January Centennial Festivities
Happy New Year Vero Beach! 2019 is here and the Centennial’s celebrations are ramping up as we enjoy cooler weather and the opportunity to cease a fresh start. Hope you will consider joining the Centennial Crew under the direction of Co-Chairs City Clerk Tammy Bursick and Councilman Tony Young at as many of these wonderful events as possible that represent the city’s history including the creation of a historical exhibit, trolley tours, art from our local youth and lively productions. With so much to choose from there is bound to be something that will help jumpstart your new year into the Centennial swing.
Starting in January submit your favorite Centennial photos! To commemorate Vero’s centennial and celebrate 35 years of vision within the community, Florida Eye Institute has unveiled a photo contest called My2020ExperienceSM. Entries are divided into months to coincide with the series of yearlong activities. The public can upload their digital photos directly to the site. A winning photo will be selected each month. Winners will receive a gift card valued at $50. At the conclusion of Vero’s yearlong Centennial Celebration in October 2019 a Grand Prize Winner will be selected from the winning monthly entries. Grand Prize will be $250 cash. More information can be found at My2020Experience.com and VeroBeach100.com.
Wednesday, January 2, 2019-Monday, March 11, 2019
Calling all photographs, whether it is family or event related, and documents (examples include but are not limited to: land records, business records, examples of mortgage or bills) from 1919 through the 1920, the first year we became a city, to be received by the Archive Center & Genealogical Department of the Indian River County Main Library.
(with photo by Lee Orre/ Photographed left to right – front row-Keria Murphy, Zachary Westrom, Cam Phillips, Chloe Secunda, Loren Schaefer, Constantin Andres and Michelle Wagner; Second row is Pete Kersey and Brenda Corum.)
Copies of all these documents will be proudly displayed on a six-panel presentation board with help from the students at St. Edwards be a part of the historic display on the 2nd floor at the Main Library that will be held from Monday, April 1, 2019 to Monday, July 31, 2019. Please bring your donations and copies will be made. For more information: Michelle Wagner: mwagner@irclibrary.org 772-770-5060 Ext 5.
Friday, January 4 – Wednesday February 27, 2019
Centennial “All around the Town”
Enjoy this exhibit in the Foyer Gallery Lobby of The Emerson Center featuring paintings and photography of local places around Vero. 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. Receptions with the artists will be held on Thursday, January 24 from 5 to 7 p.m. and again on Sunday, February 17 from 1-3 p.m. For more info dawnorre@gmail.com
(Photo by Lee Orre/ Artists include but not limited to left to right) May Brandt Lee G. Smith Ellen Fischer Lou Mullen Lisa and Wyatt Hyora.)
Friday, January 4 Show and reception following is 5-7 p.m. at the Vero Beach Art Museum.
Centennial Children’s Poster and Art Show (Sponsored by New Vision Eye Center)
Each school is invited to participate in the Centennial School Art Competition. The subject of the art will be Vero Beach City landmarks. Each school is allowed 3 entries and the selection of the entries will be made by the school. Works will be displayed at a Vero Beach Museum of Art exhibit on January 4 followed by competition winners announcement and a reception on January 4 from 5-7 p.m. The Vero Beach Art Club will judge the posters. For More info contact Dawn Mill 559-9795, dawn.mill@comcast.net
Saturday, January 5, 2019
Trolley Historical Tours-Sponsored by Piper
This must-do interactive and historical experience, is a narrated tour (by microphone) taking folks from the Downtown Historical areas to Piper Aircraft/Dodgertown area, on along 43rd Avenue to l6th Street school area to McKee and Miracle Mile/Young Park on the mainland, and Beachside historic references with several stops along the way including the Airport, Memorial Island, VB Museum of Art, the marina, dog park, rowing club area.
