The Florida Keys are putting Earth Day in the spotlight with activities on and around April 22, the globally commemorated “birthday” of the modern environmental movement. Of course, every day is a reason to celebrate the beauty of the planet in the Keys, home to spectacular natural wonders on both land and sea.
In most places, beds are reserved for sleeping or amorous activities. But not in the Florida Keys’ colorful Conch Republic — where, on a Saturday afternoon in late April each year, beds on wheels are propelled by teams of strange bedfellows along Key West’s Duval Street in the Conch Republic Blue Ribbon Bed Race.
Maybe chart-topping rock stars aren’t abandoning their guitars to play the conch shell. But that’s okay — because the “pucker pros” playing pink-lined shells were treated like rock stars at Key West’s recent Conch Shell Blowing Contest. The event saluted the Florida Keys’ seafaring heritage and centuries-old use of the “conch horn” for signaling.
The Lower Keys are so well known as a stargazer’s paradise that, for four decades, the tranquil region has been the site of an exclusive gathering called the Winter Star Party — a gathering beside the Atlantic Ocean that provides an unparalleled opportunity for astronomers and enthusiasts. This year, it’s set for Feb. 5-11.
Want to get 2024 off to a memorable start? Then plan to savor sunshine and stellar talents at three Key West music festivals set for January and early February — featuring current and classic icons of the hard rock, Red Dirt/Americana and country/pop genres performing outdoors in the island’s typically balmy “winter” weather.
Instead of celebrating the lead-up to Santa’s Dec. 25 arrival by bestowing daily gifts (as suggested in “The Twelve Days of Christmas”), consider celebrating with experiences. Florida Keys experiences, to be exact — because the island chain’s December calendar is packed with creative, colorful and heartwarming events designed to spark smiles and lasting memories.
Every year, many thousands of visitors flock to the Florida Keys & Key West — the continental United States’ southernmost island chain — to celebrate life and its milestones. With sunrise on one side of the islands and sunset on the other, the Keys are an ideal place to romance, celebrate and share memorable moments.
Incredible as it may seem, ’tis the season to be jolly — despite Christmas still being weeks away. But in the celebration-loving Florida Keys, mid-November brings the first stirrings of holiday spirit. So there are plenty of festivities coming up, ranging from traditional to offbeat (and all, of course, with a unique island twist).
Stone crab claws offer sweet and scrumptious meat that’s among the Florida Keys’ most popular delicacies. Once the stone crab harvest season begins each Oct. 15, the savory claws appear prominently on Keys restaurant menus — triggering a veritable stampede of eager seafood fans. There’s even an annual Stone Crab Eating Contest in November.
Fans of the Florida Keys’ quirky creativity and whimsical spirit can celebrate both —and the island chain’s 200th anniversary — during Key West’s eagerly anticipated Fantasy Fest. The fabulous costuming and masking festival is scheduled Oct. 20-29, with a jam-packed schedule that includes masquerade balls, costume competitions, glamorous galas and a spectacular grand parade.