Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation Draws Record Crowd For 2023 Concerts In The Village

Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation (MKAF) kicked off its highly-anticipated 2023 Concerts in the Village on Thursday, April 20 with Post Modern Jukebox. The first of 10 concerts drew record-breaking attendance with nearly 3,000 music lovers flocking to the Dugas Pavilion in the tree-lined Cultural Arts Village in Destin.

“The kickoff to the 28th annual MKAF Concerts in the Village was a stellar success with an incredible range of patrons who showed up in full force to support the organization. Proceeds from the concert series assist in providing funding for all of the important ArtsReach initiatives MKAF presents throughout our community,” says MKAF Chief Artistic & Executive Officer Demetrius Fuller.

The audience was a mix of MKAF members, local families and friends, and area business leaders using VIP tables to network with clients and incentivize employees as well as individuals simply relaxing in beach chair and on blankets — all coming together for an al fresco concert. 

Post Modern Jukebox is a popular musical collective that specializes in creating vintage-style covers of modern pop songs delivered with high energy and engaging performances. Throughout their 90-minute set, Post Modern Jukebox had concertgoers of all ages up on their feet dancing and singing to a range of popular hits. From their opening rendition of Michael Jackson’s Thriller to Huey Lewis & The News’ Power of Love to George Michael’s ballad Careless Whisper and Meghan Trainor’s catchy All About That Bass, Post Modern Jukebox captivated the crowd and delivered a powerhouse performance.

The area’s first live concert series is held each spring on Thursday evenings at the MKAF Dugas Pavilion in Destin. This year’s 28th annual family-friendly series will continue each week as follows: Roman Street Party Band (April 27), Ozomatli (May 4), Luck Chops (May 11), Yacht Rock Revue (May 18), Sinfonia Gulf Coast feat. Morgan James (May 25), Gotta Groove Band (June 1), Adam Ezra Group (June 8), Journeyman: A Tribute to Eric Clapton (June 15), and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (June 22).

Part of the draw for this event is the great food on site. Artisanal charcuterie boards by the Board Chef can be pre-ordered (orders are due Tuesdays by 5 p.m.) and each week a rotation of local food trucks offer savory and sweet fare for purchase. 

Tickets to the concerts range from $20 to $35 per person. Proceeds will fund the MKAF’s community outreach mission to provide cultural outreach programs serving K-12 students, adults and children with special needs, at-risk youth, and active/veteran military suffering from visible and invisible injuries in our community.

MKAF members enjoy early entry and free admission to every concert as well as discounted pricing to other MKAF events. For more information on MKAF membership, visit MKAF.org.

Purchase tickets online at MKAF.org/events. For more information, call (850) 650-2226.

Concert lineup is subject to change. All sales are final; sorry, no refunds. Pets, tables larger than two feet, and drones are not permitted. Children 17 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.