digital program booklet here.
Annapolis Symphony Academy opens the event in a collaboration with The Talent Machine, Inc.. Get up and dance to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing“, the thematic and iconic song used to celebrate each encore of The Penguin Project musical theater performances by children with different abilities.
John Stafford Smith (arr. A. Luck) Star Spangled Banner
Aaron Copland Fanfare for the Common Man
William Grant Still Festive Overture
Kareem Roustom How Beautiful the Light of the Rising Sun, from Aleppo Songs
Lin-Manuel Miranda (arr. S. O’Loughlin) Selections from Encanto
Florence Price (arr. J. Roberts) Adoration
John Philip Sousa Liberty Bell March
John Williams Suite from Jaws
Scott Joplin (arr. C. Buchanan) Maple Leaf Rag
Louis Prima (arr. G. D’Angelo) Sing, Sing, Sing
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PERFORMANCE
Get ready for a Pops celebration full of music, fun, and surprises! Here’s what to listen for in the performance:
Annapolis Symphony Academy kicks off the concert at Quiet Waters Park, performing with The Talent Machine, Inc.. You don’t want to miss this opportunity to experience our Aries and Orion ensembles as they present music including Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing”, the signature song used by The Penguin Project, a national theater program for children with special needs. The Talent Machine, Inc will lead the entire audience in a dance-along while Aries and Orion musicians perform the soundtrack to fun!
Last year Artistic Director José-Luis Novo had quite a few surprises up his sleeve – he even played his harmonica! Pay attention for whatever tricks he might play this year and post what you love most on your social media with the hashtag #ASOPopsinthePark!
Our principal percussionist, William Kan, will be featured on “Sing, Sing, Sing”, by Louis Prima (arr. G. D’Angelo). William is currently a member of the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” in the Ceremonial Band. Previously, he was a member of the 1st Cavalry Division Band at Fort Cavazos, Texas and the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic.
🦈 Our performance of “Suite from Jaws” by John Williams celebrates the 50th anniversary of this iconic movie, which will be re-released in theaters on August 29, 2025.
🍁 Our arrangement of “Maple Leaf Rag”, by Scott Joplin, was created by our 2nd trumpet player, Chris Buchanan. Chris has been a member of the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra since 2013. Formerly a member of the U.S. Naval Academy Band, he is currently Chief Arranger for the U.S. Navy Band in Washington, D.C. Chris’ arrangements and compositions have been performed by numerous U.S. service bands as well as university wind ensembles across the country.
“How Beautiful the Light of the Rising Sun” by Kareem Roustom is part of a recent collaboration with the Governor Wes Moore’s State of Maryland Governor’s Commission on Middle Eastern American Affairs. The is based on a melody by Sayed Darwish. The text of this song describes a sunrise over a beautiful, spacious rural landscape that is home to a young man who is awed by the beauty of a young lady.
We end the performance with Tchaikovsky’s powerful 1812 Overture. Listen for the loud cannon that signals the end of the concert.
THANK YOU
The Annapolis Symphony Orchestra is proud to bring More Music, to More People, in More Places across Anne Arundel County, including to county outdoor spaces and parks. The Labor Day Weekend Pops in the Park concerts are intended for music lovers of all ages and are made possible by the Anne Arundel County Arts Council and Anne Arundel County Department Of Recreation and Parks.