The August sun is waning on the horizon in Daytona Beach. Soon, all youngsters will be lined up at bus stops and carpool lanes, laden with books and pencils and ready to begin the school year with renewed vigour. For the more aged folk residing in this nook of Florida coastline, this time of year harkens the prospect of cooler days and brisk nights.

In this week’s blog, we will be taking an insider look into some of the activities Daytona has to offer this time of year. Whether you’re staying for the long haul or simply lingering to avoid the northern chill, Daytona Speedway is here to help fill your days with leisure and intrigue. We have cajoled our surreptitious locals out of their dens and coaxed information from them with margaritas and Houligan’s wings; their insider knowledge has proven tremendously beneficial.

The Anderson Price Memorial Building is a historic event venue in Daytona Beach and the place to be on August 24th when the Daytona Historical Society kicks off their “So Long Summer” festival. Though the festivities start at the Price Memorial Building, attendees will receive a “passport” which gives them access to a wide array of local restaurants and bars where they can try delicious food and drinks. You can purchase tickets day-of, but our experts recommend advance ticket sales to ensure you reserve a spot and save a few bucks in the process. There are limited spots available, so don’t miss this fantastic summer send-off!

Follow this link for online ticketing information.

Is there anything more American than free concerts and controlled sky explosions for our viewing pleasure? The answer is no, and that’s why you should get excited about the Daytona Bandshell’s summer concert series that continues to run through late August and September. ALL of these weekly concerts are completely free to attend, just bring a drink and grab a bite at one of the restaurants located within a stone’s throw from the concert hall. Below is a scheduled list of all the upcoming concerts. For more information, a link is also provided below.

Concerts that are followed by fireworks are noted with an asterisk.

• Friday, August 23, 2019: Fire & Ice and Love Alive, Pat Benatar and Heart tributes
• Saturday, August 24, 2019: Turnstiles, Billy Joel tribute*
• Friday, August 30, 2019: KC & The 70s Flashback Party, KC & The Sunshine Band tribute
• Saturday, August 31, 2019: US Stones, Rolling Stones tribute*
• Sunday, September 1, 2019: Back in Time, Huey Lewis and 80s show
• Monday, September 2, 2019: 1 p.m. NY Rockabilly Rockets and Peace of Woodstock – a Tribute to the ’60s
• Friday, September 6, 2019: Best of British Rock, Judas Priest tribute
• Saturday, September 7, 2019: Highway to Hell, ACDC tribute*
• Friday, September 13, 2019: Battery, Metallica tribute
• Saturday, September 14, 2019: Fleetwood Max, Fleetwood Mac tribute*
• Friday, September 20, 2019: Wildflowers, Tom Petty tribute
• Saturday, September 21, 2019: In the Light of Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin tribute*
• Friday, September 27, 2019: Jaded, Aerosmith tribute
• Saturday, September 28, 2019: Wall of Echoes, Pink Floyd tribute

Link for more info, including VIP ticket purchase.

(*Psssst* VIP tickets are only 10 bucks. Go for it).

What is cooler than pirates? Maybe ninjas, but that is a heated debate that I’d prefer not to indulge in at this time. For now, Daytona is honoring the awesomeness of pirates and their tropical drink of choice: rum! The Island Rum Festival is an event that honors pirate traditions with a plethora of food and drink options that caters to the entire family. There is a tantalizing lineup of local cuisine, rum drinks, dancing, and fireworks to end the festivities. Also, you know it’s a party when the event is hosted by a personal injury attorney; if you plan on bringing mateys that over-indulge on the good stuff, you might want to have Politis and Matovina on speed dial…

The event kicks off on August 31st on Main Street in Daytona. For more information visit Main Street Daytona. Com. The event is completely FREE for everyone: except the Royal British Navy because they are party poopers and always ruin pirate parties.

That’s it for this week’s blog post. Check back soon for more updates as we inch closer to fall. To view previous blog posts, or to drop me a line about what you’d like to read about next, visit the Speedway Facebook page . You can utilize this growing community of Daytona Speedway fans to connect with other campers, check-in, and see what we’ve been up to. Thank you for reading and, as always, safe travels in the Sunshine State!

Written by Austyn O’Dwyer