The holiday season officially kicked off on the barrier island with the 40th annual Vero Beach Christmas Parade hosted by Sunrise Rotary Vero Beach Club. Thousands of residents and visitors decked in festive attire lined the entire Ocean Drive parade route, eager to witness the dazzling display and get an infusion of festive spirit.
The whole area was alight with holiday magic as 91 lighted floats made their way down the street, adorned with everything from a Florida-centric sleigh-riding sailfish to manatees and flamingoes, along with more traditional players such as a not so grouchy Grinch. They traveled from Flamevine to Live Oak, as holiday music blared and bubbles and “snow” covered the crowd.
For those who chose to snuggle in at home, the parade was live streamed via Facebook and YouTube, ensuring everyone could partake of the festive Vero Beach tradition. Masters of Ceremonies Tamara Darress and Geoff Moore provided a running commentary and kept the energy high throughout the night.
Family and friends waved and cheered as their favorites passed by, and while Santa is always a crowd favorite, the cheers for the Vero Beach High School football team reached a decibel that could easily have been heard from the North Pole, coming as it did on the heels of the previous evening’s semifinal playoff win.
Sunrise Rotary had encouraged holiday creativity in another way by once again hosting its annual Can Castle for a Cause – Challenge & Food Drive at the October Downtown Friday, where participants’ engineering met charity. Local businesses and organizations were challenged to construct elaborate structures entirely out of canned foods, which were subsequently donated to local charities and victims of recent hurricane damage in Jamaica. Cox Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home took home this year’s trophy for their American flag themed creation based on creativity, teamwork and volume of cans used.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
