At noon on New Year's Eve, don't miss the annual Key West Dachshund Walk -- a short stroll for long dogs that has become a beloved holiday tradition. Last year the wacky walk drew nearly 200 dachshunds, many of them sporting whimsical costumes or accessories as they trotted around Key West’s historic downtown area.
Celebrate New Year's Eve in Key West by watching beloved drag queen Sushi, perched in a super-sized red high-heel shoe, "drop" to famed Duval Street in a wacky takeoff on the Times Square ball drop. The Key West event marks its 20th anniversary this year -- and features celebrity guest host Austin Armacost, best known for Logo TV’s “The A-List.”
Despite the Florida Keys' subtropical climate, residents tend to go a little overboard with holiday decorations (for example, an inflatable 10-foot-tall reindeer perched atop a small houseboat!) and throw themselves gleefully into extended merrymaking. In fact, from Key Largo to Key West, the December calendar is packed with events designed to spread seasonal cheer.
Holiday festivities in the subtropical Florida Keys include everything from lighted boat and bicycle parades to tours of decorated historic inns, plays, seasonal concerts and much more — including an Islamorada celebration where merrymakers can frolic in a 30-ton mountain of actual snow!
The Florida Keys are rich in "mañana mindset," irreverent humor and unexpected joys. Now is a great time to discover and connect with the island chain and the spirit that defines it — and with the special Keys experiences that will make your senses tingle and your smile spread from ear to ear.
Who were the monarchs that reigned over Key West's 2017 Fantasy Fest celebration? "King" Paul Murphy, "Queen" Destiny Montgomery, "Duke" Bucky Montgomery and "Duchess" Vicki Hodgson — a royal family that earned their titles by raising more than $129,000 for the Florida Keys' AIDS Help organization!
Thousands of Jimmy Buffett's fervent "Parrot Head" fans are gathered in Key West, widely known as the cradle of Buffett’s creativity, to celebrate his music and the “Margaritaville mindset” it inspires. This “Keys Voices” column looks back at a surprise concert Jimmy performed during the Parrot Heads' visit in 2011 — and his spontaneous comments that revealed an undiminished affection for the island city.
Once the stone crab season began Oct. 15, the savory claws started starring on the menus of top Keys restaurants — triggering a virtual stampede of savvy seafood aficionados. That's because the claws contain sweet and scrumptious meat that’s among the Keys’ most popular (and deservedly famous) delicacies.
Key West’s renowned Fantasy Fest, scheduled Oct. 20-29, is more meaningful than ever this year. Why? Because it demonstrates Florida Keys residents’ spirit, resilience and determination to celebrate life and creativity -- even after Hurricane Irma’s unwelcome visit in early September.
A welcome sight lifted the spirits of many weary Florida Keys locals returning home in the weeks after Hurricane Irma’s Sept. 10 passage through the beloved island chain. That sight was “Fred," a salt-sprayed Australian pine tree that's growing out of a roadbed on the historic Old Seven Mile Bridge.