Art and music abound: Ormond's First Saturday Art Walk joined by Music+Arts Expo

The event offered a plethora of gallery experiences, capped by The Locals Mix original music competition at the Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens on Aug. 2.

  • By Michele Meyers
  • | 11:00 a.m. August 7, 2025
  • Ormond Beach Observer
  • Neighbors
  • Share

Art enthusiasts, music connoisseurs and explorers ventured out to enjoy Ormond Beach’s Art Walk event on Aug. 2. Always held on the first Saturday of the month from 3-7 p.m., family and friends either strolled from gallery-to-gallery in the city’s historic arts district or grabbed a free shuttle driven by longtime resident Mike Fanning.

Art appreciation, music enlightenment and the fun continued at the Ormond Memorial Arts Museum and Gardens where the pop-up exhibition included works by the U.S. Coast Guard and a Music and Arts Expo presented by The Locals Mix until 9 p.m.

Fanning said he has been shuttling for the art walk for about seven years. His involvement began when he met Julia Truilo, who was Ormond Beach MainStreet’s executive director at the time. She was starting a farmers’ market and was looking for someone to setup and work on Thursday mornings. He just happened to have the only qualification required — willingness to wake up at four in the morning.

“I thought, well, I’m working for myself — I don’t have anything to do other than my store, so I took Thursdays off to do the farmers’ market,” he said. “Then while everyone else was buying sports cars, I bought a 15 passenger van for my midlife crisis. Julia found out and asked if I wanted to shuttle.”

The shuttle service gives attendees quick access to the galleries and businesses involved with the art walk — Art Spotlight, Fern & Fable Books, Frame of Mind - Gold Leaf Coffee Co., Nauti Pets, Novel Tea Book Shop, Neighborhood Scoop, Ocean Art Gallery, Ormond Memorial Art Museum & Gardens, The Casements, The Pocket Jeweler and The Studio by Artist Angel Lowden. Availability to a shuttle service that passes the galleries on a continuous loop is important for Angel Lowden, who owns The Studio and is co-owner of the Novel Tea Book Shop with Stephanie Gonter, which share a space located off the main corridor on Tomoka Ave. 

As a community-based organization, The Locals Mix is dedicated to supporting and showcasing local creatives. There are many ways for community members to get involved whether by becoming a member, volunteering or participating as musicians, artists or vendors. We also welcome sponsors or supporters who share our mission of nurturing creativity in our community." — DANNA ALENCAR, founder of The Locals Mix

Lowden opened her studio in 2022. The following year, Gonter brought the Novel Tea Book Shop in as a pop-up during the August art walk. The two discussed a trial run of three months. 

Gonter said she never left. They are currently 50-50 partners in the book shop and run local nonprofit Creative Chapter together. The organization gives them a platform on which they focus on education and advocacy for the arts and literature in the community. They recently opened a cafe in the book shop, where 50% of all proceeds go toward their nonprofit.

“We make great partners because we focus on different things from each other which makes it harmonious,” Lowden said.

Currently, their top selling photographer is local artist Kyra Lieberman. Her sister Reese Lieberman sells her poetry books in the shop.

“We give the opportunity for photographers and young, up-and-coming creatives to be able to showcase their work or put their creations in here to see how it goes,” Lowden said.

First-time art walkers, Joan Reilly and Alice Lopez traveled from Aventura in Miami-Dade County to Ormond Beach for a vacation. Reilly said they had not anticipated that the event would be as good as it was. Lopez said the artists were very inclusive and welcoming, making them feel like family.

“Enjoyed the artwork immensely because a lot of times you go to art shows and they’re so off-putting,” Lopez said. “Everyone here is so friendly. They’ll tell you their motivation or they’ll tell you what inspires or will tell you where the medium came from so you have a history with with what you’re seeing and watching.”

Last month, Art Spotlight co-founder and artist Teri Althouse said they had 419 people come though the gallery in four hours.  They usually average 300 people.

“The Ormond Art Walk gives us exposure,” Althouse said. “We have 27 local artists here in the back of the gallery but in the front of the gallery every month we do an open call show. So we can have 50-60 artists. This is an opportunity for people to come and see 50 or 60 completely different styles of work. It’s been incredible.”

Art Spotlight visitors were given a chance to select their favorite work of art as they perused the gallery. The People’s Choice Award went to Lottie Albright for her submission of an image of a Ponce Inlet dune to the open call Black & White Photography Show, which runs through Aug. 30.

Art created by members of the U.S. Coast Guard were part of a pop-up exhibition at the Ormond Memorial Art Museum and Gardens. The exhibition is part of the Coast Guard Art Program, which uses fine art as an outreach tool for educating diverse audiences about the Coast Guard, according to the OMAM website. The museum also sponsored the Music and Arts Expo presented by The Locals Mix.

Danna Alencar founded The Locals Mix in 2020 and is celebrating the fourth year of the Music and Arts Expo’s inception which features an original music competition. Videos of the musicians’ performances are posted on The Locals Mix YouTube channel where people from around the world can vote for their favorite performer.

Aug. 2 was the second Music and Arts Expo out of four — the next one being the final on Oct. 4 and the awards show on Dec. 6. Alencar said every expo is a celebration of local talent, artisans and vendors. This year, Annye Docherty demonstrated live painting throughout the event as Fun Coast Bartending served up specialty cocktails and snacks. Patrons could also grab a bite at the Wabi Sabi food truck and browse specialty vendors — Sirens Touch-Handmade Treasures, Squeaky Clucks Artisan Soaps Co., Chick by the Sea, UL Creations, Friday Bodycare and Anastasia’s Permanent Jewelry.

Round two performers included Robby Shambles, Chris Kennedy, Ian Kelley, SnakPak, Wispi and Another Day in Paradise.

“As a community-based organization, The Locals Mix is dedicated to supporting and showcasing local creatives,” Alencar said. “There are many ways for community members to get involved whether by becoming a member, volunteering or participating as musicians, artists or vendors. We also welcome sponsors or supporters who share our mission of nurturing creativity in our community.”

 

Latest News

  • December 4, 2025
Bond discussion leads Volusia County Council to seek information on Volusia Forever acquisition list, funding process
  • December 4, 2025
Flagler County detective arrested in Ormond Beach, police say he fled from traffic stop
  • December 4, 2025
Beach bone-anza: Volusia County celebrates new dog beach in Daytona
  • December 4, 2025
Matanzas High School's Remy Battles wins Leaders 4 Life Fellowship
×

Your free article limit has been reached this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited digital access to our award-winning local news.