VERO BEACH — Gray skies that threatened rain most of the day did little to dissuade thousands of people from gathering in Downtown Vero Beach for the annual Hibiscus Festival. Instead, many appeared to revel in the breezes and comfortable weather without fidgeting with sunglasses or caps.
“I love these kinds of festivals,” said Vero Beach resident Michael Kessler, who was making his way back to the car to drop off his purchases before returning to his wife back at the event. They had purchased some used books – “light reading,” Kessler said – and wind chimes.
The Kesslers come for the crafts and art, but stay to watch and mingle with the people and enjoy the food.
“This is one of the things that make Vero such a nice town,” he said.
The Erwins agreed. This was the first time the couple had attended the festival together, though Verna Erwin had been before.
“We wondered about the weather,” Tom Erwin said, noting they weren’t sure if the festival would be held or not. They decided to drive to Downtown Vero to see for themselves if, indeed, the festival was going on.
“It’s great,” Verna said of the festival, while taking a break on a bench, eating a hamburger.
“I like all the booths,” Tom said.
The Erwins had yet to purchase anything, though they said that would change.
“We do that on the way out,” Verna said of shopping.
The Hibiscus Festival stretched along 14th Avenue from 20th Street to 23rd Street, blocking off the roads to allow vendors and visitors a safe space to spread out. This year, it was organized by Main Street Vero Beach.
Along with perusing the various craft and business booths lining 14th Avenue, a children’s play zone provided entertainment for the youth – and a dunk tank that thrilled both the young and older alike.
Among those to take a seat in the dunk tank was Vero Beach Mayor Pilar Turner, who was dunked on the first throw – by Vero Beach resident and County Commissioner Bob Solari.
“I’ve been waiting!” he called to her as she got situated on the board. “This makes my Saturday.”
Sputtering from her initial dunk, Turner called out to Solari, “I’ll remember that!”
His second throw was a miss but he connected on the third.
“Did my mascara last?” Turner asked, laughing.
Solari’s wife, Jackie, was next in line to take a shot at Turner. Direct hit and splash.
“Pilar, I’m sorry!” Jackie said, quickly running away from the dunk tank.
“We love Pilar,” Jackie said a few minutes later, as someone replaced her in line. “I didn’t want to” dunk her.
Commissioner Solari said dunking Mayor Turner would be the highlight of his weekend – “It’s pure, unadulterated joy and pleasure.”
“Sometimes you just have to have fun,” he said.
Not far from the dunk tank were two brothers who were enjoying themselves as well at the festival.
James, 6 ½, and Andrew, 5, attended the Hibiscus Festival with their grandparents, Bill and Deedee Cunningham, who are seasonal Vero Beach residents.
Both boys stopped at the ORCA tent and spent time painting fish pictures and learning about the various creatures in the water.
James said he likes to paint and likes fish – so, naturally, painting fish was his favorite part of the festival. Andrew noted that he enjoys painting, too.
Deedee Cunningham said this was a first for them to attend the festival, though they’ve known about it for years.
“He’s always talked about it,” she said, referring to her husband. And when the grandkids came for a visit, they knew they had to attend, she added.
As part of the festival, various businesses and organizations helped raise food donations for the Harvest Food and Outreach Center, decorating shopping carts and loading them up with canned and boxed goods.
At least 16 organizations entered the Shopping Cart Parade, ranging from SpringHill Suites with Riverside Theatre and Costa d’Este to Indian River Chiropractic and Route 60 Hyundai. Each cart displayed its own, unique personality to the delight of the crowd, which stopped moving from booth to booth to watch the procession of carts travel down 14th Avenue.
At the far end of 14th Avenue, near 23rd Street, about a dozen artisans had set up their booths, displaying their work, be it jewelry, painting, photography or other such artwork. Each artist had been selected to display as part of the juried art show.
First-time participants Cathy Cooper and Barbara Hanna, of Key Lime DeZigns in Vero Beach, were thrilled to have been selected, Cooper said.
“I was intimidated,” she said of going through the selection process. It was a first for her, since she just started crafting jewelry.
“Everyone has been very wonderful,” Cooper said of the “top-notch” organizers of the festival. “It’s just been great.”
The night before the festival, organizers held the Miss Hibiscus Pageant. The judges named 16-year-old Hannah Trodgten, of Indian River Charter High School, 2012 Miss Hibiscus at the Heritage Center.
Trodgten was selected from a field of nine girls, ranging in age from 15 to 18. The girls represented Indian River Charter High, Vero Beach High and Sebastian River High.
The contestants were introduced to a crowd of family, friends and well-wishers, and were each asked by Master of Ceremonies Flynn Fidgeon to tell about school or community projects they’ve been involved with and what they would bring to the position of Miss Hibiscus in the upcoming year. Each also answered from randomly drawn questions contributed by the girls.
Judges Alyssa MacKensie, Sheriff Deryl Loar, Amanda Pfenning, Kenny Huling and Cherie Halleran had met with the girls for one-on-one interviews earlier in the week and those scores were combined with Friday evening’s to determine the winner.
Nicole Perlstein, 18, of Vero Beach High, was named the First Runner Up, and Gea Anderson, 17, of Sebastian River High, was named Second Runner Up and was also presented the award for Miss Congeniality. The award for Most Photogenic was given to 17-year-old MacKenna Jones, a student at Indian River Charter High School.
Society Editor Mary Schenkel contributed to this report.
