The readers of "The Out Traveler" and OutTraveler.com have named Key West their favorite gay resort town.

Via a survey at OutTraveler.com, national and international readers voted for their favorite domestic and foreign cities, events, cruise and tour operators, accommodations, airlines and more. The results of the Readers' Choice Awards were announced in the winter 2006 issue of "The Out Traveler" print and on-line editions.

The article lauding winners, written by the publications' editors, reads in part, "Rumors of Key West's demise as a gay destination have been greatly exaggerated. The only thing straight about Key West is the elevated approach to the island city along U.S. 1."

Key West beat Provincetown, Mass., voted second-favorite resort town, and third-favorite Palm Springs, Calif.

In other award categories, Key West's Island House was named the favorite gay resort. Big Ruby's, also of Key West, earned second place in the gay resort category.

Balmy year-round temperatures and plentiful sunshine characterize the accepting island of Key West. Special events abound during upcoming months, so check out these highlights.

Feb. 4-12: 16th Annual Kelly McGillis Classic International Girls' and Women's Flag Football Cham- pionship. Teams of women and girls from the U.S. and around the world are to compete in hard-fought championship play, which typically includes more than 60 games and a variety of social events. Visit www.iwffa.com.

March-April: Gay Spring Break. Celebrate spring break in the island city that prizes diversity and openness. The schedule is to include dance and beach parties, drag shows, gay snorkeling trips, men-only and women-only galas, a street dance party and nonstop fun in the sun. Event passes and discount packages are available for students. Visit www.gayspringbreak.org.

April 12-15: Tropical Heat Key West. Events during this long weekend of gay and lesbian adult fun typically range from on-the-water adventures to parties at island clubs. All-admission passes and individual event admission are to be available. Visit www.tropicalheatkeywest.com.

For more Key West events and information, visit www.fla-keys.com or the Key West Business Guild Web site at www.gaykeywestfl.com.

Cultural events in Key West range from prestigious art exhibitions to theatrical and musical performances featuring world-class talent.

The Key West Symphony is entering its ninth season with concerts performed by more than 80 of the United States' premier classical musicians.

The symphony's master series con- certs are slated for 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday Dec. 8-9, Jan. 26-27 and April 13-14 at the Tennessee Williams Theatre, 5901 W. College Road.

Tickets can be purchased on-line at www.keystix.com. For information, visit www.keywestsymphony.com or call (305) 292-1774.

Aficionados of the visual arts can explore Sculpture Key West, a prestigious annual exhibition of large-scale contemporary sculptures set against three Civil War-era forts.

The exhibits are to open Sunday, Jan. 14, at West Martello Tower and Fort East Martello; the display in the state park surrounding Fort Zachary Taylor is to debut Sunday, Feb. 25. Sculpture Key West is to continue through Saturday, April 14.

For information, visit www.sculpture- keywest.com or call (305) 295-3800.

or viewers of CNN's annual New Year's Eve program anchored by Anderson Cooper, "sushi" doesn't mean a tasty Japanese morsel served with spicy wasabi.

Instead, it refers to a spicy Key West drag queen. For the past three years, the elegant Sushi has traded on-air New Year's Eve banter with Cooper and CNN correspondent John Zarrella — while perched in a six-foot red high heel suspended above the island city's Duval Street.

This coming New Year's Eve will mark the 10th consecutive year that Sushi, whose real name is Gary Marion, is to star in the festivities at the Bourbon Street Pub/New Orleans House complex, 724 Duval St.

Seconds before midnight, the high heel bearing a lavishly gowned and coiffed Sushi is to be lowered from the second-story balcony of the complex toward the cheering crowds below. As midnight strikes and 2007 officially begins, she will land and pop the cork on a ceremonial bottle of champagne.

These "shoe-nanigans" are just one high-profile outlet for the multitalented Sushi. A Key West resident for more than a decade, she's also the leader of an acclaimed troupe of drag performers, called the 801 Girls. In addition, Sushi is a skilled costume designer. She has created costumes for Keys theatrical productions including "Flamingo Follies," "When Pigs Fly," "Pageant" and "Whoop De Doo."

But it's her role as a New Year's Eve icon that has earned Sushi the most widespread fame. For starring in the island city's "drag queen drop" — the gay community's offbeat answer to New York City's traditional New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square — she has even appeared in "The New York Times."

"I never thought, growing up, that I'd be on television in a giant red heel," confessed Sushi. "That's not something that a young kid aspires to. But I'm so thankful that we live in a country that lets us do whatever we want to do as long as we don't hurt anybody else."

For more information, visit www.801bourbon.com.

ith Key West's year-round subtropical climate, daytime entertainment often centers around swimming and sunning, either at private properties' pools or beaches, or at popular public spots like the beach at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park.

Those seeking lively on-the-water activities can explore the only living coral barrier reef in North America, which lies just seven miles offshore and is teeming with vivid-hued tropical fish and fantastic coral formations. Exceptional underwater visibility makes the area a paradise for divers and snorkelers.

Snorkel and scuba excursions are plentiful, with instruction available for novices. Several vessels — among them powerboats, party boats, sailboats and historic schooners — offer specifically gay trips. Some trips are even clothing optional.

Other water adventures include kayaking the backcountry shallows to observe wading shore birds, gliding schools of fish and the abundant life of the mangrove ecosystem. Dolphin watching excursions also are offered, introducing passengers to the friendly mammals on their own terms and in their own habitat.

And no visit to Key West would be complete without taking a romantic sunset cruise — listening to the creak of the rigging as the tropical sun descends beneath the horizon in a blaze of vivid orange and pink. Several sunset cruises cater exclusively to gay and lesbian visitors.

Blu Q Catamarans, Key West's only gay-owned and operated sailing catamaran, offers snorkeling and sunset, kayaking and backcountry trips daily; Venus Charters, lesbian owned and operated, offers daily women-only snorkel, dolphin watch, fishing and sunset cruises.

Key West's Fury Water Adventures has recently debuted an action-packed all-day gay and lesbian excursion each Wednesday that includes reef snorkeling and hours of water fun at Fury's "floating island" — with options such as parasailing, kayaking, jet-skiing, sunbathing, water trampoline and rock climbing.