More Than a Free Concert: The Growing Impact of Piedmont Pops

Piedmont Wind Symphony

Sep 3

3 min read

There is something special about looking around and seeing hundreds of people gathered together for live music.

Some have followed Piedmont Wind Symphony for years. Others happened to be nearby and decided to stay. There are families with children, groups of friends, longtime classical music lovers, and people experiencing a professional wind ensemble for the very first time.

At Piedmont Pops, they all belong in the same audience.

Bringing People Together, Without the Price of Admission

Piedmont Wind Symphony's mission is simple: Bringing People Together Through Music.

Piedmont Pops is one of the most visible ways we put that mission into action.

By presenting professional concerts free to the public, we can bring the PWS experience beyond the traditional concert hall and meet our community in spaces where people already gather.

There is no decision about whether a ticket fits into the family budget. There is no need to know anything about wind ensemble music before arriving. You can bring a lawn chair, bring your family, meet some friends, and simply enjoy the experience.

Removing the cost of admission removes one more barrier between our community and great live music.

And Our Community Is Responding

Piedmont Pops continues to grow.

Our Labor Day Piedmont Pops concert welcomed approximately 600 attendees in 2024. One year later, approximately 950 people joined us for the same annual tradition.

But those numbers tell only part of the story.

Each person represents another opportunity for connection: a child hearing these instruments up close for the first time, a new resident discovering a local arts organization, a family creating a tradition, or an audience member realizing that a professional classical music experience can belong to them, too.

That is the kind of growth that matters to us.

Free to Attend Doesn't Mean Free to Produce

We are proud to keep Piedmont Pops free to the public, but presenting a professional concert carries significant costs.

PWS musicians are professional artists who are compensated for their work. Each performance also requires music, equipment, rehearsal space, production support, staff time, marketing, transportation, and countless other pieces that audiences may never see from their lawn chairs.

We don't want those costs to become a barrier for the people we serve.

Instead, Piedmont Pops is made possible through the generosity of donors, sponsors, community partners, and people who believe that access to excellent live music makes our community stronger.

When you support Piedmont Pops, you're helping cover the cost of the empty space on our ticket page where a price could have been.

The Next Chapter of Piedmont Pops

As audiences grow, so does our opportunity.

We want Piedmont Pops to continue becoming a place where our entire community can gather around extraordinary live music, whether someone has been attending PWS concerts for decades or has never heard a wind symphony before.

That means continuing to invest in our musicians, expanding our reach, building community partnerships, and keeping admission free.

On September 13, 2026 at 7:00PM, we're inviting our community to help us do exactly that.

The Music of Star Wars, our fall fundraiser at Incendiary Brewing Company in downtown Winston-Salem, will bring John Williams' legendary music to life with the Piedmont Wind Symphony, storytelling, characters, costumes, lights, raffle baskets, and plenty of fun along the way.

Admission is free with RSVP, just like Piedmont Pops.

Throughout the evening, guests will have opportunities to give, and every dollar raised will support Piedmont Pops and help keep these concerts free for our community.