Divers and ocean enthusiasts can celebrate the 20th “sink anniversary” of the third-largest vessel ever intentionally scuttled to become an artificial reef — the retired 510-foot Navy Landing Ship Dock Spiegel Grove, which lies off Key Largo — with events May 15-17 and a contest to win a Keys trip to dive the famous wreck.
It’s revered as legendary author Ernest Hemingway’s 1930s hangout. Known as the 1981 birthplace of the internationally renowned Hemingway® Look-Alike Contest. Famed as must-see stop for visitors to Key West. And on May 5, 2022, Sloppy Joe’s Bar marks 85 years at its iconic home at the corner of Duval and Greene streets.
In April 1982, the Florida Keys symbolically “seceded” from the United States and were reborn as the independent Conch Republic. Today the republic is internationally acclaimed as the Keys’ irreverent alter ego — and this month, the 40th annual Conch Republic Independence Celebration commemorates the historic action with a roster of rollicking events.
Few people visit the Florida Keys without sampling a few pieces of Key lime pie, renowned as the island chain’s signature dessert. Millions of slices of the tart, creamy treat — voted the official pie of Florida by the state legislature in 2006 (yes, really!) — are savored every year by Keys visitors and locals.
Encouraging actions that support the environment is a vital element of the Florida Keys’ commitment to protecting the island chain’s natural resources. And from Big Pine Key to Key West, visitors can find a wide variety of positive environmental activities and attractions that illustrate how to share that commitment — while making lasting memories.
Key West is gloriously, outrageously abnormal — a place where wild chickens roam the streets and nobody thinks it’s strange to spot grown men dressed like Darth Vader or Marilyn Monroe. In this quirky haven, dogs ride happily in bicycle baskets, creativity and diversity flourish, and “street performer” and “treasure hunter” are legitimate occupations.
In Key West each April, “drag racing” takes on a whole new meaning — as exotic drag queens don quirky sporting attire, lavish wigs and towering high heels to vie for victory in the Conch Republic Drag Race. The offbeat competition is scheduled April 16 on Duval Street (appropriately dubbed Key West’s “main drag”).
The southernmost point of the continental United States, and the last “key” in the string of Florida Keys, Key West is a tiny equator-kisser island at the very tip of Florida. Guest blogger Reagan Fountain offers insightful thoughts on why the island oasis is widely regarded as “nothing short of a subtropical paradise.”
Many Florida Keys “locals” have created satisfying lives close to nature and far from “real world” pressures. But you don’t have to be a resident to share some elements that make Keys life so happily addictive — as long as you’re willing to explore, experience and appreciate the places, people and moments you encounter.
Key West’s 40th annual Conch Republic Blue Ribbon Bed Race is scheduled to “blanket” the island’s famed Duval Street April 23. The zany event, billed as “the most fun you can have in bed with your clothes on,” features decorated beds on wheels that are propelled along Duval by teams of costumed runners.