Runners and walkers of all ages can compete in a scenic bridge race Saturday, Dec. 7, high above the Upper Florida Keys and the southeastern edge of the Florida Everglades.
The 14th annual First State Bank Key Largo Bridge Run offers stunning land and water vistas and a physical challenge in the Keys’ typically balmy December conditions.
The timed 5k run/walk is to start and end on the access road to Anchorage Resort and Yacht Club, just off the Jewfish Creek Bridge. Runners and walkers are to travel back and forth across the 65-foot-high bridge, considered the entryway to the Florida Keys, that is part of the Overseas Highway connecting mainland South Florida to Key Largo.
More than 75 films, many with Florida ties and themes, await cinema buffs Nov. 13-17 during the annual Key West Film Festival. Offerings include “Men of War” by Miami filmmaker Billy Corbin, “The Salt Cured Life,” featuring Key West rum entrepreneur Paul Menta; and “The Room Next Door,” Pedro Almodovar’s first English-language film.
Once a new diver experiences floating through an enchanting undersea world populated by bright-hued fish, sea fans and coral — all without having to surface to take a breath — he or she is often hooked on the sport of diving for life. And what better place to learn to dive than the Florida Keys?
Angling teams can vie for victory by targeting bonefish, permit and barracuda during the annual Sugarloaf Showdown set for Nov. 14-16. Presented by the Lower Keys Guides Association, the catch-and-release challenge is a fundraiser for the Florida Keys Guides Trust Foundation, which benefits inshore fishing guides, their communities and the Keys’ fishery.
When Isis and Tony Wright moved to the Florida Keys 10 years ago, a career in the restaurant industry was not on their radar — but today, they own the three-location Italian Food Company and are opening a new restaurant called Lido 73. Where does this talented couple like to dine, explore and relax?
Audiences can discover the Florida Keys’ seafaring heritage, coral reef environment and holiday spirit during eight performances of “Nutcracker Key West.” Debuting Dec. 5, the production gives the classic ballet a unique twist, transforming the well-loved tale of a young girl’s dream into a celebration of Key West’s culture, traditions and underwater wonders.
Spencer Slate, who owns Captain Slate’s SCUBA Adventures in the Upper Florida Keys, grew up watching television’s iconic “Sea Hunt” and today believes every diver is an ecologist. Inducted into the International SCUBA Diving Hall of Fame in 2004, he encourages people to be watch-keepers who help preserve and protect the world’s oceans.
The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary contains a fascinating trail of shipwrecks — including the Benwood, a merchant marine freighter that sank in 1942 and lies in about 35 feet of water off Key Largo. This video by Frazier Nivens spotlights the fish-filled wreck that’s a good choice for novice divers and snorkelers.
