There’s nothing quite like sun, sand, surf, and a little live music to energize your summer — and for more than 20 years, Music and Art by the Sea has been delivering all of that in abundance. Having rebranded in 2019 with a little help from the Art Studio Group, the beloved St. Augustine Beach concert series now exhibits the work of talented local artists alongside the music of regional favorites. And when you’re not tapping your toes to the tunes or perusing the artistic showcase, you can dine on dishes from a featured food truck (courtesy of the nearby Village Garden Food Truck Park).
Headed up by the folks at the St. Augustine Beach Civic Association — a volunteer group composed of active community members like President Bill Jones, Executive Vice President Bob Samuels, Treasurer Frank Ward, Secretary Hester Longstreet, and Director Rich Galik — Music and Art by the Sea has been going strong since its inception. “[This was] the vision of Robert and Andrea Samuels,” says Bill, a St. Augustine Beach resident and owner of ProShow DJ Service. “Our first event was a three-piece band and a guy cooking hotdogs on a Coleman camping stove in the corner of the pavilion. Over time, the concert series grew and became a weekly event.”
Now drawing hundreds of concertgoers at each performance, Music and Art by the Sea offers musicians (and now artists too!) a welcoming stage and an enthusiastic hometown audience. The 2023 concerts kicked off in May and will run every Wednesday through the end of September, with no concerts taking place during the month of July. Pavilion seating opens at 4pm, and concerts begin at 7pm.
