February Centennial
February is known as the month of love and as our town turns 100 there is plenty of love to go around. This month you can find the perfect gift for that special someone in your life. Perhaps my favorite reason to love February is the gorgeous weather our area offers. We can stroll at a leisurely pace with no risk of breaking a sweat, dine al fresco and now with the Centennial here participate in several fun events both indoor and out. Here are the offerings available thus far:
Get your Vero Beach Coloring Books hot off the press! Award-winning graphic designer, writer and editor, Sara Day, inspired by the beauty and unique qualities of Vero Beach has created a “Coloring Keepsake” of her home for the past twelve years. With 56 total pages, seventy-seven renderings offering small historical blurbs are featured including historic buildings, parks and more are featured in an easy-to-color format. Twenty-seven sites are illustrated by Day and labeled with brief historic content. A perfect gift or memento for kids or adults, the book may be purchased for just $7 at the Vero Beach City Hall or by calling Tammy Bursick at 772-978-4700.
With such talent from the students of Indian River County displayed during the poster contest, a comprehensive poster featuring all the winning works of art has been created as a keepsake. A special thanks to Dawn Mill for the vision, the Vero Beach Art Club for donating the: panels, ribbons, hanging and judges and the participation of 13 schools all sponsored by New Vision Eye Center, the projects resulted in a wonderful education for the children about the community. The subject of the art was Vero Beach City landmarks. Each school was allowed 3 entries and the selection of the entries was made by the school. This poster is available for purchase at ABC Printing located at 1547 20th St in Vero or at City Hall for just $10.
Award winners included: (K-5)-1st Shelby Muir (Glendale 5th grade); 2nd Brooke Austin (Rosewood 5 grade); 3rd Heather Wooten (Liberty 5 grade)
(6-12 grades): 1st Morgan Moss (St. Eds 9th grade);2nd Molly Phillips (IRCHS 12th grade); 3rd Matthew Rhodeman (FLC 9th grade).
February 1st, 2019– Wednesday February 27, 2019
Experience Vero Beach over the past 100 years through paintings and photography inside the Emerson Center Foyer Gallery in their Centennial “All around the Town” exhibit. The Emerson Center is conveniently located on the campus of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Vero Beach, on the SE corner of 16th Street and 27th Avenue in Vero Beach. A reception with the artists will be held on Sunday, February 17 from 1-3 p.m. For more info-dawnorre@gmail.com
Saturday and Sunday February 2-3rd (9am-5pm Saturday/9am-4pm Sunday)
Pick up your collector edition Centennial ornament at this year’s annual GardenFest. Bring your wagon and notepad because exhibitors from all over the state and south will be onsite selling numerous plants and accessories related to gardening and your yard. Visit with wonderful community partners, learn about their businesses and enjoy a lunch in their outdoor food court. Also, be sure to check out the lineup for Ask the Experts with topics ranging from what plants are toxic to animals to how to properly prune. For more info visit www.gardenclubofirc.org.
Sat., February 2, 2019 9 am, to 10:30 p.m.
Come experience the Centennial Downtown Dapper Daze hosted in historic Downtown Vero Beach; dress up in 1940-50’s garb and join in the festivities which will include: Main Street’s Vintage Market, Classic Car show, the Majestic Theater’s Outdoor movie night showing of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, the Dapper Doll & Dapper Day Pin Up pageant, a special indoor Dapper POP Up Boutique with vendors from all across Florida, Ice Cream Social, Dapper Dash Hunt down Main Street, Photo opportunities swing dance lesson followed by a night of dancing to the amazing Beau & The Burners Rockabilly Band and more sponsored by The Parisian Hostess Tamara Darress
Thursday, Feb 7 through Saturday, February 9 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Be inspired by the talents of the Sunbonnet Sue Quilters club at their Show named “Treasures of the Treasure Coast” and see first- hand the priceless king-sized quilt, named – “A Day at the Beach in Vero “Centennial Quilt.” Come just one day for $10 or visit on all three days for $15 to see 26 vendors, the judged quilt exhibit, participate in the various raffles/door prizes plus free parking.
Saturday, February 9, 2019 – Sunday, May 5, 2019
Pick up your Centennial Tote Bag inside the Vero Beach Museum of Art gift shop and while there check out their latest show –Victorian Radicals: From the Pre-Raphaelites to the Arts & Crafts Movement:
In the second half of the 19th century, three generations of young and rebellious artists and designers revolutionizes the visual arts in Britain, engaging with and challenging the new industrial word around them. The Pre Raphaelites-Brotherhood, William Morris and his associates, and the champions of the Arts and Crafts Movement offered a radical artistic and social vision that found inspiration in the pre-industrial past and came to decisively influence visual culture in Britain and beyond. Drawn from the outstanding collection of the city of Birmingham, United Kingdom, Victorian Radicals will bring together paintings, works on paper, and decorative arts – many never shown outside of the UK – to illuminate this dynamic period of British art.
Saturday, February 16, 2019 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Valentine Seminar – Indian River Genealogical Society.
Want to know what your DNA means? Be a part of this annual all-day educational genealogy seminar held at the First Presbyterian Church in Vero Beach, open to the public. Two dynamic speakers, Diahan Southard and Lisa Alzo, will be featured. They will be presenting “Your Slice of the DNA Pie” and “Next Steps for Your DNA Results” by Diahan Southard and “Immigrant Cluster Communities, Past, Present & Future” and “Ten Ways to Jumpstart Your Genealogy” by Lisa Alzo. Pre-registration is required and there is a fee to attend. Registration forms may be found on the Indian River Genealogical Society website, www.irgs.org.
Saturday, February 23, 2019 6p.m.-11 p.m.
Dance the night away and bid on one-of-a-kind items at the Saint Helen Catholic Church Centennial Grand Gala. This benefit event will be held at Bent Pine Golf Club featuring a delicious dinner with ticket prices appropriately at $100 each. Kicking off at 6pm, proceeds will benefit Saint Helen Catholic Church. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 772-567-5457
Saturday, February 23, 2019 10:00am – 2:00pm
Experience a family-friendly, free informational event inside the Indian River Mall at the Centennial Pre-K Party & Kindergarten Round-up. Connect and visit with hundreds of families and nearly 50 organizations (preschools, elementary schools, health, government, and nonprofits) who all come together for a day of fun and learning! Children can register for kindergarten, VPK Certificates of Eligibility, summer programs, and much more including free dental and vision screenings. For more info: Shannon Maitland – 772-617-4350
Since our Centennial lasts through October, be sure to visit VeroBeach100.org to check out the calendar and plan accordingly. A special thank you to St. Helen Catholic School for being the sponsor for the month and to FPL for being our presenting sponsor for our entire year long celebration. Tammy Bursick and Councilman Tony Young are wonderful chairs and are dedicated to making the year’s events a success, their ongoing dedication is unwavering and greatly appreciated by all the volunteers in this committee. Tune into my show, The Vero Insider at 5pm on 107.9fm every Wednesday for in-depth interviews featuring numerous Centennial events and more. Much love Vero Beach!
Where to go, What to try
& How to give back.