What to Expect

The easiest way to purchase tickets is online! Browse our concerts, choose programs that appeal to you, and order through our online system. If you have any questions or prefer to speak with our friendly Patron Services representative, please give us a call at 850.435.2533, or stop by our Pensacola Symphony office at 205 East Zaragoza Street.

Don’t fret! We keep records of ticket purchases, so just give us a call at the Symphony Office at 850.435.2533, and we will arrange for your admission to the concert. If you don’t realize that your ticket is missing until the evening of the event, just come to the Saenger with your ID, and we can help you at the Box Office.

Wear what makes you comfortable! It’s a great excuse to dress up for an evening on the town, or you can take a cue from our Florida locale and dress more casually.

You’ll probably want to arrive about 45 minutes early if you have your tickets in hand or 1 hour early if you need to pick up your tickets from will call. This leaves plenty of time to go through the security screening, enjoy concessions, find your seat and look through the program book.

Life happens, but we still want you to be able to enjoy the concert! Our ushers will seat you as quickly as possible during a break in the program. Typically this happens between movements or at the conclusion of the first piece.

In an effort to enhance security for all patrons, the Saenger Theatre does prohibit certain items in the theatre. These items include the following:

• Large bags, backpacks, waist packs (size limit 13 5/8” X 15 ¼”)
• Plastic bottles, cans, glass items
• Signs
• Projectiles
• Threatening jewelry or chains
• Weapons of any kind
• Laser pointers
• Illegal drugs or substances
• Balloons
• Parcels or packages or any items where the contents are not displayed
• Selfie sticks/poles
• Outside food or beverage
• Items challenging public safety
• Umbrellas

All patrons and bags are subject to a security search at the Saenger Theatre, and you might be asked to participate in one or all of the following: walk-through metal detectors, hand-held wand detectors, bag checks and pat downs. Similar to procedures used at the airport, all guests will walk through a security screening area prior to gaining access to most shows at the Saenger Theatre. For more information about the Saenger’s security policy, please visit their website.

Our concerts are typically two hours with a 20-minute intermission.

You can clap when you feel moved to do so, but it is customary to applaud when the concertmaster (first violin) and conductor walk on stage, and at the end of a piece after all movements are finished. Still not sure when to clap? It’s easy to join in when you hear others start to applaud!

Absolutely! Generally speaking, though, live symphony orchestra performances do take a certain level of concentration, so we recommend that you wait until children are 7 years old or older to attend.

Our Music for Families concert is another wonderful opportunity for children to experience the excitement of a live performance. Both entertaining and educational, this event features a one-hour concert and numerous pre-concert activities specifically programmed for children of all ages.

Sure! The best time to take pictures is prior to the concert, during intermission or afterward, since we will ask you to turn off your phone and cameras during the performance.

The great thing about concerts is that you can enjoy your experience whether you are familiar with the music or not. If you are interested in learning more, you can visit the concert pages on our website, read the notes in the season program or attend a pre-concert discussion. Scheduled pre-concert discussions will be listed on the concert pages of this website.