30th Annual Key West World Championships

Key West based Super Boat International, is holding it' 30th annual offshore powerboat racing event November 6th - 14th. If you can't make it down to Key West, races will be streamed live on Superboat.com. Race times are 10:00 am, 12:30pm and 2:00pm Wednesday 10th, Friday 12th and the final race Sunday 14th.

National and international teams will compete to finish out the season for the national points series and the coveted World Champion title.

Boats start arriving Friday and will stage in Race Village at Truman Annex where fans can see them up close. Sunday at 4:00 pm, teams leave Truman Annex, parade down Duvall Street and return back to the dry pits. Fans can watch scheduled testing off the Outer Mole Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Races will be held Wednesday, Friday, and the final event Sunday (final race). Bleachers for fans will be set up at the Outer Mole in the Truman Annex at the end of Southard Street. Friday night (6th) from 6:00pm to 10:00 pm, boats will park on Duval Street for the Annual Super Boat Street Party.

Super Boat is the premier sanctioning body of offshore powerboat racing. The Super Boat season ran April through November with 8 events making up the National Championship title series and the final (9th) race of the season is the 30th Annual Key West World Championships. National races took place in Miami, FL; Biloxi, MS; Sarasota, FL; Michigan City, IN; Cocoa Beach, FL; New York, NY; Morehead City, NC; and the series championship event was held in Clearwater Beach, FL. These 9 scheduled events for the 2010 racing season enabled Super Boat International to claim the largest and the best schedule of offshore Super Boat racing around the world.

About Super Boat International
Super Boat International (SBI) is the longest running professional offshore racing organization in North America. SBI President and Founder, John Carbonell produces races, kilo speed events and distance attempts all across the United States, South America and the Bahamas. In 2010, Super Boat International recognizes the 30th running of the famed Key West World Championships and their 20th anniversary as Super Boat International Productions.

Key West Fantasy Fest Theme Announced

The theme for Fantasy Fest 2010 is "Habitat for Insanity," and the inhibitions-free festival will include more than 40 masquerade balls, costume contests, street fairs, and other events, including the famous weekend parade complete with floats and marchers wearing outrageous costumes that often leave little or nothing to the imagination.

Key West Fantasy Fest October 22-31 2011. For more information visit www.fantasyfest.net

Annual Key West Poker Run

Up to 10,000 motorcyclists from across the United States are expected to travel one of country's most scenic highways to raise money for charity during the 38th annual Key West Poker Run, Sept. 16-19. The Overseas Highway (US 1) is a 113 mile road that connects Key West to mainland Florida, featuring 42 bridges with wide open water views.

Bikers can register online at www.petersonsharley.com. After registering and making a $10 donation, each participant receives a poker sheet and weekend parking pass. Additional “poker hands” are available for $10 apiece. Drivers of cars and trucks also can participate in the run.

A bar stroll is planned on Upper Duval Street Thursday night, Sept. 16, ending in a beach party at the Southernmost Beach Café, 1405 Duval St.

Starting at 8 a.m. Friday, Sept. 17, Poker Run participants are to ride from Miami to Key West, stopping at designated points to draw cards. The final stop is Key West’s Conch Republic Seafood Co., 631 Greene St.

The 10 best poker hands are eligible to play in a winner-take-all round of Texas Hold ‘Em, competing for a new Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster, at Guy Harvey’s Island Grill on Saturday.

The lower part of Duval Street will be closed to car traffic during much of the Poker Run so bikers with weekend parking passes can park on the street to display their bikes.

Big Bike Riders Association representatives will judge the annual custom bike show with proceeds earmarked for charity. Events take place in front of Rick’s/Durty Harry’s, 208 Duval Street with trophies awarded in multiple classes. Registration costs $25 per bike.

Saturday festivities include Sloppy Joe’s annual “Biker Bash”, a pool party at the Southernmost Hotel and the annual Paradise Tattoo Contest and bikini show.

Sunday events include a morning blessing of the bikes, followed by a Bloody Mary brunch and beach party at the Southernmost Beach Café.

For details including a full schedule, visit www.petersonskeywestpokerrun.com.

Overseas Heritage Trail Update

Sections of the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail, a multiuse bicycle and pedestrian trail, have been improved as part of an ongoing project. When completed, the trail will provide a scenic corridor extending from Key Largo to Key West that will serve not only as a highway, but as a recreational greenway for hiking, running, bicycling, in-line skating, sightseeing, fishing and kayaking.

