One of the most popular events on the Port Orange fall calendar has been canceled this year.
The community-favorite Family Days will take a one-year break, according to the Port Orange Community Trust — the organization behind the event.
The decision came after a booking error, officials said, and “careful consideration by the board of directors as the organization addresses logistical challenges and venue constraints while preserving the long-term quality, safety and success of one of Volusia County’s most cherished traditions,” according to a July 15 press release from the POCT.
Family Days has regularly taken place at City Center over the past three decades, bringing carnival rides, live entertainment, parades and food vendors for tens of thousands of guests in October.
Why is Port Orange’s Family Days canceled in 2026?
In a call with The News-Journal July 15, Terry Fedea, president of the Port Orange Community Trust, said a booking mistake for the carnival rides is the main issue behind this year’s cancellation.
The POCT was planning Family Days 2026 for Oct. 8-11, but “about three to four weeks ago, we were informed that the carnival had put down the wrong date in their calendar,” Fedea said.
That, he explained, would then require the city to hold off on the start of its own project at City Center until after Family Days, something Fedea was told “was not feasible.”
“For that reason, we have no logistical place where we could have the Family Days event, which includes almost 200 vendors, a full carnival and concert operation … . It has to be (at City Center),” Fedea said.
In the press release, Fedea said that the decision “was not made lightly.”
“Family Days has been a cornerstone of our organization and our community for generations,” Fedea said. “While we’re disappointed that we won’t gather in 2026, this pause allows us to strengthen the event and ensure that when Family Days returns, it returns stronger than ever.”
POCT planning Family Days 2027 return with ‘renewed focus’
Family Days is the organization’s main fundraiser. Since 1995, the POCT “has invested more than $1.5 million into charitable programs, nonprofit partnerships, scholarships, food pantry assistance” and other local causes.
According to Fedea, the organization will remain committed to those efforts during Family Days’ year-long hiatus, while also “planning for the return of Family Days in fall 2027 with a renewed focus on long-term sustainability and an exceptional community experience.”
The POCT will still participate in the Christmas Parade, the city’s Trunk or Treat program, and other holiday initiatives as well.
“While Family Days will pause for one year, our commitment to serving Volusia County remains stronger than ever, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2027,” Fedea said.
— Brenno Carillo is a local government reporter covering Flagler County, including Palm Coast and Flagler Beach, for The Daytona Beach News-Journal.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Port Orange Family Days 2026 canceled. Organizers plan 2027 return
Reporting by Brenno Carillo, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
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By Brenno Carillo, Daytona Beach News-Journal | USA TODAY Network
