Guests visiting the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall will now be able to make year-round use of the facility’s new outdoor lounge area, thanks to the addition of three propane patio heaters donated by the Friends of the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall (FOPVCH).
The patio heaters were put into action for the first time Jan. 25, when patrons attending a performance by the band The Outlaws had a chance to enjoy drinks in the outdoor lounge area despite evening temperatures that dipped into the 30s. The 925 square-foot nonsmoking concession space — which features couches and full bar service — was added to the concert hall in 2018 thanks to a $50,000 fundraising campaign mounted by the nonprofit Friends group. The three patio heaters — complete with propane canisters and refills — are the latest facility upgrade the group has financed.
“The addition of the outdoor lounge has reduced the crowds and wait times in the concert hall’s indoor concessions area,” FOPVCH President Steve Gard said. “Now, with the addition of the patio heaters, concert hall guests can enjoy the outdoor space all year round.”
In addition to funding the construction of the outdoor lounge and other equipment, the Friends group sponsors special performances throughout the year. Many of those performances, Gard noted, include culturally significant events such as opera, children’s theatre and holiday performances of Handel’s “Messiah” that may not be financially profitable, but are important to the cultural life of the community.
“We’re just a group of local residents who value the caliber and quality of artists the concert hall attracts to our community,” Gard said. “And by sponsoring performances and funding facility upgrades, we can help bring even bigger-name artists to Ponte Vedra.”
Already, Gard said, the concert hall attracts well-known performers. In February alone, the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall will host the Indigo Girls (Feb. 9 — sold out), Tom Rush (Feb. 15), Los Lobos (Feb. 19) and The Zombies (Feb. 20), who on March 29 will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In addition to being able to buy tickets to performances before they go on sale to the general public, members of the Friends of the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall receive free drink tickets, limited edition posters and other benefits. For more information on the Friends, including membership details, visit www.friendspvch.org or email friendsPVCH@gmail.com.