View Progress Report

Athletes to Compete in 12.5-Mile Swim Around Key West

The annual Swim Around Key West, the only sanctioned, insured and US Coast Guard permitted race around Key West will take place June 12th. Long-distance swimmers will compete in a 12.5-mile open-water swim around the island of Key West. In addition to traversing the waters of the Atlantic and Gulf, swimmers will pass Key West landmarks including the Southernmost Point marker.

Swimmers must provide their own support crews and boats, but can’t touch the boats except for teams making relay changes. Lifeguards and kayaks will be positioned throughout the course for safety.

The entry fee for swimmers registered by June 9 is $90 per solo swimmer, $150 per two-person relay team, $230 per three-person team, $310 per four-person team, $400 per five-person team and $460 per six-person team. Those registering after June 9 must pay an additional $15 per person.

The Swim Around Key West benefits the Florida Keys Community College swim program, Key West High School swim team and the Keys’ Bone Island Swim Club.

All events take place at Higgs Beach 1000 Atlantic Avenue Key West FL 33040

Friday, June 11, 2010 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Pre-Race Party

Saturday, June 12, 2010
Race Check-in 6:00 to 7:00 am
FKCC Swim Around Key West Starts 7:30 am
Post-Race Awards/Party 6:00 to 8:00 pm

For more information visit www.fkccswimaroundkeywest.com

Key West Songwriters Festival

More than 150 leading American songwriters will perform their hit songs and preview new ones during the 15th annual Better Angels Key West Songwriters Festival Wednesday 28th - May 2nd.

The popular festival includes over 36 shows in relaxed audience friendly venues like island bars and clubs and resorts that allow music fans up-close access to music makers.

Performances will include the Raul Malo Band, formed by the founder of the Mavericks, Randy Houser, Texas singer/songwriter Robert Earl Keen, and Kim Carnes - best known for her classic “Bette Davis Eyes.”

Many writers return year after year to perform their tunes for appreciative audiences, preview new melodies and share the stories behind their songs. Among the extraordinary lineup are Jamey Johnson, award-winning performer and co-writer of such chart-toppers as George Strait’s “Give It Away”; Luke Laird, who wrote “So Small” for Carrie Underwood; and longtime festival favorite Chuck Cannon, who penned “I Love the Way You Love Me” for John Michael Montgomery.

Festival’s highlights include a free kickoff performance at 8 pm Wednesday, April 28, with Houser and his band on the sunset pier at Ocean Key Resort, a concert under the stars with Grammy winner Malo, 9 pm Saturday May 1, also on Ocean Key Resort’s sunset pier, and a 2 pm Saturday matinee with James Slater and friends at Key West’s historic San Carlos Institute, 516 Duval St.

Music lovers can enjoy the talents of seven or eight featured songwriters at each of four performances set for Thursday and Friday evenings. Shows begin both nights at 8 pm at the San Carlos Institute and 9 pm. at Key West’s Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton St.

The festival benefits the Muzak Heart & Soul Foundation dedicated to supporting and redefining music education.

"Taste Of Key West" Event To Benefit Charity

The 15th annual "Taste of Key West" will take place 6-9 pm April 19th, and features a feast prepared the the island's top chefs.

The showcase of culinary artistry will features “tastes” from more than 50 local restaurants. To complement the cuisine, fine wines from 100 vineyards and wineries are to be provided by Republic National Distributing Co.

The one-night open-air event benefits the Florida Keys’ AIDS Help Inc., and takes place at the Truman Waterfront, located at the end of Southard Street past Truman Annex.

Admission is free. Attendees purchase food and wine tickets for $1 apiece, and commemorative wine glasses for $6, then “spend” their tickets on beverages and delicacies. Each sample costs between three and eight tickets.

Free parking is to be available at the Truman Waterfront. Free shuttle service between selected Key West locations and the waterfront is to be provided every 30 minutes by Old Town Trolley. Plans call for the last trolley to leave the waterfront at 9 p.m.

World Sailfish Tournament April 13-17

Elite anglers from the U.S. and abroad will battle the mighty sailfish in Florida Keys waters during the 8th annual World Sailfish Championship, April 13-17.

Key West's most prestigious tournament features 3 days of fishing, social and charity events, and participation from celebrities. According to tournament chairman and founder Chris King, the 2009 purse was more than $1 million and he expects the 2010 purse to exceed that figure as well.

The event kicks off on Tuesday April 13th with the kick-off party at 5:30PM and a free concert in famous Mallory Square featuring Nashville artist Randy Houser. The first day of the actual Key West fishing tournament is on Wednesday, April 14th with boats heading out to the waters at 7:00AM. The night wraps up with a Seafood Extravaganza in Mallory Square.

