PORTLAND, Maine — Are you an expert piano player? Or have you never touched a keyboard in your life? Either way, there's a piano available to you at no cost, you just need to be able to find it.
Every weekend, staff with Portland Parks, Recreation, and Facilities move a piano into a different city park as part of its Piano in the Park program.
"We wanted to just get people to go out and explore areas in Portland that maybe they didn't have a reason to before," Kim Murray with Portland Parks, Recreation, and Facilities said. Murray helps coordinate the program and choose where the piano is moved to each week.
"This gives them a good reason to get out there and just check out the area that you live in," Murray said.
Murray says the piano was donated and tuned by Starbird Piano Gallery in Portland. Last week, Murray and the Parks, Recreation, and Facilities staff member known as 'Tater' moved the piano to an area on the Eastern Promenade Trail where it stayed for the weekend.
Murray and 'Tater' share clues on Facebook and Instagram of where the piano is located, but never completely give it away.
Here is this week's clue: The piano overlooks Portland's largest splash pad.
This is the second year that Portland Parks, Recreation, and Facilities has done its Piano in the Park program. They encourage anyone of all skill levels to make their way to the parks and try it out.
On Friday, hundreds passed by the piano after Murray and 'Tater' moved it in. It was a wide variety, as some well-trained musicians came by as well as children that have never played. Even folks who haven't played since childhood were there.
If you figure out the clue, or come across the piano, you're encouraged to take photos and share them with Portland Parks, Recreation, and Facilities on social media or email them to parks@portlandmaine.gov.