350 US Highway 1
Vero Beach, FL 32962

Tel. 772.794.0601
[email protected]

HOLIDAY NIGHTS OF LIGHTS-Tuesday, December 10 – Sunday, December 22 and Friday, December 27 – Sunday, December 29

HOLIDAY NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AT McKEE

Tuesday, December 10 through Sunday, December 22, and Friday, December 27 through Sunday, December 29 (6:00 to 8:00 pm).  The Garden will close at its regular time of 5:00 pm and will reopen for the evening events.

 

Enjoy the magic and joy of the holiday season with family and friends at McKee Botanical Garden during our Holiday Nights of Lights with extended nights this year. The Garden will be adorned with thousands of professionally-installed holiday LED lighting displays including:

 

  • A tunnel of lights with animation in the Garden entrance
  • Large illuminated spheres and an assortment of colorful animated trees in the main greeting area
  • Animated and colorful hanging spheres, meteors, starbursts, snowflakes, dripping icicle luminaries, spiral wrapped palm trees, and illuminated walkways and historical structures throughout the Garden.
  • McKee’s traditional large-scale model train and miniature holiday village
  • Garden and holiday-themed illuminated lanterns
  • Special holiday culinary treats from Sealantro at the Garden Café
  • Children can write a letter to Santa and visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus

 

General admission rates apply:  $15 Adults, $13 Seniors, $10 Children (2-12).  McKee members and children under 2 free.

(Note:  The Children’s Garden at McKee will not be open during our night events).

Photo by JPR Images

 

OCEAN SOLE SCULPTURE EXHIBITION

Beginning in November, the Garden will host its Ocean Sole Exhibition, which will be on display throughout the Garden from November 1, 2019 through May 31, 2020.  This exhibition features 40 brightly colored, whimsical hand-crafted marine species sculptures made from recycled flip flops that have washed upon the shores of Africa and were created by artisans from Ocean Sole located in Kenya. “This exhibit invites you to explore and truly understand some of the creatures that live beneath the sea and the many ways we can become involved in conservation and help to preserve the beautiful waterways that are so important to us all,” said Christine Hobart, Executive Director.

 

The story of each sculpture begins as a flip flop on someone’s feet, which is later discarded and ultimately ends up in our earth’s waterways, landfills and oceans. The artists collect, clean, compress and carve it into beautiful art. The sculptures are made from upcycled EVA rubber flip flops, contact adhesive glue, and in some of the larger sculptures, recycled styrofoam and wire. The exhibition will include turtles, dolphins, crabs, a great white shark, seahorses, an octopus, reef fish, starfish, stingrays, a manatee and a dragonfly.

 

Ocean Sole’s mission is to turn flip flop pollution into inspiring art to promote conservation and create employment. Their focus is 100% on conservation entrepreneurship. Ocean Sole positively impacts over 1,000 Kenyans through the collection of flip flops and direct employment. Their masterpieces create employment for a country that has 40% unemployment, but also sends a message about how we can help our planet, our oceans and people. Revenue generated from the sale of these sculptures helps clean up the beaches, provide vocational and educational programs to Kenyans, and supports conservation efforts. Over 80% of land waste ends up in our seas, impacting both human and marine life. Recycling efforts on the East African coast have made significant improvements to the environment and the quality of life within the areas which Ocean Sole operates and impacts.