The 2nd day of fishing, Thursday April 15th, wraps up with an after party at Cowboy Bill's Honky Tonk Saloon featuring mechanical bull riding. Friday is considered the "lay day," a break between fishing days and features an early afternoon dock party at the A&B marina and a late afternoon cocktail party at the Mel Fisher Museum. Saturday April 17th is the third and final day of fishing, which wraps up with the awards banquet at 7:00PM

Social events include the Sunset Key Seafood Extravaganza at Mallory Square, the Coach's Party at Mallory Square featuring silent and live charity auctions, boat manufacturers' dockside parties and more. The Florida Viking Yachts Dealers Awards Banquet, presented by Galati Yacht Sales and HMY Yacht Sales, follows Saturday's fishing.

The entry fee of $7,500 per boat enables five anglers and a captain to fish, and includes six VIP social passes. For more information and a downloadable registration form, visit www.worldsailfish.com. Information also can be requested by calling 866-550-5580.

1st Annual Floriday Keys Ocean Festival March 27th

The first annual Florida Keys Ocean Festival will take place in Key West this Saturday, at NOAA's Eco Discovery Center. The event will celebrate the marine environment of the Florida Keys. Free giveaways, special appearances, kids' games, prizes and drawings are just some of the highlights of the event, which takes place Saturday, March 27 at Truman Waterfront in Key West.

The event will be fun for all ages, but kids will appreciate the range of activities and exhibits aimed at their age group. For aspiring anglers, there will be a Kids' Fishing Clinic. Kids can learn the basics of Key West fishing from pros, while keeping in mind marine conservation and environmental practices. Also for kids, the festival will feature Touch Tanks that give kids the opportunity to touch real live sea creatures.

The first twenty five kids to sign up for the fishing clinic will receive a free rod and reel. Or sign up for the Kids' Treasure Hunt at the Mote Marine booth. And check out the Passport to the Ocean game, which features prizes and chance drawing.

Adults can browse the works of art by marine artists whose work will be on display throughout the Eco Discovery Center's gorgeous new building on the Key West waterfront. It's also a good time to check out the Eco Discovery Center's permanent exhibits, designed and maintained by NOAA employees for the public. The center is open to the public all year, with free admission and parking.

There will also be free live entertainment throughout the course of the day. Local musicians Corey Heydon, Scott Kirby and Chris Cook will supply the music, and at 5:30 Grammy nominated Nashville singer & songwriter James Slater will be there to entertain.

Mote Marine Laboratory has carried out important marine research since its founding in 1955. Today, it performs public outreach as well as research, fund raising. It's an independent, non-profit organization which receives funding through Federal, State and local grants, as well as private donations. There are seven centers throughout the state of Florida, with one in the Florida Keys, about 24 miles from Key West.

The event is sponsored in part by Mote Marine Laboratory, Fury Water Adventures, the Eco Discovery Center, Bud Light, Cowboy Bill's Honky Tonk Saloon, Coca Cola, Centennial Bank and WLRN. For more information on this and other Key West events, check out website, below.

Hemingway's Key West House Named Literary Landmark

Ernest Hemingway's Key West home, where the American author lived in the 1930s, has been designated a literary landmark.

On March 14th a ceremony was held designating the site a Literary Landmark. The designation was given by a division of the American Library Association. Hemingway lived in the house from 1931 through 1939 and wrote many of his manuscripts in the property's second-story writing studio. The Pulitzer and Nobel prize-winning author owned the property until his death in 1961.

Hemingway, who lived in the Spanish-colonial home with his second wife Pauline and their two sons, owned the property until his death in 1961. It became a museum honoring the Pulitzer and Nobel prize-winning author in 1964. He worked on many of his best-known manuscripts in the Key West property's second-story writing studio.

"Hemingway was probably our first and most popular writer to take residence in Key West," said Dave Gonzales of the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum. "He lived here only nine years, but wrote 70 percent of his lifetime works in that nine-year period — the most prolific period of his life."

Key West Annual Arts and Crafts Festival February 27th and 28th

The 45th Annual Old Island Days Art Festival features artists from all over the country and Canada who come to the southernmost island of Key West to showcase their art to enthusiastic locals and tourists this weekend.

The event takes place In the "Old Town" section of Key West, on Whitehead Street from Green Street to Eaton Street and partly on Caroline Street. Here, the streets are lined with historic properties that have been converted into hotels and inns. Just footsteps away from the Art Festival are historic spots as the Audobon House, Truman's Little White House, and the Mel Fisher Museum. Just a few blocks down the road is the Key West Historic Bight Marina, where dozens of boats provide Key West snorkeling, sunset cruises, and much more.

