No matter when you land in the Florida Keys, there’s bound to be some kind of special event going on, be it a seafood fest, art walk, boating regatta, fishing tournament or outdoor (and underwater) concert. And when you’re talking about occasions that epitomize the ebullient, offbeat and sometimes wacky spirit of the Keys, you’re probably talking about the cheerfully eccentric town of Key West, where events range from serious literary festivals to quirky affairs involving tutu-wearing runners.
Here’s a peek at some of the happenings; for a complete list, go to www.fla-keys.com/calendarofevents.
- Celebrating its 34th anniversary this past April, the Conch Republic Independence Celebration commemorates the island’s temporary “secession” from the rest of the country in 1982 with parades and parties galore in Key West—including a bed race—and a mock battle at sea.
- Hundreds of boats converge at Looe Key in July during the Underwater Music Festival, an acclaimed submerged songfest that is broadcast worldwide and emphasizes reef preservation.
- Honoring one of the Keys’ most famed residents, Hemingway Days ushers in a Running of the Bulls, a short-story competition, a fishing tournament, a “Papa” Hemingway look-alike contest and a birthday blowout to Key West every July.
- Every October, the annual Humphrey Bogart Film Festival in Key Largo screens a rotating selection of Bogie classics and is hosted by the screen legend’s son, Stephen Bogart.
- Fantasy Fest is 10 days of revelry, including masquerade competitions—even one for pets—a Goombay Festival and a grand parade down Key West’s Duval Street, with glittering floats and spectacular costumes. The theme of the 37th edition this October? “Political Voodoo and Ballot-Box Barbarians.”
