Key West

As repeat visitors have come to know, there is a party in Key West for just about anyone. Adorable pets in costumes strutting before a live audience? That’s the pet masquerade. Into skulls, monsters, and Day of the Dead tributes? Check out the Zombie Bike Ride. Colorful floats with enough hurled beads to trigger Mardi Gras flashbacks? Watch the Fantasy Fest parade.

Each year, a red carpet of sorts is rolled out for a handful of islanders and contestants vying to be the latest duo inducted to Key West’s longstanding “royals.” Specifically, in a town filled with noted personalities and artists, candidates hope to become the reigning “King” or “Queen” by raising the most money for charity. These days, that charitable beneficiary is the Florida Keys SPCA.

Key West never tires in its constant push to see islanders and visitors take to the town in absurd, sexy, and often wildly imaginative looks and costumes. You can probably find someone in a brightly-colored tutu any day of the year or similarly, cruising through the streets with head-turning decked out bicycles.

This season once again requires some of Key West’s highly experienced bartenders to figure out and satisfy the whims of a heated market of drinkers. Here, we check-in with brand-new bars at landmark locations, late-night downtown hangs, and specialty drink ventures to find out the ingredients and tastes proving most popular.

“Tropical Heat” returns for its August days of poolside parties and visits to the many local bars and restaurants of Key West. Here is a rundown for visitors making the journey to the tail end of the Florida Keys.

Florida has spent the last several years systematically targeting symbols of LGBTQ pride — starting with classrooms and government buildings. Now, rainbow-painted crosswalks are in the crosshairs. Some cities surrendered without resistance, quickly announcing plans to repaint their streets.

The Stonewall National Museum, Archives, & Library (SNMAL) in Fort Lauderdale serves as a unique archive with its Stonewall Library. Now, the organization’s traveling exhibit “The Stonewall Uprising: The Start of a Movement” is on view ahead of Key West Pride celebrations.

Key West Pride is switching things up this year by kicking off at the end of June, a departure happening for the first time in years. The same slate of performances, a parade, and pool parties, can be counted on by returning visitors and year-round islanders. 

Quin Lamar, originally from Detroit, MI, has been in the stand-up game for a decade, playing numerous cities and appearing on the late-night talk show “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” and TV series “Flatbush Misdemeanors.” 

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