title iconBest Bets: Contestant from 'America's Got Talent performs in Cocoa Beach with sister

Performers from 'America's Got Talent will be in Cocoa Beach


There are some families with all the talent. The 14-year-old singer and multi-instrumentalist Jacob Velazquez has already established himself on the road to stardom after appearing in "America's Got Talent," but now his younger sister Skylar is also getting recognition.

Presented by Space Coast Symphony, the Jake n' Sky Show will take place at Riverside Presbyterian Church on Saturday, Aug. 6, at 7 p.m., 3400 South Atlantic Avenue, Cocoa Beach.

The singer has appeared on "Good Morning America," "The View" and "The Steve Harvey Show" and performed with Harry Connick Jr., Andrea Bocelli, and Kenny G., as well as Gloria and Emilio Estefan.

Since his debut with the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra at eight years old, he has headlined many orchestras and performed solo concerts around the world.

A form of autism was diagnosed in Jacob at the age of 4 and he has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charitable organizations. Occupational, speech, and physical therapy have been part of Skylar's therapy since she was a young child.

In Boston, the Doug Flutie Foundation recently honored the duo with the Spectrum Family Hope Award. SpaceCoastSymphony.org sells tickets for the Jake n' Sky Show. We suggest a donation of $10 to $20 per attendee.

A popular request

There will be a family-friendly concert by the Melbourne Municipal Band at the Melbourne Auditorium, 625 E. Hebridean Blvd., on Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 10-11, at 6:30 p.m. The event will offer a picnic dinner, or you can purchase snacks and drinks there. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted. Free admission is available.

There will be auditions for the mystery play 'Dr. 'Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' will take place at Melbourne Civic Theatre, 817 South Strawbridge Avenue, Melbourne, at 7 p.m. from Sunday, August 7 to Monday, August 8.

A total of 4 men and 2 women are available for the roles. Cast members portray multiple Hydes in this new adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of depravity, lust, love, and horror. The production runs from Oct. 7 to Nov. 13.  A comedy called 'Glorious!' will be auditioned at Surfside Playhouse, 301 Ramp Road, Cocoa Beach.

At 7 p.m. on Aug. 7 and 8, "the True Story of Florence Foster Jenkins, the Worst Singer in the World" will be presented.  It was Florence Foster Jenkins who was the most sought-after performer in 1940s New York. The audition will consist of readings from the script. It is not necessary to have any prior experience. Sept. 16 through Oct. 7 are the performance dates.

Every month on the first Sunday at 1 p.m., Satellite Beach provides transportation to and from Samsons Island conservation area and nature park. In the Banana River, Samsons Island is a 52-acre passive nature island open from dawn to dusk. Reservations for the boat shuttle are required due to increased popularity and limited availability. 

In Merritt Island, Kiwanis Island Park will screen the live-action, Disney movie 'Mulan' (PG-13) on Friday, Aug. 5, at 8:30 p.m. Please bring lawn chairs or blankets. Free admission is available. It is possible that the event will be canceled if there is severe weather.

On Friday, Aug. 12, McLarty Park Aquatic Center will show the movie Clifford the Big Red Dog (PG). The swimming begins at 6 p.m., and the movie starts at 9 p.m. Swimming costs $4, and watching the movie is free. Please bring lawn chairs or blankets. It is prohibited to bring your own flotation device, but we will provide you with tubes. In the event of severe weather, the event may be canceled.

The opening reception for the August exhibition of Doug Gilbert's works will take place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 5. 1429 Highland Ave. is at the center of the Eau Gallie Arts District. 

Gilbert earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Hofstra University in New York City. During his career as a technical illustrator for major textbook publishers and a computer programmer, he produced a body of paintings and drawings that have been exhibited throughout the United States and Europe.

As an artist, he maintains studios in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, as well as Melbourne, Australia. His vibrant, colorful paintings are influenced by Gorky, Miro, and Kandinsky, as well as urban graffiti art and psychedelic poster art of the 1960s and 1970s. At the end of August, Gilbert's show will close.


Fifth Avenue Art Gallery's August exhibition, "Textile Trends," opens Friday, Aug. 5, with a free reception from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. It showcases fiber artists' talents and efforts as they weave, sew, felt, quilt, knit, etc. The show runs until the end of the month. In the Eau Gallie Arts District, the gallery is at 1470 Highland Ave. 

In August, two of Brevard's oldest and most historic homes are open for tours. At 1219 Rockledge Drive, Rockledge, Lawndale, an 1880 pioneer homestead, will be open to the public from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, August 6. The cost of admission is $0.13. Live as the residents of the late 1800s did. In the fully furnished home, you will see the life of a family in 1895. 

On Oct. 15, the Friends of Lawndale will host an event celebrating bluegrass at Burton Smith Park in Cocoa. On Aug. 6, 13, 20, and 27, Green Gables will offer tours of its historic Riverview Village home and expansive lagoon-front grounds. In the area's history, Green Gables represents a period of Queen Anne architecture that lasted 126 years.

$0.13  per guest helps with the rehabilitation and restoration of one of Melbourne's most important pioneer homes. There is a home at 1501 S. Harbour City Boulevard in Melbourne. View director Jennifer East's award-winning film "The Forgotten Enchantress" on the property at greengables.org.


It's back-to-school time at Avenue Viera with a DJ dance party from 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 6, at Central Park, between Panera Bread and Pizza Gallery. There is also face painting, family activities, and exhibitors, as well as extracurricular activities at gyms, karate studios, and dance studios. Free admission is available. 

Central Park at The Avenue is expanding complementary workouts as well. Burn Boot Camp Viera offers programs at 8:30 a.m. on Mondays, Son-Rise Yoga at 8 a.m. on Mondays, F45 Training Viera at 9:30 a.m. on Thursdays, as well as FIT4MOM Space Coast on Fridays.

During Burn Boot Camp, you will engage in muscle-building strength training and heart-racing cardio exercises. During Son Rise yoga classes, students of all abilities can enjoy quiet time and mindful stretching. Designed specifically for full-body fitness, F45 Viera improves energy levels, metabolic rate, strength, and endurance. 

With fitness classes and a network of moms to support every stage of motherhood, FIT4MOM is the nation's leading prenatal and postnatal fitness program. All children are welcome, but children younger than 4 must stay in strollers. Feel free to contact Daisy Pickett at dpickett@poagllc.com or join the Fun Fit at The Avenue Facebook group.

A show featuring Alfie Silva and friends from Nashville will be presented at The Tangiers, 4500 Dixie Highway, Unit 1A, Palm Bay on Saturday, Aug. 13 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 14 at 2 p.m.The band will perform classics by Patsy Cline, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Buck Owens, and more.


Source: Florida Today