Hemingway 5k Sunset Run and Paddleboard Race to Draw Athletes to Key West

KEY WEST, Florida Keys — Racers can compete on foot or on paddleboards during two Key West challenges that commemorate Ernest Hemingway’s exuberant outdoor lifestyle and passion for sporting pursuits. 

Set for Saturday, July 20, the nationally acclaimed Hemingway 5k Sunset Run and Paddleboard Race is a traditional part of Key West’s annual Hemingway Days celebration. Hemingway Days takes place Tuesday through Sunday, July 16-21, saluting the life and work of the author who lived and wrote on the island in the 1930s. 

“The Hemingway 5k is now in its 35th anniversary year and it’s the oldest ongoing race in Key West,” said event organizer Barbara Wright. “We typically have up to 800 competitors.”

Race registration and packet pickup are scheduled for 3-7 p.m. Saturday outside Key West’s Southernmost Beach Café, 1405 Duval St. 

The Paddleboard Race is to kick off at 5:30 p.m. at the island city’s Higgs Beach, 1000 Atlantic Blvd. on the Atlantic Ocean. The 3-mile ocean course begins and ends at the beach.

The 5k run/walk is to begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Southernmost Point in the continental United States, located beside the Atlantic at Whitehead and South streets. Participants travel a fast, flat 3.1-mile course through Key West’s historic Old Town past landmarks including the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum. 

A post-race awards party is scheduled on the beach beside the Southernmost Beach Café with food, libations and raffles. Entertainment is to be provided by steel drum player Van Bertie. 

Awards in the 5k await the top three male and female overall finishers, top three male and female masters and top male and female finishers in age categories ranging from 9 and under to 75 and older. For paddleboard racers, awards are to be presented to the first- through third-place male and female finishers in two board categories.

Events surrounding the 5k and paddle challenge include the Hemingway Rum Stroll and fun-filled Beach N’ Beer Mile, both set for Sunday, July 21 — the 125th anniversary of Ernest Hemingway’s birth.  

Runners, walkers and paddleboard enthusiasts can register for the races online at keywesthalfmarathon.com/hemingway-event-details/. Virtual participation options are available for those who can’t be in Key West. 

The entry fee for the 5k is $61 per person, as is the fee for the paddleboard race, through June 30. Fees are $65 per person after that date. Athletes who register for both challenges receive a 10% discount on their second event. Military and local discounts are available as well. 

Race information: keywesthalfmarathon.com/hemingway-event-details/