Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods |
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Location | Columbia, Howard County, Maryland |
Area | 51 acres (21 ha) |
Owned by | Columbia Association |
Operated by | Inner Arbor Trust |
Type | amphitheater |
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Genre(s) | music, performing arts |
Seating type | lawn |
Capacity | 10,000 |
Established | 26 April 2013 |
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Location | Columbia, Maryland |
Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods is a big park located right in the middle of Columbia, Maryland. It's a great place for families and friends to visit! Inside the park, you'll find a special outdoor stage called The Chrysalis. This stage was built in 2016 and has a big grassy area where people can sit and watch shows. The Chrysalis is famous for hosting many fun events, like music concerts, ballet shows, plays, and even a cool event called Maker Faire where people show off their inventions. It's a busy spot for community gatherings!
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How the Park Was Created
In 2013, a person named Michael McCall, who used to work for the Rouse Company, had an idea. He wanted to turn this wooded land into a fantastic park that people would travel to see.
Early Ideas for the Park
Michael McCall's company, Strategic Leisure, first suggested building a large parking garage. Later, they came up with plans for a 39-acre arts park. This new park would have cool features like the outdoor stage called The Chrysalis. It also included a very long picnic table that looked like it was floating. Another fun idea was an 800-foot-long tube called the Caterpillar.
Naming the Park Project
The new park project was given the name "Inner Arbor." This name was inspired by another famous development by the Rouse Company, which is Baltimore's "Inner Harbor."
Special Art in the Park
An artist from Howard County named William Cochran was asked to create artwork for the park. His art includes tall horn-shaped sculptures, some of which are as high as 28 feet!
The Chrysalis Opens
The Chrysalis stage officially opened for its first season of shows in 2017. Since then, it has been a popular spot for many different performances and community events.