Daytona Beach Symphony - Society and Guild

The Daytona Beach Symphony Society  is about to start its 65th season! Though Daytona does not have its own symphony orchestra, the Symphony Guild and Symphony Society manage to wow, entertain, and delight Daytona Beach residents every year with world-class acts.

This season will kick off on November 11 with Siberian Virtuosi – an ensemble of 11 brilliant violinists bringing you a thrilling evening. Throughout the season you can also experience the Prague Philharmonia, The Vienna Boys’ Choir, Bamberg Symphony, Theatro Lyrica, and much more. Every last performance featured by the Daytona Beach Symphony Society is of outstanding and high-class nature. Truly fabulous cultural experiences! Get your tickets here .

Thanks to tireless efforts of the Symphony Guild, the greater Daytona Beach area can enjoy these incredible performances every year! The Guild’s work includes advocacy for the Symphony Society, and of course fundraising. In addition, the membership dues make a program possible for 2,500 school children to see the performances each year at no cost to them. Many of the 6 to 18 year-old students are at risk, and at least 40% percent live below the poverty line. Here they can experience top-notch musical performances, which would not be possible without the Guild’s program. 

In May of this year, the Symphony Guild elected a new president, Gerri Wright-Gibson, with whom the new guild season will kick off on Monday, October 3 at 10am at the St. James Episcopal Church in Ormond Beach.

Meetings are every first Monday of the month, October through May. Being a member comes with some terrific benefits! You get to meet and socialize with interesting and fun people. As a guild member, you can receive a 35% discount on season tickets to the Symphony Society performances. And you receive invitations to the Daytona Beach Symphony Guild’s cultural excursions and outings, unique parties, dinners, luncheons, and a newsletter. You can be on one of 13 committees! Most importantly, you can be an advocate for Daytona Beach’s premier source of music, dance, and performance: The Daytona Beach Symphony Society.

If you would like to join, the annual fee is $40. You can email Joan Fenton, who is in charge of memberships, and she will advise you how to proceed. Email Joan

Creative Florida Living

Janet Sells 

Greek Festival

Be Greek for a day! Fully immerse yourself in Greek culture. For 39 years, the annual St. Demetrios Greek Festival has featured authentic traditional Greek food, music, dancing and libations.

Enjoy the sounds of traditional Greek music like the Hasapiko, Zeibekiko, Tsamiko, Sirto and Pentozali while the church’s Saint Demetrios Dancers perform folk dances in costume. An indoor and outdoor event, the annual St. Demetrios Greek Festival also boasts authentic Greek cuisine created from family recipes including gyros, fried calamari, pork souvlaki, moussaka, spanakopita and stuffed grape leaves. 

There are even a fresh and frozen prepared foods section where you can purchase your favorites to bring home and share. Don’t forget the sweets. Specialty prepared desserts include baklava, melomakarona (honey walnut cookies), semolina pudding and kourabiethes (almond shortbread cookies). Relax in the coffeehouse, enjoy a beer or glass of ouzo at the Taverna or sip wine at one of the riverfront tables.

There’s also the marketplace where you can browse craft and souvenir booths full of Greek-themed gifts and jewelry.

The Festival runs from Thursday, November 12-Sunday, November 17. Check the Festival’s Facebook Page for most up-to-date info.

Admission is free. There is a free shuttle to Saint Demetrios Church from Our Lady of Lourdes (1014 North Halifax Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32118).

Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church

129 North Halifax Avenue, Daytona Beach, FL 32118

 Creative Florida Living

Janet Sells!