A trip to Capt. Hiram’s Resort in Sebastian is a great way to have beachfront fun while staying on the mainland. That’s especially so this Sunday when Lights Out Project and Azar & Friends close out Capt. Hiram’s SandBar’s 13-week long live reggae series. The band, which has shared the stage with UB40, Julian Marley, the Original Wailers and more, is one of the area’s most popular groups, says Capt. Hiram’s marketing coordinator Johnny DeSimone. “People are going to go crazy there,” he says. “It is a veteran group. They put on a great show.” For those who have never ventured to Capt. Hiram’s SandBar, get ready to have a good time. And don’t be squeamish about digging your toes into the sand there. It’s clean enough to eat, apparently. “It’s food grade,” DeSimone says. “In order to have a restaurant on the sand, the sand has to be safe technically to eat. It has to be a specific type of sand.” Moreover, on a daily basis, the staff rakes the sand once, then again with a finer rake, which is almost like a sifter. And don’t be surprised if you see people in bathing suits. Visitors arrive not only by car, but also by boat. There’s a beach area where people can rent kayaks and paddle boards. “We can do all sorts of stuff here,” DeSimone says. “We brought the beach to the river.” The Lights Out Project/Azar & Friends show runs 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. this Sunday, Aug. 29 at Capt. Hiram’s SandBar, 1606 Indian River Dr. There is no cover charge. You can order drinks from the full liquor bar and food. For more information, call 772-388-8588 or visit Hirams.com.
Artists get ready: The A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery is accepting applications into its 40th annual juried art exhibition, the Best of the Best at Backus. The exhibition is open to all artistic media. It is scheduled to run Oct. 16 to Nov. 12. This year, the entry process is different: Artists wanting to submit work need to schedule an appointment. The appointments last for 15 minutes at which time artists may submit up to three entries. Appointment dates run middays Wednesdays through Sundays, Sept. 8 to Oct. 1. The entry fee is $30 per work. For more specific information, visit BackusMuseum.org, click onto “View” then scroll down to “Juried Shows.” On that page, you can also find a link to an entry form. The A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery is at 500 N. Indian River Dr., Fort Pierce. The museum is currently closed for annual maintenance and will re-open Sept. 8. If you want more information, call 772-465-0630 and leave a message.
Treasure Coast Culinary Tours offers something fun and different for all you so-called “foodies” out there. The business, which was founded in 2015, takes small groups of people on tasty mid-day walking tours of select neighborhoods in Vero Beach, Sebastian and Fort Pierce. Tours include visits to five or six restaurants where guests sample restaurant specialties and indulge in diverse food. Two drinks are also included. Because the tours take place during a restaurant’s off-hours, the owners or executive chefs frequently come to the table to talk about the food the guests are enjoying and the restaurant’s history. Owner Jennifer Aiello says guests have loved the experience, despite not knowing ahead of time what restaurants they’ll be visiting. “No one knows where they’re going to go or what they’re going to eat,” Aiello says. “Everyone has been pleasantly surprised. It’s like Christmas morning.” Aiello, a former travel agent, came up with the idea of starting Treasure Coast Culinary Tours when she went on a culinary tour in Miami’s South Beach. “My husband and I loved everything about it,” she says. “I told him Vero needs something.” Normally, the tours include a mile of walking with plenty of places to stop, so dress comfortably and wear good shoes. They start at 2 p.m. and run two and a half to three hours. Currently, tours cost $75 a person, plus gratuity for the guide. However, Aiello expects prices to go up, because of rising costs to restaurants. Tours currently are limited to eight people, who could be celebrating anniversaries, birthdays, reunions, team building or just want to do something different and learn more about hidden gems in their towns. Each guest also receives a complimentary ticket to the Mel Fisher’s Treasures Museum To book a tour, visit TreasureCoastCulinaryTours.com or call 772-448-3700.