Six Upcoming Events to Kick Off Social Season

Tunnel to Towers 5K

Vero Beach will once again host a 5K run/walk that is one of many such events around the country benefiting the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which pays off mortgages for the families of fallen first responders and military members, builds smart homes for catastrophically injured first responders and veterans, and provides other services for our nation’s heroes. The event will take place September 6 at Riverside Park, beginning at 7:15 a.m. Registration fees range from $15 to $45. The nonprofit was founded in honor of NYC firefighter Stephen Siller, who, on September 11, 2001, ran from the entrance of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the World Trade Center, carrying 60 pounds of gear. He was one of the 343 FDNY firefighters who died that day. For more information on the 5K, see runwalkverobeach.t2t.org.

McKee Botanical Garden

McKee Botanical Garden is teaming up with the Vero Beach Orchid Society to present this inaugural event. Many of Florida’s premier orchid growers will be on hand, and visitors will have the opportunity to admire and acquire some of the world’s finest orchid specimens. Global adventurer, plantsman, and author Robbie Honey will be on hand to discuss his quest for exceptional, exotic, endangered, and historic orchids as he works on his forthcoming book, set to be released by Rizzoli in late 2026. Through Sept. 7; 9 a.m.–3 p.m., regular admission fees apply.

Then, beginning October 7, McKee will kick off its Wonders of McKee Garden Tours for the season. Every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m., guests can enjoy a guided stroll through the garden while learning the details of its remarkable history: the 1926 arrival of exotic specimens brought back by plant explorers, the visionary landscape design work of William Lyman Phillips, the introduction of the property’s architectural features, and the rescue of the “jungle gardens” from the jaws of development plans. These particular tours are not intended for groups or school field trips, for which other arrangements can be made. Regular admission fees apply ($15–$20), and the tours run through April 28. For more information, call 772-794-0601.

Out Run Hunger

On September 20, Treasure Coast Food Bank will hold its fifth annual Out Run Hunger 5K at Causeway Cove Marina (601 Seaway Drive) in Fort Pierce. Registration is $40. Race day packet pickup begins at 6 a.m., and the race kicks off at 7, timed by Southern Timing and followed by the awards ceremony, which is expected to finish at 1 p.m. Participants will be helping TCFB tackle food insecurity in Indian River, St. Lucie, Okeechobee, and Martin Counties. For more information, call 772-489-3034 or go to stophunger.org.

Coastal Cleanup

If you’re not heading down to Fort Pierce on the morning of September 20 to Out Run Hunger, how about helping to rid our local waterways of microplastics and other debris? In conjunction with the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup, Coastal Connections will be rallying the troops to fan out to Indian River County’s waterfront parks from 9 to 11 a.m. Reach out to Coastal Connections at 772-226-0133 or coastal-connections.org.

‘Beethoven’s Triple’

Three selections are planned for this Space Coast Symphony Orchestra performance at Community Church of Vero Beach on September 21. For Tan Dun’s Passacaglia: Secret of Wind and Birds, the audience will be invited to participate by playing recorded bird sounds on their cell phones. The centerpiece, Beethoven’s “Triple Concerto,” Op. 56, will feature soloists Carey Moorman (violin), Isaac Moorman (cello), and Lindsay Garritson (piano). Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral,” will round out the afternoon. 3 p.m.; $35 in advance, $40 at door, students 18 and under free, flexible pricing available.