VERO BEACH — Hundreds of residents came out to enjoy some hot fun in the summertime at Downtown Friday’s Summer in the City street party. As always, the event was a great way to catch up with friends and enjoy great music while the little ones amused themselves with a myriad of activities.
The regular Downtown Friday hours were extended into the afternoon, beginning at 3:30 p.m. instead of the usual 5:30 p.m. to give revelers a few more hours of family fun. The event was also moved one block north of the official Downtown Friday block so that children could enjoy the water slides, a slip and slide and bounce houses set up on the lawn of Pocahontas Park. There was even a Dunk Tank with partial proceeds to benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Indian River County.
Continuous entertainment was enjoyed by all throughout the evening. DJ Joe Tessier started things off and got party goers involved with hula-hoop contests and some limber limbo contestants. He was followed by the band Charlie D and The Things which entertained with 50s and 60s Rock and Roll and tropical rock hits.
At booths set up along the street and inside the Heritage Center, which welcomed visitors with a cooling respite from the heat, there was a selection of arts and crafts items, information on local charities, animals from the Bush Wildlife Sanctuary and lots of food vendors.
During band breaks and throughout the evening, there were demonstrations by various groups including the Forge Mixed Martial Arts Studio, and students from the StarStruck Performing Arts Center in Stuart who performed a few selections from their upcoming production of Songs for a New World.
Vero Beach Recreation Department’s Aerial Antics Circus performers wowed the crowd with several exhibitions. Little ones delighted with a “Blue Man” type routine, an intermediate group showed their skills with a modern jazz routine and the advance group amazed everyone with their tumbling, acrobatics and floor competition abilities. If you missed it, you’ll have the chance to see all their talented routines at the 36th Annual Aerial Antics Youth Circus, which will be held at the Oslo Middle School at 7 p.m. on August 4, 5, 6 and 7.
Downtown Vero Beach is a fundraiser for the non-profit organization Main Street Vero Beach.