Photos for Headline Surfer / The NSB Sand Art Festival and Seaside Fiesta are just two of the myriad New Smyrna beachweeks activities that have proven successful as a tourism interest.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- Whether it's local sculptor Rich Varano's beautiful sand castle, teens riding the surf or huge crowds jamming Flagler Avenue for a fiesta, the inaugural New Smyrna beachweeks has proven to be a monumental success.
Headline Surfer photo by Henry Frederick / At right is a scene from Fishstock, the firrst of the New Smyrna beachweeks events.
All that's needed to complete the tourism-driven event is fireworks and those are coming July 4th, in Edgewater, and for the first time in a longtime, New Smyrna Beach.
And nobody's happier than Palmer Wilson, chairman of the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority, who has been psyched since the first of 10 events in the May 23-July 4 extravaganza with Fishstock.
"This is great for our community," Wilson told Headline Surfer. "I'm more than pleased with the efforts put forth by the many volunteers and the staff at the visitor's center."
"This is great for our community," Wilson told Headline Surfer. "I'm more than pleased with the efforts put forth by the many volunteers and the staff at the visitor's center."
The SVAA, based at the New Smyrna Beach Visitor's Center on State Road 44, is one of three such entities in Volusia County that promotes tourism through bed taxes from overnight hotel and accommodator stays.
The largest is the Halifax Area Advertising Authority in Daytona Beach directed by Jeffrey Hentz, and the smallest, the West Volusia Advertising Authority in DeLand, is directed by Renee Tallerast.
She is actually splitting her time between her regular duties in DeLand and serving as the interim director here. She was tabbed to fill in when Tim Hamby resigned last month to take a job closer to his Jacksonville-area home. Hamby was the architect of the inaugural New Smyrna beachweeks.
Photo for Headline Surfer / Surfari Competition & NSB Paddle Battle (SUP) held June 22-23, on the beach here in Smyrna Beach was among the New Smyrna beachweeks events.
From sand sculpturing, to fishing, surfing and just plain browsing the quaint shops on the beachside, New Smyrna beachweeks has proven to be the kind of family event that Wilson and others say they'd like to see more of as opposed to the nighttime block parties that cater to the local adult partying crowd.
"We've had a tremendous turnout of families in the Central Florida area and beyond and that's what we want," Wilson said.
For more information about all events including dates/times, visit www.beachweeks.com or contact the Southeast Volusia Advertising Authority at 386-428-1600.
You can also visit the SVAA's Visitor's Center during normal business hours. The address is 2238 State Road 44, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168.
Did You Know?
Renowned coastal expert, Professor Stephen Leatherman of Florida International University (aka, "Dr. Beach"), designated New Smyrna Beach one of "Florida's Top 10 Beach Towns" for USA Today. Dr. Beach's rankings are based upon 50 criteria points such as water quality, sand quality, safety, public access and more.
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- It was bound to happen sooner or later that New Smyrna Beach would make "Dr. Beach's" listing as one of his "Top 10 beach towns in Florida."