This Sunday, October 4th, is set to be a special day for music and family-friendly fun, entirely immersed in the great outdoors, as the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra will be performing Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf at Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center as part of their collaborative event, Music in the Wild, presented by Chris Lykins and Mark McKnight.
Joining forces for a unique concept, the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra and Reflection Riding Arboretum are partnering together to create an unforgettable evening, one where Reflection Riding provides the natural space and the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra delivers sweepingly beautiful orchestral music and storytelling.
The afternoon begins at 3 p.m. with food trucks, family-oriented activities, and even wildlife interactions, then moves into the CSO’s 30-minute performance of Peter and the Wolf at 5 sharp, all set amid nature on Reflection Riding’s 300-acre campus.
The event will also feature pop-up music performances, wildlife encounters with hands-on activity options, and tasty food trucks from Power-Up Pizza and Culture-Licious. One can pre-order options from Bleu Fox Cheese Shop before the event to pick up upon arrival, and with seating being outdoors, folks are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets.
All proceeds from the event benefit Reflection Riding and the CSO, and the event is intended to slow people down and allow them to connect with nature, wildlife, and music in a beautiful outdoor setting.
In speaking with Julia Milrod, the director of marketing and communications for the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera, about the collaborative event and why they chose to perform Peter and the Wolf, she detailed the piece being a perfect fit for the setting and that the CSO will be bringing the music and thoughtful storytelling, while Reflection Riding provides the space and the access to wildlife, with animals being crucial to the story being told and the entire experience.
“Reflection Riding brings an incredible natural setting, wildlife expertise, and hands-on opportunities for families to engage with the outdoors. The CSO brings live orchestral music and the storytelling possibilities that come with it. Together, we can create an afternoon that isn’t simply a concert and isn’t simply a visit to a nature center. Families can hear music, encounter animals, explore the campus, and make connections between all of those experiences.
Peter and the Wolf is an especially good fit because the music itself invites listeners to connect sound, character, and storytelling. Each character is represented by a different instrument or section of the orchestra, so children can actually begin to recognize what they’re hearing as the story unfolds.
Performing it at Reflection Riding adds another layer to that experience. Families are spending the afternoon surrounded by nature and wildlife and then hearing a story filled with animals brought to life through the orchestra. We hope children leave having had a genuinely fun afternoon, but also with a little more curiosity about both music and the natural world. Having Jed Mescon narrate the performance also gives the story a familiar Chattanooga voice and helps make the experience feel especially connected to our community.”
The event, at its heart, is the intersection of nature, music, and community. In detailing how the event fits into Chattanooga’s larger identity as a hub for arts and the great outdoors, Julia mentioned that what makes Chattanooga such a great solace is that these communities don’t have to exist separately, and Music in the Wild is a prime example of that idea.
“One of Chattanooga’s strengths is that those parts of our community don’t necessarily exist in separate worlds. We have an extraordinary outdoor culture alongside a strong arts scene, and there’s a real willingness among organizations here to collaborate and create experiences that cross those boundaries.
Music in the Wild feels very Chattanooga in that way. It takes advantage of something distinctive about this place: you can have a live orchestra performing against the landscape of Lookout Mountain while families are also exploring native wildlife and the outdoors. It’s an opportunity to create an arts experience that is shaped by Chattanooga itself rather than simply taking a traditional concert and placing it somewhere else.”
When asked about plans for the future of Music in the Wild, and if Reflection Riding and CSO have more plans to collaborate in the future, Julia discussed that the main focus lies in making the first event a great experience, and that collaborations like this make them think optimistically and creatively about shaping future experiences.
“Our immediate focus is on making the first Music in the Wild a great experience, but the CSO is always interested in finding meaningful ways to bring orchestral music into different spaces and reach audiences in new ways. Collaborations like this give us the opportunity to think creatively about where orchestral music can happen and who we can invite into that experience. We’re excited to see how this experience shapes what’s possible for the future.”
Music in the Wild
- Sunday, October 4. 3-7:30 p.m.
- Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center.
- 400 Garden Rd, Chattanooga. $15-$30.
- reflectionriding.org/events/music-in-the-wild-2026
- chattanoogasymphony.org