LOOE KEY, Florida Keys — The Lower Florida Keys’ vibrant underwater world is set to transform into a one-of-a-kind concert venue during the 41st annual Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival, taking place Saturday, July 12, at the iconic Looe Key Reef.
This immersive experience invites divers and snorkelers to dive into a whimsical undersea soundscape where marine melodies meet conservation messaging — all beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., guests can swim among colorful coral formations and tropical fish while listening to ocean-themed music broadcast underwater via speakers suspended from boats.
Songs like Jimmy Buffett’s “Fins” and “A Pirate Looks at 40,” The Beatles’ “Octopus’s Garden,” and The Little Mermaid soundtrack are just a few of the fin-tastic favorites that often surface on the playlist, courtesy of US1 104.1 FM.
Adding to the aquatic spectacle? Costumed mermaids, sea creatures, and “submerged musicians” pantomiming along with whimsical instruments in a surreal underwater jam session.
The musical merriment has a serious side, too: it’s all about promoting coral reef preservation. Interspersed between tunes are eco-friendly dive tips, from using mooring buoys and avoiding contact with coral to understanding why reefs are known as “the rainforests of the sea” for their incredible biodiversity.
The festivities begin the evening before with a free welcome party on Friday, July 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Mote Marine Laboratory’s Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration on Summerland Key. Guests can tour the state-of-the-art facility and learn about groundbreaking coral cultivation and reef restoration efforts from the experts helping bring Florida’s reefs back to life.
The festival is presented by the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce and US1 Radio, and held at Looe Key Reef, part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary — a protected area located about six miles south of Big Pine Key that’s home to the continental U.S.’s only living coral barrier reef.
Want to be part of this only-in-the-Keys tradition? You can book a seat with local dive and snorkel charters or launch your own boat from area ramps and marinas. Costumes encouraged. Reef respect required. Fun guaranteed.
Book a dive/snorkel charter:
visitfloridakeys.com/lower-keys/diving