This summer, Duval Street in Key West gives way to restaurants and chefs serving fresh lobster straight to diners on the street. It all builds toward a large stage at the intersection of Greene Street, where popular acts rock out before thousands of music and seafood lovers.
Admission to all the Key West Lobster Fest entertainment this August is, of course, free, with attendees having the option to purchase any of the dishes prepared right in front of them. Attendees can also sign up for additional pub crawls, visit at least 12 venues offering official drink specials, and purchase an official Key West Lobster Fest souvenir T-shirt. Add to this the signature lobster chilao contest, which arguably started it all, a lobster boil at the Porter Mansion, a brunch and farewell party, and suddenly you have what feels like a whole month dedicated to the most avid lobstermen and seafood enthusiasts.
The event’s show manager, Erik Adams, previously worked at Rick’s and Durty Harry’s Entertainment Complex, the original site of Key West Lobster Fest. Following his role there, Adams assumed management of the event, which, apart from a hiatus last year, has grown into one of Key West’s most attended summer affairs.
Adams confirmed the rumored origin story and friendly cook-off that jump-started the whole festival. As he tells it, the owner of Rick’s and Durty Harry’s was one of the people presenting a recipe, alongside a local liquor representative who brought his family’s recipe. They were joined by a couple of other people, mostly friends and acquaintances. At the informal gathering in the early 2000s, each participant cooked a batch of lobster chilao, a tomato-based stew. Bar patrons then sampled the dishes and voiced their preferences for a winner.
Shortly after a discussion arose over who made the best lobster chilao, those involved realized there was a deep passion for lobster on the island and perhaps an opportunity to build a bigger attraction around the start of lobster season in the middle of summer. This would have the added benefit of not only settling future cook-offs, but also throwing a great big party for the public during a traditionally slower time, when rooms for tourists would be relatively cheaper and lobster would be plentiful.
Growing up, Adams was able to visit the Keys, where one of his parents’ favorite pastimes was catching lobster.
“That was my first experience with the Keys—with lobster. It was a significant part of it. Anytime we came, we went hunting for lobster. So eventually, when I moved down here, it was perfectly natural. The Keys are synonymous with lobster for me,” he said.
Given that many visitors are perhaps more familiar with Maine lobster, they might wonder, ahead of their first time fishing in local waters or trying catches from South Florida, what exactly sets the personality and flavor of Keys spiny lobster apart from the rest. Adams, for one, thinks that beyond the obvious physical differences, the taste might hook you just as much as its more northern counterpart.
Learn more about Key West Lobsterfest, Aug. 5–9, at keywestlobsterfest.com.
