Friday, April 10

The Center for Spiritual Care, 1550 24th Street in Vero Beach is hosting a free lecture about the benefits of Transcendental Meditation on Friday, April 10th at 7 pm. The benefits of the program are eliminating stress, fatigue, tension, and anxiety and developing creativity, intelligence, focus, and memory. RSVP 772-567-1233.

The Indian River Symphonic Association presents the BBC Concert Orchestra of London, directed by Keith Lockhart,on Friday, April 10th at 7:30 pm at Community Church. Pieces to be performed are: M. Ravel’s Le Tombeau de Couperin Piano Concerto in G; W. Walton’s March Crown Imperial; V. Williams’ Norfolk Rhapsody No. 1 in E Minor and B. Britten’s Vars and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell. For ticket prices and availability, call 772- 778-1070.

The Vero Beach Elks Lodge, 350 26th Street, presents a Country Western Dinner and Dance on Saturday, April 11th, featuring Kenny Flint and The Rough Diamond Band. Enjoy dinner from 5 to 7 pm with dancing from 7 to 11 pm. $25 per person incudes BBQ chicken, ribs, cowboy baked beans, cole slaw, Texas Toast, 50/50 raffle, drawings with full bar available. Reservations 772-562-8450.

On Friday, April 10th at 7 pm, Janis Ian and Tom Paxton will perform at the Emerson Center. Janis Ian is songwriter, performer, and author with 9 Grammy Nominations. Her songs “At 17” and “Society’s Child” are in the Grammy Hall Of Fame. Tom Paxton received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. For tickets, from $30 to $75 (VIP includes preferred seating and post-concert “Meet-and-Greet”), visit http://www.theemersoncenter.org or call 772.778.5249.

Matthew Sabatella will be the featured performer at the Library Coffee House on Friday, April 10th, from 7 to 9 p.m., at the North Indian River County Library. With vocals, guitar, banjo and a wealth of traditional folk songs, Sabatella brings the story of the United States vividly to life. There will be an open mike for poetry reading and gourmet coffee and cookies. Admission is free. Donations are encouraged.

Saturday, April 11

Laura (Riding) Jackson Foundation invites students from grades 9 through 12 to a free Teen Writers Workshop to be held on April 11th from 1 to 4 pm at the Environmental Learning Center. This year’s guest is Lawrence Hetrick, lifetime educator, author and editor of the Chattahoochee Review. For workshop details, visit http://www.LRJF.org.

The Classic Car Show at the Vero Beach Outlet Mall, on April 11th from 10 am to 3 pm, will benefit HALO’s no – kill animal rescue. The event will have one hundred antique cars, music, food, and HALO volunteers will be present with some adoptable pets.

The Cultural Council’s musicians registry member, live music duo Soup, Soap and Salvation Benefit Dinner Saturday, April 11th from 5 to 8:30 pm at the Oak Harbor Country Club in Vero Beach. For band booking, call (772) 532-5054.

The Space Coast Symphony strings and percussion present Carmen! on Sunday, April 12th at the Vero Beach High School Performing Arts Center beginning at 3 pm. The program includes Samuel Barber’s moving and searing Adagio for Strings followed by composer Kevin Puts’ Concerto for Oboe and Strings. The concert closes with Rodion Shchedrin’s romp for strings and percussion, the Carmen Suite. For tickets, visit SpaceCoastSymphony.org.

A piano concert Dr. Marcos D. Flores will be performed at Christ by the Sea United Methodist Church, 3755 Hwy A-1-A on Sunday April 12th at 3 pm. For tickets, ($10-$25) visit ChristByTheSea.org.

The Community Church Concert Series presents the Atlantic Ringers Spring Concert on Sunday, April 12th at 7 pm at 1901 23rd Street in Vero Beach. The newly formed Atlantic Youth Ringers will also perform in this concert, entitled Everything Disney and little more. A free will offering will be accepted.

The Laura Riding Jackson Foundation’s 5th Annual Poetry & BBQ, Geography of the Heart, will be held on Sunday, April 12th at the Laura (Riding) Jackson home on the ELC’s campus, 255 Live Oak Drive on Wabasso Island in Vero Beach. Teen poets will present their work at 3 pm and the main event officially starts at 4 pm with three featured poets, Southern BBQ dinner, silent auction, artists booths and music by the Hot Sauce Boys. For tickets ($25 per person) visit LauraRidingJackson.com.

Sunday, April 12

The free Social Justice Film Series continues on Sunday, April 12th, at 7 p.m., at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Vero Beach with the documentary, Growing Up Green. The film profiles a unique, statewide, hands-on environmental education program in the state of Michigan. Graham Cox and Richard Baker, of the Pelican Island Audubon Society, will share information about their environmental education programs for students in Indian River County.

Theatre-Go-Round Dinner Theatre, located within the Quilted Giraffe Restaurant at 500 South US 1 in Vero Beach, concludes its 2014 – 2015 season with their all new production “Broadway Blockbusters” running through April 26th. The musical tribute to the Great White Way will run on Sundays with the doors opening for dinner at 4:30 p.m. followed by the show at 6 p.m. This production features blockbusters as One Night in Bangkok, Nobody Does It Like Me, I Am Changing, Don’t Cry Out Loud and Love Changes Everything. Dinner Theatre Packages, which include a 3-course dinner, show ticket, tax and gratuity are $55 per person. Reservations are required with Visa, MasterCard or Discover by calling 772-252-9341.

Highlights – next week

Art Mundo presents Art on the Drive, a “Home is Where the Art is” fund raising event on Saturday, April 18th from 4 to 8 pm at Sue Dannahower’s Indian River Drive home. Enjoy a three course meal, which will include wine and beer, hors d’oeuvres, Italian buffet and homemade desserts. She has invited three area artists, Colleen Becht, Anita Prentice, and Ginny Piech Street, to host the tour of her collection. Tickets are $45 each and can be purchased at ArtMundo.org or by calling 772-466-1010.