Daytona Beach International Festival
Held each year in late April or early May, the Daytona Beach International Festival (DBIF) is a 17-day biennial musical event that that draws literally tens of thousands of music lovers to the Daytona area. The festival has been in existence since the mid 1960s and is sponsored by the City of Daytona Beach, Volusia County, the Daytona Beach Racing and Recreational District, and the local Convention and Visitors Bureau as well as a number of donors from the private sector. It has become one of the premiere musical events in Florida and it continues to draw top name entertainers every year.
The mission of the festival is to “enhance demand for diverse, artistically brilliant live music performances in the Daytona Beach, Florida region.” The London Symphony Orchestra plays a large role in the festival and has almost since its beginnings. Information and enrichment programs are also held throughout the duration of the Daytona Beach International Festival in hopes of “enhancing the skills, knowledge, and opportunities of young musical artists, especially those from Florida.”
Though the festival is located in the Daytona area, it is not situated in one particular place but is spread among about 30 different venues located throughout the city, including the Peabody Auditorium, the News-Journal Center, and many smaller venues as well.
Over the years, the festival has grown from a small event that featured the London Symphony Orchestra and mostly classical offerings to something that attracts a more diverse crowd. Now, there are musicians from a wide range of music genres in the festival. Past non-classical artists at DBIF have included country singer Chet Atkins, jazz pianist Dave Brubeck, the Gaelic Storm Ensemble, Manhattan Rhythm Kings, Mountain Heart Bluegrass, comedian Bob Newhart, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Wynton Marsalis, and country singer Trisha Yearwood.
During the last few festivals, attendance has been in the 500,000 range and performances have numbered about 100 with more than 150 artists participating in this extravaganza. The organizers strive to make the entire event as accessible as possible, so tickets to most of the concerts are quite affordable.
The festival organizers, recognizing that much of the music on the program is unfamiliar to many potential guests, have set up an excellent website that allows the general public to view videos and clips of various ensembles or artists, listen to their music, and read blogs about them. This allows these potential ticket buyers to make informed decisions as to which events they’d like to attend.
Tickets for all events can be purchased at the DBIF box
office located at the News-Journal Center on Beach Street or may be
purchased on line and printed at home via an eTix system.
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