- April 14, 2026
Sculptor artist Don McCullough at the 2026 Daytona Beach Arts Festival. Photo by Sierra Williams
Daytona Beach Artist Robert Gott prefers acrylics as a medium. Photo by Sierra Williams
The 2026 Daytona Beach Arts Festival. Photo by Sierra Williams
Violinist Kristie DeLuca and guitarist Phil Weidner, aka performer "Fylo Zoet," perform together at the Daytona Beach Arts Festival. Photo by Sierra Williams
Author Ted Sheppe reads his book, "The Seahorse Mayor," at the BookEnd at the Daytona Beach Arts Festival. Photo by Sierra Williams
Novel Tea business partners Stephanie Gonter and Angel Lowden. Photo by Sierra Williams
Paulo Jimenez, of DeLand, paints a mermaid while people peruse his artwork at the Daytona Beach Arts Festival. Photo by Sierra Williams
Peter Lagi, of Ormond Beach, is a fine art painter who primarily paints landscapes. Photo by Sierra Williams
Rachel Harness was one of several live music performers at the Daytona Beach Arts Festival. Photo by Sierra Williams
Palm Coast artist Sabrina Opferman specializes in mixed-media art. Photo by Sierra Williams
The 2026 Daytona Beach Arts Festival was April 11-12 and featured dozens of independent artists. Photo by Sierra Williams
Artists from all over Florida and the United States set up booths to display their work at the 2026 Daytona Beach Arts Festival. Photo by Sierra Williams
Andrea Golston won the People's Choice award at the 2026 Daytona Beach Arts Festival for her mixed-media resin pieces. Photo by Sierra Williams
Volusia County resident Tara Strong is a local author. Photo by Sierra Williams
Artist Hayden Rodgers, 16, shows off is artwork at the Daytona Beach Arts Festival. Photo by Sierra Williams
Artist Mara de Rojas paints outside her booth at the Daytona Beach Arts Festival. Photo by Sierra Williams
For two days, artists and art appreciators alike took over Beach Street for the fifth annual Daytona Beach Arts Festival.
The Festival showcased dozens of local and national artists — sculptors, painters, performers and more — over the April 11-12 weekend. Among the featured activities and displays was the Book End, a curated literary showcase that brought together local independent authors.
Hosted by Novel Tea Book Shop, the showcase featured booths with local and regional authors, live storytelling, open mic poetry. Novel Tea owner Stephanie Gotner said the Book End featured 17 authors, plus poets and songwriters.
The showcase was very well attended, Gotner said, serving as a way for Novel Tea's nonprofit The Creative Chapter to help highlight local writers.
"It's our desire, and I think our main goal, to not only encourage people to read, but also to support local and to support independent [authors]," she said.
Business partner Angel Lowden said art comes in many forms, including being a writer. The Festival was also a rare opportunity for authors and readers to connect.
"Often people who love to read don't see authors as approachable," Lowden said. "Then when they see them here in person, they realize authors are a real person."
Novel Tea is also gearing up to support Independent Bookstore Day on April 25 with a week-long book crawl. Gotner said they have partnered with seven book stores across Volusia County to encourage people check out their local independent book stores.
Artists of all forms were featured across Beach Street. Painter Peter Lagi has been a professional artist for over 10 years, experimenting with watercolor painting for more than three years.
An Ormond Beach resident, Lagi primarily paints water and beach landscapes. The best part about being an artist, he said, is getting to see people's reaction to his work.
The Festival gave Lagi an opportunity to speak to the locals and meet other artists.
"It's nice to meet other artists and see how they have their setup and do their artwork," Lagi said.
Daytona Beach artist Robert Gott said he's been selling his paintings for a few years. He spends his free time painting whatever comes to his mind.
"I love cartooning, and so I try to incorporate a little bit of that and everything I do, and just trying to make it colorful and fun," he said. "You know, entertaining to look at. Candy for the brain, basically."
Daytona Beach residents Diana and Randy Eder found the Festival on April 12 on accident, having traversed out for a cup of coffee, but stayed to check out the Festival.
Randy Eder said they love the chance to support local artists. They collect art, he said, and are drawn to unique and custom pieces.
An art festival like this wasn't something that was around a few years ago, Diana Eder said.
"The fact that we have this culture available to us so readily is pretty awesome," she said.
For Gott, the Arts Festival has been a great opportunity for people to come out and support their local artists. Volusia and Flagler Counties have a great art scene for artists to show off their artwork.
"I think there's a lot of different opportunities here for artists to really get out there and and show their stuff," Gott said. "There's a little bit for everybody."
