While Christmas Day is sure to be filled with family, gifts, food and general all-around merriment, you might want to plan for some post-holiday activities. Several local venues are offering new exhibits, concerts, and seasonal events for residents and visitors through January.
McKee Botanical Garden’s Jungle Lights runs nightly from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. through Jan. 3 except Mondays and holidays. The event features thousands of holiday lights and decorations inspired by the plants and animals of six Amazonian countries. Visitors can walk through the tropical gardens and enjoy themed displays and music. The McKee Garden is at 350 U.S. 1, Vero Beach. Call 772-794-0601 or visit McKeeGarden.org.
The A.E. Backus Museum & Gallery presents “Glory in Glass: The Art of Conrad Pickel Studio” through Jan. 4. The Conrad Pickel Studio, founded in 1947, is known nationwide for stained-glass windows that combine traditional craftsmanship with modern design. The exhibit includes both finished works and examples showing how stained glass is made. As the museum’s website states: “Created from the finest mouth-blown antique glass, their leaded stained-glass windows for religious, secular, and public projects throughout North America embody the art and science of light. This new exhibition of luminous studio work presents examples of process and pièces de résistance, and highlights a shining artistic treasure of the region.” Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5, with free entry for members, students with ID, active-duty military, and children under 18. The museum is at 500 North Indian River Dr., Fort Pierce. Call 772-465-0630 or visit BackusMuseum.org.
The Center for Spiritual Care will host “Splash and Bloom: Pools, Plants and Places,” a new exhibit by artist Madeline Long, Jan. 2-30. The opening reception will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2. The Center is at 1550 24th St., Vero Beach. Hours for viewing are noon to 3 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. The artist will be present on Sundays. Long trained at Columbia University and the Florence Academy of Art in Italy and is known locally for her colorful contemporary paintings and service as a trustee and ambassador for the Vero Beach Museum of Art. Call 772-567-1233.
The Emerson Center, 1590 27th Ave., Vero Beach, has announced its 2026 E-Series lecture lineup, offering five educational and environmental presentations. The first program, the Indian River Lagoon Story, will be presented 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6. Featured guest speaker is Heather Stapleton, community engagement coordinator for the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program. She will speak on the lagoon’s ecological importance and citizen engagement in its preservation. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $10, and doors open one hour before the program. Call 772-778-5249 or visit TheEmersonCenter.com.
The Vero Beach Museum of Art is currently showing three major exhibitions. “Picasso and the Progressive Proof: Linocut Prints” from a Private Collection runs through Jan. 4 and offers insight into Picasso’s later printmaking process. “Recent Acquisition Highlights” runs through Jan. 11 and features new additions to the museum’s permanent collection of early American to contemporary works. “Double Portraits,” also on view through Jan. 11, explores identity and connection through photography by 34 artists. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $12 for adults, $11 for seniors 65 and over, and $5 for students with ID. Members, children under 17, U.S. veterans, and active-duty military receive free admission. The museum offers free entry to all visitors on the second Saturday of each month, along with family art activities from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The museum’s Winter 2026 class schedule begins Jan. 5, with weekday and weekend sessions in archeology, impressionism, surrealism, writing, yoga, children’s book illustration, photography (including cell phone photography), ceramics (25-pound bag of clay included in tuition), pottery, glass, drawing, painting and mixed media. Courses range from $85 to $335, with discounts for members. Also, the museum’s “Cork, Canvas and Company” series begins the new year at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8. Participants can create artwork with guidance from professional instructor Barry Shapiro and participants are welcomed to bring their own beverages and snacks. The evening lasts two hours. The cost is $45, and materials are provided. The Vero Beach Museum of Art is at 3001 Riverside Park Dr. Call 772-231-0707 or visit VeroBeachMuseum.org.