Held the 1st Saturday of every month beginning on Saturday, January 5, 2019 through Saturday, September 6, 2019 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.(Excluding April 2019) There is a maximum of 20 people per tour and reservations are needed by calling the City Clerk office by 3 p.m. on Friday the day before at 772-978-4700. Reservations are filled through March 2019. Meeting at Chamber of Commerce in downtown Vero Beach at 8:45 a.m. For more information: Joan Edwards, 562-5048, joal18@comcast.net
Saturday, January 5, 2019 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Celebrate the Arts Festival-
The Cultural Council of Indian River County holds this annual arts fest at Riverside Park’s Under the Oaks and includes live performances from member organizations, artists on display, many food and arts booths. Ms. Centennial will be there with a White Glove Moving/Pak Mail Beachside tent offering a bit of centennial flare. For more information contact Barbara Hoffman, 770-4857, director@cultural-council.org
Saturday Jan 5, and Sunday Jan. 6, 2019
Waldo Sexton Homestead Days
Saturday: 10am-4pm
Sunday: 12pm-4pm
Indian River Magazine and the Mark Tripson family invite you to take a rare tour of the original 1914 homestead of Vero Beach visionary Waldo Sexton, who created such masterpieces as the Ocean Grill, Driftwood Inn, Patio Restaurant and Szechuan Palace. You’ll find the home much the same way as when Sexton lived in it. See his secret garden and patio and the home he built next door for his daughter and the grounds of his Vero Beach Dairy and later Tripson Dairy. Hear tales of the iconoclastic Sexton from his gregarious family members. Presented as part of the Treasure Coast History Festival. 5000 12th St., Vero Beach.
$10 per person. For more information-Mark Tripson, 772-473-1714/ waldosgardeninfo@gmail.com
(with photo courtesy of Charlotte Tripson/ The Waldo Sexton house as seen in the 1930s after the second story is added. Siblings Barbara Sexton, left, and Jacqueline Sexton, right is with mom Elsebeth behind the horse and brothers Ralph Sexton, front, and Randy Sexton on the horse. )
Thursday, January 10, 2018 7pm to 9pm
IRC Historical Society Current/Prospective Membership Meeting “Journey into the New World
– Story of the St. Johns River” Woman’s Club 1534 21st Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960. For more information visit www.irchistorical.org
Friday-Monday, January 18-21. 2019
Vero Ice Age Lectures (with photo by Wyatt Hyora)
The Brackett Library will be the site for the Old Vero Ice Age Sites Committee’s (OVIASC) exhibitions and lectures for the world-class local archaeological and paleontological site originally excavated in 1916 and excavated from 2014-2017 by OVIASC and its scientists and local community volunteers. For more information contact Peggy Lyon, 913-1701, pegjohn1@bellsouth.net
Photo by Wyatt Hyora: Pictured at the Brackett Library Old Vero Ice Age Sites Committee exhibit are: Randy Pictured (from left) are: Anne Dunn, Secretary: Randy Old, Chairman, Peggy Lyon, Sandra Rawls, and Carol Fennell, Directors. Board Members not pictured include: Jack Hamerski, Vice Chairman, Sean Seevers, Treasurer, Patty Hamerski, Judi Collins, Mary Singer, Directors.
Saturday, January 26, 2019 2 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
“Waldo Sexton, Vero Beach Pioneer”
I personally can’t wait for this production! The Indian River Charter High School/Schumann School for the Visual & Performing Arts-will perform a musical play about the relationship of “Waldo Sexton, Vero Beach Pioneer” and his love for our city and how he wanted to share the beauty with others. A part of the story centers on unpublished letters between himself and the famous writer Zora Neale Hurston when she lived in Fort Pierce. This production will be performed by musicians, dancers, singers and actors from the school. The location is the Waxlax Center for the Performing Arts at St. Edward’s. For tickets at $10 each and more details: https://www.showclix.com/events/irchs
Saturday, Jan. 26th 4-8pm
For the adventurous, carnivore in us all come check out the Wild Game Feast hosted at Summer Crush Winery. Put on by the Oceanside Rotary to benefit Treasure Coast Community Health with sponsors, White Glove Moving & Storage as well as others yet to be announced. This buffet feast of exotic meats, desserts, sides and other more traditional fare is a great family-fundraising event featuring: live music from the Tom Jackson Band, dancing, bull whip cracking competition, corn hole, raffles and auctions. Beer &wine sold separately all at just $35 per person; tickets available online at Wgfroatryvbo.org.
Of course, epic events such as this require the help of great sponsors. A big thank you to Florida Power & Light for being the Centennial Presenting Sponsor. The month of January is sponsored by Indian River Genealogical Society. WTTB New Radio 105.7 FM/1490 AM is the Official Centennial Flagship Radio Station.
Clearly, there is no shortage of fun to be had as we launch 2019 with fun, family and friends. For in depth interviews and details tune into my show, The Vero Insider, at 5pm on Wednesday airing on 107.9fm/1370am and please visit the Centennial website www.VeroBeach100.org regularly for times, locations and details on all activities as they are subject to change. Happy 2019 Vero Beach, looking forward to seeing you at the many festivities this month; cheers!
Where to go, What to try
& How to give back.