As sunshine dried off dampness left by an early morning downpour Saturday, historic downtown Vero Beach was transformed into an open-air art gallery, market and mini musical festival.

Organizer’s expectations for a 10,000-person crowd for Saturday’s annual Hibiscus Festival seem to have been met.  Artists and vendors attested to a steady crowd throughout the day.  Hosted by Main Street Vero Beach, a nonprofit organization that also holds the popular Downtown Friday event each month, the Hibiscus Festival is an annual springtime celebration held to promote civic pride and community involvement in the historic area.