Key West comes alive with the nationally recognized Mile 0 Fest that brings Red Dirt and Americana music to iconic venues across the island. This has rapidly become a huge draw for tourists, selling an overwhelming majority of tickets to visitors. The festival is produced by Mako Moco, which puts on shows year-round in other states.
When Mile 0’s founder, Kyle Carter, first had the idea to create this event, he knew it needed to be done in the winter, but naturally, somewhere warm. Key West was an immediate contender. A destination that would prove all the more attractive when one considers that Carter is a "parrothead" or follower of the musician Jimmy Buffett.
"I always wanted to be in Key West," Carter said. "I always wanted to do all the things that Jimmy wrote about. I wanted to go to all the places that he sang about. And so, it was just a natural first, let me go check it out."
Many of Carter's visits coincided with the construction of the Coffee Butler Amphitheater in Truman Waterfront. The inaugural edition of Mile 0 Fest would be one of the first major events to debut at the amphitheater.
These days, strategically utilizing several venues across the island, including the widely attended Duval Street concerts, pushed the idea and results of annual Red Dirt and Americana performances in Key West to the front of islanders' and tourists' minds. Mile 0 even received the distinction of USA Today's Readers' Choice 2025 Best Musical Festival.
The lineup for this next edition includes Cross Canadian Ragweed, Stephen Wilson Jr., Randy Rogers Band, Shane Smith & The Saints, Paul Cauthen, Kaitlin Butts, Casey Donahew, Stoney Larue, American Aquarium, Cody Canada & The Departed, Silverada, and dozens more award-winning artists.
As the genres of Red Dirt and Americana surge in popularity, bigger agencies and management companies are signing these bands, which makes for a richer pool of talent for festival bookers to consider. Carter and his team maintain relationships with these organizations and approach them each year to find out who the notable acts are.
Take the Red Clay Strays, who Carter described as one of the hottest bands in the country right now. Four years ago, he had the band planted at Smokin' Tuna in front of a couple hundred people. Now, that same band sells hundreds of thousands of tickets.
"And so, it's exciting. It's exciting to be in those early stages," Carter explained. The fans love that. "They know that each year they're going to meet a new band that's their new favorite band, and then they go see them become an act that can no longer play in Key West. They're playing stadiums. It's exciting."
Mile 0 Fest
JAN 27-31
