Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia’s love for the ocean has given way to a yearly gathering in Key West that raises awareness and funds for marine sciences.

The Annual Jerry Garcia Birthday Bash is hosted at the Green Parrot and features live music and tributes to the storied musician who worked to protect coral reefs.  

The event’s beneficiary is the nonprofit Reef Relief, which focuses on ocean conservation and marine science education, reaching tens of thousands of students in the process. 

Students and other parties have been invited out to sea to develop firsthand experiences, often at little to no costs as expenses are subsidized by the nonprofit. Part of the organization’s conservation efforts focuses on the removal of waste and improper materials from the ocean. 

But how did the late Grateful Dead member become tied to this Key West affair?

Mill McCleary, executive director at Reef Relief, said that the connection can be traced to when the organization’s founders Craig and DeeVon Quirolo worked with Grateful Dead band member Bob Weir (an honorary board member) and Wendy Weir, fellow conservationists. The Weirs drafted a coral reef guide for teachers through their foundation, which included numerous lessons and activities for educators. They partnered with Reef Relief to create these teachers’ guides. 

Around a decade ago, McCleary received a call from Garcia’s widow and daughter, Manasha and Keelin Garcia. 

McCleary was blown away. “I was a huge Grateful Dead fan to begin with. And so, I’m talking to them and they said they were thrilled.”

Recent developments in Garcia’s estate meant that those family members were now free to designate Reef Relief as the first ocean organization for their foundation to support. The family sent McCleary some prints done by Garcia, who worked with ink and watercolors. That was when the executive director got the idea to reach out to Green Parrot and build an annual event around the musician’s legacy. 

The summertime bash continues to grow, making it Reef Relief’s biggest fundraiser. Partnering with the Grateful Diver to secure band-related merchandise and Green Parrot, provide major sources of support in addition to the businesses and individuals who donate various items for prizes and auctions.

“It’s really a big community partnership to benefit our mission,” McCleary said. “And it all started way back with our relationships with the Grateful Dead on those various levels.”

Jerry Garcia Birthday Bash
July 31 at 5 p.m.
Green Parrot
ReefRelief.org