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Botanical garden in Gainesville to host summer concerts
0526GO-LORETTA-LYNN
Loretta Lynn will be performing Aug. 13 at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, A Smithgall Woodland Legacy in Gainesville.

Atlanta Botanical Gardens, A Smithgall Woodland Legacy ‘Concerts in the Garden’
Ivester Amphitheater
When: 8 p.m. June 18 with The Four Tops, July 16 with Indigo Girls and Aug. 13 with Loretta Lynn
Where: 1911 Sweetbay Drive, Gainesville
Cost: $37.50-$54.50
More info: www.concertsinthegarden.org or call 404-888-4760

The hills of Gainesville will be alive with the sounds of live music come summertime.

A series of outdoor concerts will be held at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, A Smithgall Woodland Legacy in Gainesville, as well as the garden’s location in the heart of Atlanta.

“We have a strong, diverse lineup of shows this year,” Mildred Fockele, the director of the Gainesville garden, said.

Three acts — The Four Tops, the Indigo Girls and Loretta Lynn — are set to perform at 8 p.m. this summer at 1911 Sweetbay Drive in Gainesville. Gates will open at 6 p.m.

All seating for the shows in the Ivester Amphitheater will be general admission.

“There is no more beautiful a spot to enjoy a concert than in the Ivester Amphitheater,” Fockele said.

Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets or low-rise chairs for the lawn. They are not permitted to photograph the performance or smoke.

Outside food and drinks are prohibited. Refreshments will be available for purchase, including food trucks, from 5:30-9 p.m.

“We have preordered meals from Talk of the Town, an excellent catering company,” Fockele said. “We have sampled the food, and it is delicious!”

Launching the summer concert series was The Four Tops with its quintessential 1960s sound June 18. The quartet is most famously known for songs such as “I Can’t Help Myself” and “Reach Out I’ll Be There.”

Tickets were $37.50 each for nonmembers of the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

The next show in Gainesville was July 16 with The Indigo Girls, a Grammy-winning duo of two Decatur women. They are known as a folk rock band with songs such as “Closer to Fine” and “Galileo.”

Tickets were $47.50 for nonmembers. All members get $2 off admission.

Rounding out the concert series will be Loretta Lynn on Aug. 13. The country music singer-songwriter has more than 70 singles to her name including “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” according to the country music website, CMT.com.

Her tickets cost $54.50 for nonmembers.

Tickets are available for purchase on the website.

There is no will call available at the Gainesville location.

Children younger than 2 years old may enter for free to the shows. But Gainesville garden officials suggest “using your best judgment when bringing a child to a concert; sound levels may be too much for tiny ears,” according to their website.

Special-assist animals are allowed on the grounds.

Parking will not be allowed on the site without a handicap sticker. The garden will shuttle concertgoers from the parking area on Cleveland Highway to the venue beginning at 6 p.m. for general admission and 5:30 p.m. for platinum ticket holders. Platinum tickets are available to the Donor Level members and above. These ticket holders get into the shows before general admission and have access to limited onsite parking.

All shows will continue rain or shine. No refunds if the show is canceled.

For more information, visit www.concertsinthegarden.org or call 404-888-4760.