Best get your eight hours every night. This holiday season is going to be active indeed.
A great way to get started with the merriment is the Vero Beach Theatre Guild Holiday Party which will be the place for dinner, drinks and dancing on the evening of Friday, Dec. 2. This year, it’s a Rock ’n’ Roll Dance starring the Riptide Band. In addition to dancing to rock, disco and pop, the holiday party will serve up steak burgers, shrimp baskets, fish sandwiches, chicken tenders, with slaw and French fries from the Off the Hook food truck. In addition to a cash bar, guests also receive two free drinks. “It is going to be a ball,” says Lisa McNamee, VBTG president. “Riptide will give you a night of music that will make you light up and smile.” All this for $50, with proceeds benefiting the Theatre Guild. The Rock ’n’ Roll Holiday Party, complete with dinner and dancing, begins 6 p.m. under the tent at the Vero Beach Theatre Guild, 2020 San Juan Ave. Call 772-562-8300 or visit VeroBeachTheatreGuild.com.
The Riverside Theatre for Kids program is the ideal spot to get the whole family into the holiday spirit. The program presents “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Jr.” on its large Stark Stage this weekend. The musical is based on the classic animated television special. The storyline follows Rudolph, who, because of his shiny nose, feels like an outsider. Struggling to fit in, he comes to Santa’s rescue when his shiny red nose lights the way through a snowy Christmas Eve. The moral of the story is that sometimes, what makes you different makes you special. The Riverside Theatre for Kids production is directed by Kevin Quillinan, who also runs the program. The show has “all of the treasured songs we know and love and (features) 30 talented young actors who will bring this beloved story to life.” The show starts 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2; and 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3. Tickets are $10. Riverside Theatre is at 3250 Riverside Park Dr., Vero Beach. Call 772-231-6990 or visit RiversideTheatre.com.
Get to know area businesses and what they offer this season at Light Up Night, the community-wide open house event sponsored by the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce. This official holiday season kick-off, shop-local event invites the public to visit participating businesses decked out in holiday décor. They’ll be open late and offering sales, discounts, door prizes, complimentary food, old fashioned eggnog, cookies, and other holiday refreshments and family activities. It runs 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2. The official map of participating businesses is available at SebastianChamber.com. For more information, call 772-589-5969.
The 2022 Vero Beach Christmas Parade begins 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, along Ocean Drive. Hosted by the Vero Beach Sunrise Rotary, the parade will also be accessible on Facebook Live. Donations to the Treasure Coast Food Pantry will be collected at Riverside Park. For more information, visit VeroBeachChristmasParade.org.
You can’t have a proper holiday with the proper music. It starts Sunday with the Winter Concert featuring the Vero Beach Choral Society, which will perform a variety of holiday-themed music including “Christmas Day” by Holst, “Hanukkah/Candles of Christmas” by Angebranndt, “The Minute Carol” by McAfee and Lamb, “The Holly and the Ivy” by Gjielo and “Fum Fum Fum” by Kern. Next on the program will be Vivaldi’s “Gloria” featuring the Vero Beach High School Choir and the First Presbyterian Church Youth Symphonic Orchestra. The program is led by artistic director Jacob Craig. It begins 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, at the First Presbyterian Church, 520 Royal Palm Blvd., Vero Beach. Admission is a suggested donation of $10. For more information, call (305) 797-7177 or visit VeroBeachChoralSociety.org.