TAKOMA PARK, Md. (WDVM) – A Montgomery County city is bringing the beat to the streets this weekend. The city of Takoma Park unveiled a new public piano in the it’s historic district Sunday.

“I just want people to walk by and see it and be a little surprised to see a piano there. And for folks who play the piano to stop by and play it.” said
Brendan Smith, arts and humanities coordinator for Takoma Park.

Smith’s idea for the piano sparked while he was on a trip up north.

“We saw a public piano in Brunswick, Maine in downtown, and I just thought it was really great idea. My son started playing it, a little crowd developed behind him and started clapping when he was done,” said Smith.

It wasn’t easy bringing Takoma Park’s public piano to life.

“I thought, oh, we’ll put a piano in the gazebo and paint it and that’ll be a piece of cake. A local woman donated the piano, it happened to be in a second floor walk-up apartment. So, I had to get a public works crew to bring that down the stairs.” Smith said.

Be sure to stop by for a tune or two, before the piano is removed from display in December.

The piano sits at 7035 Carroll Street and you can play it from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day.