Despite this year’s Independence Day being in the rear-view mirror, you can keep busting those buttons with patriotic pride when the concert “America the Beautiful” takes place this Sunday afternoon at the First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach. The concert will be performed by members of the Melbourne Municipal Band and led by conductor Staci Rosbury. The program includes some rousing numbers, including “America the Beautiful,” a selection of marches by John Philip Sousa, a medley of Olympic themes by John Williams, Leroy Anderson’s “The Phantom Regiment,” the “Star Spangled Banner,” a medley of songs by George M. Cohan, and many more. There will also be an “Armed Forces Salute” during which military veterans will be asked to stand and be recognized while their particular service song is played. Admission is free. Organizers request that the audience come dressed in red, white and blue to show patriotic solidarity. Jacob Craig, who is the head of arts programming at the church, says: “This will be an uplifting concert that reminds us all what it means to be American. …There’s nothing better for a Sunday afternoon in July.” The “America the Beautiful” concert begins at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 14, at First Presbyterian Church of Vero Beach, 520 Royal Palm Blvd. For more information call 772-562-9088 or visit FirstPresVero.org.
Riverside Theatre brings back its popular “Vegas Nights” for this weekend and next weekend. Vegas Nights invites the public to gather in the theater’s beautiful lobby in the evenings for casino games, live music, a full bar and a grill menu. While it is free to come to the casino, if you want to play you need to purchase casino chips. Players have the chance to win prizes donated by popular local merchants. The traditional casino games include blackjack, roulette, craps, three-card poker, let it ride poker and slot machines. Moreover, there are Comedy Zone & Casino Bundle Packages which come with discount drink wristbands. Package 1 costs $85 and includes $150 in Casino Chips with additional chips costing $10 for $30 in casino chips; two drink wristbands with a 25 percent discount per guest per order; and a Comedy Zone ticket for either 6 p.m. or 8 p.m. show on Friday or Saturday. Package 2 costs $65 and includes $100 in Casino Chips, with additional chips costing $10 for $30 worth of chips; two drink wristbands giving you 25 percent off a drink per guest per order; and one Comedy Zone ticket. Package 3 costs $50 and gives you $100 worth of Casino Chips, with $10 for an additional $30 in casino chips; plus two drink wristbands giving you 25 percent off drink per guest per order. Funds raised from Vegas Nights benefit Riverside’s Youth Tuition Assistance & Community Engagement Programs. Vegas Nights runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays, July 11 and 18, Fridays, July 12 and 19, and Saturdays, July 13 and 20. Riverside Theatre is at 3250 Riverside Park Dr., Vero Beach. For more information call 772-231-6990 or visit RiversideTheatre.com.
The Comedy Zone comes alive this weekend when Frankie Paul and Trish Keating hit the Waxlax Stage. Paul has been touring since 1990 with his animated and inoffensive presence. A devotee of Joan Rivers and Wanda Sykes, Keating mixes social satire with personal pain to serve up her comedy. Her bio lists a number of film credits and includes the line: “She worked on ‘Ocean’s 11’ and basically got paid to stalk George Clooney.” The Comedy Zone will be emceed this weekend by Steve Kalisik. The Comedy Zone performances begin at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Friday, July 12, and Saturday, July 13. All seats are $25 but you can bundle this weekend’s tickets with a Vegas Nights package. See above for more information on packages. The Live in the Loop concerts this weekend feature: Brenna Bavis Duo performing blues, soul, cabaret and jazz from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 11; Collins & Company performing rock, pop, country, Motown, reggae and a special one-hour set of Genesis and Phil Collins hits, plus many more, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 12, and Vince Love and the Soul Cats performing rock, blues, dance and Motown from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, July 13. The Live in the Loop concerts take place outside and are free to attend. Bring a chair or rent a cabana. Food and drink are for sale. Do not bring your own. Riverside Theatre is at 3250 Riverside Park Dr., Vero Beach. For more information call 772-231-6990 or visit RiversideTheatre.com.
