Key West Concert and Drone ‘Fireworks’ to Launch Florida Keys’ 200th Birthday
Celebrate the bicentennial of the subtropical Florida Keys island chain throughout 2023, starting with the “200 Years of Paradise Kick-off Concert” and dazzling drone show Saturday, March 25, in Key West. Events salute the 200th anniversary of the Florida legislature’s founding of Monroe County, which contains the entire Keys, on July 3, 1823.
Explore Keys National Parks During Park Service’s 100th Birthday
The United States’ National Park Service celebrates its 100th birthday in 2016. And if you’re visiting the Florida Keys, you have a great opportunity to learn, discover and be inspired by two national parks that can be reached from the island chain.
Offbeat ‘Zero K’ Race is MOO-ving Experience
While some runners push themselves to race long and grueling distances, participants in one recent Florida Keys challenge did the exact opposite. About 1,400 “athletes” who didn’t want to break a sweat romped, strolled and ambled across the Florida Keys’ shortest bridge (spanning mere feet!) during April’s Cow Key Channel Bridge Run.
Long Live the Kings and Queens of Fantasy Fest
In Key West, festivals are staged every month, celebrating everything from mouthwatering Key lime pie and succulent Florida lobster to Gay Pride. And one event, the campaign for Fantasy Fest king and queen, is a fundraiser that's important to the entire community.
Close Encounters with Ben Daughtry
Ben Daughtry’s passion for creating educational experiences in marine conservation led him to open Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters — where visitors can enjoy immersive experiences with reef fish, invertebrates, stingrays and even sharks without entering the ocean.
History and Humor Define April’s Conch Republic Independence Celebration
Loaves of stale Cuban bread, a governmental border checkpoint, and a request for a billion dollars in foreign aid played major roles in the Florida Keys’ secession from the United States and the formation of the independent Conch Republic.
Key West Loves its Tea Dance
The sidewalk was vibrating under my feet as I walked down Catherine Street to La Te Da, the famous guesthouse on Upper Duval that hosts our traditional Tea Dance every Sunday evening.