Crescendo! 2026 Kick Off

Disclaimer: We are promoting this event on behalf of a local chamber member. This event is not managed or sponsored by the Destin Chamber.



Sinfonia Gulf Coast, the vanguard of our region's performing arts scene, reveals the lineup for its highly-anticipated three-day annual fundraiser, Crescendo!: A Cultural & Culinary Extravaganza. 

A creative fusion of culture, cuisine and community giving, this exceptional event promises to be the pinnacle of the 2026 Northwest Florida social season. Mark your calendars for Crescendo! 2026 set for January 23, February 27 and March 1, 2026.

Festivities begin on Friday, Jan. 23 at 11 a.m., with a Crescendo! Kick Off Lunch in the Juniper Ballroom at Hotel Effie in Miramar Beach. Launch the 2025 social season in style at Bubbles, Bourbon + More. Patrons will enjoy an elegant afternoon of high tea vibes, lunch with bubbles, wine, and bourbon craft cocktails, with a live DJ, and a curated fashion experience courtesy of the timeless boldness of Balmain. Attendees will enjoy an elevated shopping experience during the event in the exclusive Balmain Lounge, which will be a focal point of the afternoon. 

Tickets are $175 per person and include lunch, wine and gratuities. Guests are encouraged to purchase early for this sell-out event. 

On Friday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m., Crescendo! weekend will begin with a series of carefully curated Vintner Dinners hosted in elegant homes and venues throughout the Emerald Coast, which pair the talents of local, regional and national “celebrity” chefs with some of the country’s most acclaimed vineyards for a delicious evening of food and wine. Participating wineries include Opus One Winery, Promontory, Groth Estates, AXR, Reynold’s Family Winery, The Lerner Project, Oakville Ranch, Tournesol, Mondavi Sisters Wine, and others. Culinary maestros have included top chefs from the Gulf Coast region and beyond such as Jack McGuckin of Bijoux Restaurant + Spirits, Jude Tauzin, Executive Chef of Tony Cachere, Dan Vargo, Chef/Owner of Fine Coastal Cuisine and Fleetwood Covington of Seagar's Prime Steaks & Seafood with the full culinary lineup announced soon. Vintner Dinner tickets are $500 per person and include all food, wine and gratuities.

This year’s Crescendo! Main Event is set for Sunday, March 1 at 3 p.m. in the Magnolia Ballroom at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Miramar Beach. This energy-infused event extravaganza experience celebrates the culinary and cultural arts with world-class vintners, expert spirit purveyors, incredible auction items, and a not-to-be-missed live performance.

This year’s special guest is internationally renowned and iconic big band Pink Martini, the “little orchestra” that’s wowed audiences around the globe with a dazzling blend of jazz, classical, and old-school pop sung in more than 25 languages. Founded by pianist Thomas Lauderdale, Pink Martini is known for its playful, cosmopolitan style and vibrant, genre-bending performances. As part of Sinfonia’s 20th anniversary celebration, Pink Martini will be accompanied by the full Sinfonia Gulf Coast orchestra. This marks the first time the orchestra has performed at Crescendo! 

Guests will enjoy reserved table seating, hors d’oeuvres, an elegant, seated late lunch, and an all-inclusive afternoon of music, wine, food, and fabulous fun — all in support of Sinfonia Gulf Coast’s music education and community engagement initiatives throughout Northwest Florida. Tickets $225 per person (includes reception, lunch, gratuity, wine and live entertainment/performances). Tables seating 10 are available for reservation.

“Crescendo! is unlike any other annual event we produce. We call it an event extravaganza because we’re intentional in how we bring people together to raise funds and awareness for our music education and community engagement outreach programs throughout Northwest Florida,” says Sinfonia Music & Artistic Director Demetrius Fuller.

Reserve tickets online at SinfoniaGulfCoast.org or call the box office at (850) 460-8800. 

Proceeds from Crescendo! will benefit Sinfonia and its music education and community engagement outreach programs, which include musicians/guest artists in schools, free orchestra concerts, bus transportation for students, Sinfonia Youth Orchestra program, ensembles-in-residence partnerships with Florida State University, Link Up concerts for third through fifth graders in partnership with Carnegie Hall, Paint the Music initiative (in partnership with Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation), Arts in Medicine initiative with Sacred Heart Hospital and more.

Crescendo! is made possible by the generous support of the following presenting sponsors: JP Boswell Consulting, Silver Sands Premium Outlets, Marisol Gullo Interiors, RJ Hinojosa & Associates and Sandestin Investments.

For sponsorship inquiries, contact Klara Mikolai at kmikolai@sinfoniagulfcoast.org.

Are you a “treble” maker? If so, Sinfonia Gulf Coast invites you to join this honorary committee. For a $650 contribution, Treble Makers will receive one ticket to the Crescendo! Kick Off Lunch and Main Event, recognition in the event program, a reserved seat at the closed-to-the-public student Link Up performances on March 11, 2026, at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center, invitations to private events, a special Treble Maker gift, and more.

For more information on how you can join Sinfonia’s team of volunteers, contact Beth Clavier at (850) 460-8800 and bclavier@sinfoniagulfcoast.org.

Tickets for Crescendo! 2026 are now on sale. For more information or to purchase tickets for Sinfonia Gulf Coast’s Crescendo! events, visit www.sinfoniagulfcoast.org or call (850) 460-8800.