The big fun thing this weekend has got to be the annual Paddle Dash, hosted by Paddles by the Sea and benefiting the Keep Indian River Beautiful organization. The event includes paddleboard and kayak races with beginner, intermediate and advanced race courses. While the event is going to be fun as can be for participants, it’s also a great way for spectators to spend some time at the water’s edge, says Paddles by the Sea owner Chris Woodruff. The race, which starts 8 p.m. Saturday at Alex MacWilliam Park in Vero Beach, has four different events. The long-distance group, designed for advanced paddle boarders, takes participants on a route about 8 miles long. “It’s pretty far for a paddle,” says Woodruff, a surfer who started paddle boarding in 2012. The next event takes paddle boarders on a 3-mile round trip from the Barber Bridge to the 17th Street Bridge and back. The shortest event is about 1.2 miles and takes participants from the marina to Memorial Island and back. There’s also a relay race with three paddlers going a short course. That’s the best one for spectators to watch and cheer on the athletes. As a bonus, you can also sign up for the Sprint Race, which is perfect for a friendly competition, Woodruff says. “That way, if you have a friend who says they’re faster, you can go on the course and see who really is faster.” The cost to participate in a Paddle Dash event is $25 to $45 for adults and $15 to $25 for youths. The fee for the Sprint Race is $10. If you don’t have your own paddleboard, you can rent one, or a kayak, from Paddles by the Sea. Rentals start at $25. All proceeds from both the event entries and rentals will go directly to Keep Indian River Beautiful. Woodruff, who is a board member for the charity, says paddle boarding is a great way to understand the beauty of the waters here. Woodruff himself is a big believer in the special gifts the area has. Raised in San Diego, he came to Florida to visit relatives and was stunned that water sports could be enjoyed year-round here, without a wet suit, which was a yearlong need in the relatively chilly waters off San Diego. Almost immediately, Woodruff packed up his life in San Diego and came here. He opened Paddles by the Sea in 2014 and has been expanding ever since. His business rents out equipment, holds classes, conducts snorkeling tours, offers jet ski guided tours, fishing charters and more. The Paddle Dash begins 8 a.m. Saturday at the marina by Paddles by the Sea, 3321 Bridge Plaza Dr., Vero Beach. Call 772-444-7871 or visit PaddlesByTheSea.com. For more information about the Paddle Dash, visit KeepIndianRiverBeautiful.org.
Artists, get ready to participate in something exciting this fall. As part of the public arts program and to celebrate the Vero Beach Museum of Art’s upcoming folk art exhibition, the Cultural Council of Indian River County will present a concurrent exhibition of folk art by local artists. To that end, the Cultural Council has issued a call to artists for the following: 2D and 3D works in the style of folk art. That may include (but is not limited to) painting, photography, textiles, needlework, woodcarvings, baskets, clay art and jewelry. As their call states: “… give your creative spirit free rein!” Artists must be either members of the Cultural Council or members of a gallery or art club that belongs to the Cultural Council. To enter, submit up to five images of your works no later than Sept. 29. If selected, your work needs to be delivered by Oct. 13. The exhibition will run Oct. 27 to Nov. 28 at the Vero Beach Museum of Art Patten Community Gallery and Museum Art School. By the way, the Vero Beach Museum of Art’s upcoming exhibition is “American Perspectives: Stories from the American Folk Art Museum Collection,” which runs Oct. 2 to Jan. 2, 2022. For more information on the call for art, call 772-770-4857, visit Cultural-Council.org or email Elise@Cultural-Council.org.
Enjoy an organ recital when Ryan Kasten, the resident organist and director of music at St. John of the Cross, performs 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. this Sunday, Aug. 22. The concert is part of the church’s Fine Arts Series. Joining Kasten as guest organist will be Father Brian Campbell, the church’s new pastor. St. John of the Cross Catholic Church is at 7550 26th St., Vero Beach. Call 772-563-0057 or visit StJohnsVero.org.