10 September Events to Attend in Vero Beach

Tunnel to Towers 5K

This annual run/walk, hosted by the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, came into existence in the wake of the terrorist attacks and heroic responses of September 11, 2001. Taking place at Riverside Park, the event supports catastrophically injured military heroes and first responders and the families of the fallen. Start time is 7:15 a.m., $10–$50

Orchid Show

In partnership with the Vero Beach Orchid Society, McKee Botanical Garden invites all orchid enthusiasts for the second annual Rare & Exotic Orchid Exhibition & Sale September 5–6. Regular admission fees apply.

Steel Magnolias

The Vero Beach Theatre Guild will stage Robert Harling’s 1987 play, upon which the popular 1989 film of the same name was based. Comedy and tragedy come together in this tale of lively Louisiana women who congregate at Truvy’s beauty salon to share the ups and downs of their lives. Steel Magnolias is rated PG. The play will run September 11–27, and tickets are $15–$35.

Architecture Lecture

Vero Beach Museum of Art welcomes Wayne Wood, who has been called the “undisputed godfather of preservation in Jacksonville,” with a talk titled “Frank Lloyd Wright and His Influence on Florida Architecture.” This informative and entertaining event will take place September 12 at 3 p.m. Wood is an author, historian, and artist who has published 15 books on Northeast Florida. As part of VBMA’s Second Saturdays programming, the lecture is free, though preregistration is required. For more information, see vbmuseum.org or call 772-231-0707.

GAPA Golf Tournament

Formerly known as the Gifford Youth Orchestra, Gifford Academy for Performing Arts will hold its fourth annual fundraising golf tournament at Pointe West Country Club. Play will be followed by an awards ceremony and a late lunch. 7 a.m. registration and breakfast, 8 a.m. shotgun start. Tickets are $150. 

International Coastal Cleanup

Volunteers all over the world will be fanning out September 20 to help remove debris such as trash and microplastics (which, though tiny, can wreak havoc on wildlife) from coastal environments. Locally, Coastal Connections is spearheading the effort to clean up our county’s beaches and coastal parks. Work will take place from 9 to 11 a.m., and participants will have the opportunity to select from 25 locations when they register online at coastal-connections.org. After all their hard work, volunteers will gather at Walking Tree Brewery (3209 Dodger Road) to celebrate. If you have questions that are not answered on the Coastal Connections website, call 772-226-0133.

“Gilbert & Sullivan Unbuttoned”

On September 20, a talented lineup of eight vocalists will take the stage at The Emerson Center (1590 27th Ave.) with the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra for a lively and broad-ranging tribute to Gilbert and Sullivan. Many selections are on the program, drawn from several of the duo’s operas, including The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, and HMS Pinafore. Also, trumpeter Robert Chambers will join the orchestra for Johann Hummel’s Trumpet Concerto in E Major, a piece that SCSO director Aaron Collins feels fits in with the “spirit” and “showmanship” of this concert, in addition to possessing a “similar orchestral scale and instrumentation.” The show begins at 3 p.m. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 at door, and students 18 and under are free. Flexible pricing is available through SCSO’s Symphony for Everyone program. Find all the details at spacecoastsymphony.org.

Out Run Hunger

Treasure Coast Food Bank will hold its sixth annual Out Run Hunger event, bringing together hundreds of runners, vendors, and community supporters to benefit critical hunger-relief programs for Treasure Coast children, families, and seniors. The date is September 26, and the action starts at 7 a.m. at Causeway Cove Marina (601 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce). For more information, call TCFB at 772-489-3034 or see stophunger.org. The run is TCFB’s signature event during Hunger Action Month.

Thrive Freedom 5K

The Thrive Freedom 5K supports efforts to protect our community from substance misuse, will include cool T-shirts for the first 250 registrants, awards in numerous categories, and postrace food and beverages at Riverside Park September 26. The race takes place from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Registration is $15–$35.

Golf Tournament

It’s time for the 27th annual golf tournament benefiting the Women’s Refuge, which helps women learn to live fruitful lives through a healing relationship with God. The event will include drawings, raffles, prizes, and lunch. 9 a.m. shotgun start at Vero Beach Country Club. Tickets are $175.