For those fascinated by the unusual art of conch shell blowing, it’s that time of year again — time to pucker up and hone your “honking” skills on your favorite oceanic instrument, because Key West’s 55th annual Conch Shell Blowing Contest is coming up fast.
Even kids pucker up to compete in the quirky competition — like 3-year-old Oliver Stuardi, who was the youngest entrant in the 2015 “Conch Honk.” (Photo by Rob O’Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)
Granted, blowing a conch shell doesn’t exactly rank high as a symphonic accomplishment. Bands and orchestras are far more likely to have a tuba or piccolo section than a well-populated section of conch shell players.
But aficionados of the quirky form of musical expression tend to “trumpet” their fondness for it at every opportunity — and chief among those opportunities is the yearly competition in Key West. In fact, dozens of people from around the U.S. are expected to compete Saturday, March 4, in the infamous challenge.
Held at noon in the garden of the gorgeous Oldest House Museum at 322 Duval St., the offbeat contest celebrates Key West’s historic connection to the hardy sea mollusk. Blowing into the conchs’ fluted, pink-lined shells is a Key West tradition — because “conch horns” were used as signaling devices by early Native Americans, 19th-century seafarers, resident shipwreck salvagers and others who just liked raising a ruckus.
The Florida Keys proudly calls itself the Conch Republic — and the conch shell is featured on the republic’s royal blue flag.
Today the conch shell is known worldwide as the symbol of the Florida Keys and Key West. Native-born citizens proudly call themselves “conchs,” conch chowder and fritters are popular local dishes, and the Key West High School cheerleading team is the (you guessed it!) Conchettes.
Plus in 1982, believe it or not, the island chain staged a symbolic secession from the U.S. and proclaimed itself the independent Conch Republic. The republic’s royal blue flag features (what else?) a conch shell.
In other words, there are countless demonstrations of the Keys’ conch connection — but none is as flat-out hilarious as the Conch Shell Blowing Contest. Standing-room-only audiences have been known to howl with laughter as contestants pucker up, raise the shell to their lips and attempt to make music (or at least recognizable sounds).
Jayne Challman shows off the “pucker power” that earned her the 2016 women’s division championship. (Photo by Rob O’Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)
Entrants typically include men, women, kids and groups. Judges rate them on the quality, duration, loudness and novelty of the sounds they produce. And while most can only manage tuneless hoots or feeble squawks, a few surprise spectators by blowing lengthy blasts or even melodies.
In the 2016 contest, Delaware resident Jayne Challman performed a spirited excerpt from Aram Khachaturian’s “Sabre Dance,” astonishing the crowd and winning the women’s division.
Playing the trombone as a kid, she said, taught her the puckering and blowing techniques required for successful conch musicianship.
But she didn’t perfect her shell-playing skills just for fun. They also have a very practical application.
Eddie Webb blows a conch shell during the 2015 contest, taking top honors in the men’s division. (Photo by Rob O’Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)
“I have a tiki bar at home, and so when it’s time for happy hour, I let everybody know in the neighborhood — I give a happy hour blow on the conch shell,” Jayne explained.
Nicknamed the “Conch Honk” for obvious reasons, the wacky contest is presented each spring by the Old Island Restoration Foundation. This very worthy nonprofit organization is dedicated to preserving Key West’s fascinating architectural and cultural heritage.
As in the past, the 2017 contest is free to enter and watch. Aspiring shell musicians are advised to pucker their lips, practice, and turn up at the Oldest House Museum before noon March 4 — to vie for the fame and glory that await Key West’s new “conch honking” champions.
