09 Apr St Augustine Romanza Festivale of Music & the Arts
Saint Augustine’s ROMANZA Festivale of Music & the Arts showcases the city’s art and music scene each May with over 60 events and exhibits by many different organizations and creative businesses. This year, Romanza Festivale takes place from Friday, May 4 to Sunday, May 13, 2018. Events throughout the historic city include concerts, dance performances, and visual arts exhibits, theater productions, cultural and heritage activities, and culinary events. Many events are free and admission is required for others. Here are just some of the performances with free admission:
- Romanza Festivale Opening Night, Friday, May 4, features a band concert by the Wobbly Toms from 7 – 9 pm at The Gazebo in Plaza de la Constitucion.
- Romanza celebrates Cinco de Mayo at The Gazebo in the Plaza de la Constitucion from 7 – 9 pm May 5, 2018, with two Latin bands from Tampa. Caribeño Tropical plays many kinds of Latin music, from Bachat to Bolero, Latin Jazz and more. Mariachi Garibaldi, an authentic style Mariachi band, performs both original songs and those of familiar Mexican artists. Bring a chair, and don’t forget your dancing shoes.
- Hot Hot Harmony! will cap Romanza’s opening weekend with a performance Sunday, May 6, 2018, at 2:30 pm in Flagler College’s Lewis Auditorium. Well known Florida singing groups Return 2 Zero and Satin Dolls will team to bring you tunes with a lot of fun and attitude.
The free Romanza Chamber Music Series includes noontime concerts from 12:00 – 1:00 pm at the Ancient City Baptist Church, 27 Sevilla Street.
- May 5, 2018: Three Organists in Concert at Memorial Presbyterian Church on Sevilla Street will feature the Church’s classic Aeolian Skinner organ with over 5,000 pipes.
- May 8, 2018: Ali and Gosia will feature their combo of guitar, flute, and vocals in a mix of jazz, big band, and R&B sounds.
- May 9, 2018: Kathy and Friends will feature a piano four hands, French Horn, and vocal recital of works by Handel, Bizet, and Moszkowski.
- May 10, 2018: The Lawson Ensemble and Oboe will combine the trio of violin, viola and cello with oboe in a performance of chamber music.
- May 11, 2018: St. Johns Center for the Arts Chamber Chorus will perform accompanied and acapella vocal arrangements.
- May 12, 2018: The North Florida Women’s Chorale will present their spring concert, Songs of the Season, accompanied by classical guitar.
A Little Night Music is a free evening concert series at The Colonial Quarter, 37 Street George Street.
- May 7, 2018, from 7–8:30 pm: Chillula, a four piece dance/r&b/funk band performs.
- May 8, 2018, from 7–8:30 pm: Ghost Tropic brings together vocalist Jae Bass with an ensemble of guitar, violin and bass.
- May 9, 2018, from 7–8:30 pm: Sam Pacetti, talented fingerstyle guitarist and songwriter, performs.
- May 10, 2018, from 6:30-7:00 pm: Matanzas Tap senior citizen dance troupe performs.
- May 10, 2018, from 7- 8:30 pm: Bret Blackshear’s guitar performance is influenced by blues, jazz, soul, and folk.
- A Little Night Music concludes May 11, 2018 from 7- 9 pm at The Gazebo, Plaza de la Constitucion, with a performance by Mama Blue, the Sultry Sister of Soul, with her band and backup singers.
The Romanza Festivale website has detailed information about all the different events, performers, partners, and more. The Festivale calendar has drop down menus arranged by both type of performance and date for convenience. In addition to the Cinco de Mayo and Hot Hot Harmony! concerts, the third headliner is The Kaleidoscope of Dance, a Regional Talent Showcase on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 at 7:30 pm in Flagler College’s Lewis Auditorium. Tickets are $15 per person.
The Gamble Rogers Music Festival, “The Heritage Music Festivale of St. Augustine”, is a Romanza Festivale Partner to the opening weekend of May 4-6, 2016, with four stages featuring local musicians, regional acts and national music groups.
Casa de Solana’s location in historic area makes it the perfect accommodation for St. Augustine’s many festivals, including Romanza Festivale. Guests can stroll to The Plaza de la Constitucion in three minutes, Flagler College in five, and venues for A Little Night Music and Chamber Music Series are only a 10 minute walk away. The Festivale draws fans from near and far, so don’t wait to go online or give us a call to reserve your stay in May!