Fight Night In The Keys

Fight Night in the Keys has 7 matches scheduled on March 20th in a harborfront ring at Mallory Square, highlighted by a 12-round fight for the WBC international heavyweight title featuring defending champion Odlanier Solis.

The event is a Key West boxing tradition dating back to Ernest Hemingway’s presence on this subtropical island. In the 1930s, when he wasn’t writing, fishing or relaxing with his compadres, Ernest Hemingway officiated boxing matches in the Bahama Village neighborhood near his Whitehead Street home. He also enjoyed sparring with local fighters.

Fight Night in the Keys, presented by Top Rank Inc. and DEJ Productions, recalls that heritage of sportsmanship while offering spectators the chance to view big-name boxing in an open-air waterfront setting.

The venue at Mallory Square is to open at 6 p.m. EST and the first bout is set to begin at 7 p.m.

Tickets are priced at $35 per person for general admission and $65 for assigned ringside seats. For $150 per person, boxing fans can enjoy VIP seating, a weigh-in party, pre-fight event and post-event party with food and an open bar.

To purchase tickets, visit www.keystix.com or call 305-292-0486. Tickets are available in Key West at Big’uns Sports Bar, 218 Duval St., and Mr. Cheapee’s Liquors at 423 Caroline St.

Conch Harbor Marina & Retail Center in Key West Announces New Ownership

Conch Harbor Marina and Retail Center, a multi-use destination marina facility, has been sold. The new owner,Conch Harbor Retail Center, LLC. is headed by Key West resident Craig Hunt.

Conch Harbor's location and amenities make it a superior facility, not only in Key West, but also throughout the Florida Keys. "Conch Harbor's location and amenities make it a superior facility, not only in Key West, but also throughout the Florida Keys," said Hunt. "We will be launching new programs with the goal of making Conch Harbor the best marina for locals."

Hunt moved to Key West in 2002 after a 30 year career with the Intercontinental Hotel Group, one of the world's largest hotel companies. He held the position of President of Holiday Inn Worldwide and Vice Chairman of the Intercontinental Hotel Group, then known as Six Continents Hotels. Hunt also is a Captain and an avid fisherman.

General Manager and Partner Gina Kennedy will continue to manage the marina.

In addition to the marina, Conch Harbor includes a retail center that currently houses Dante's Restaurant, 951 Prime Steakhouse, Mama's Flowers, Seaport Realty and Digital Island Media. The marina features 40 boat slips (most have been sold and many remain in the rental program), docks from 37 feet to 185 feet, a 68 space covered parking garage, and a 200-foot fueling dock with high speed fueling service and in-slip sewage pump out.

The marina's ample upper deck space, overlooking both the harbor and the attractive swimming pool area, is ideal for special events. A picturesque walk along the harbor brings visitors to busy Duval Street, the heart of Key West. The facility can be an attractive choice for a mega yachts, cruisers, fishermen and families.

Conch Harbor Marina and Retail Center is located at 951 Caroline St, Key West. For more information, visit www.conchharbormarina.com.

Key West Hotel Recognized By TripAdvisor

Congratulations to Southernmost on the Beach Hotel, located at 508 South St. , Key West, for being named one of the top 10 best hotels in the U.S. for romance in TripAdvisor’s eighth annual Travelers’ Choice Awards.

TripAdvisor’s online announcement of the award quoted a traveler who describes a previous Southernmost on the Beach vacation as “5 perfect nights in Key West.”

Southernmost on the Beach features more than 120 guest rooms and suites, including 80 that each measure more than 400 square feet. Rooms offer private balconies, ocean views, flat-screen TVs and distinctive décor. Amenities include an oceanfront pool bar, fitness center and private tanning pier.

The property is part of the Southernmost Hotel Collection, a group of unique properties on the Atlantic Ocean side of Key West’s historic Old Town. The collection also includes the 19-room La Mer Hotel & Dewey House at 508 South St., a AAA Four Diamond bed-and-breakfast in a pair of historic homes on an Atlantic beach, and the 127-room Southernmost Hotel at 1319 Duval St.

25th Annual Key West Craft Show This Weekend

This nationally recognized Craft Show brings over 100 fine and skilled craft artists to this beautiful historic area of Key West. Exhibitors will set up along Whitehead Street from Greene Street to Eaton, and on Caroline Street through the famous Presidential Gates into the beautiful Truman Annex. Visitors can leisurely browse the beautiful displays of pottery, fabric, glass, wood, jewelry and other colorful handmade works by the selected artists.

The show is sponsored by the Key West Art Center, and was created to complement the Old Island Days Art Festival held in February, and has been recognized by the Sunshine Artists’ Magazine consistently over the last 10 years as one of their top 200 in the nation and is popular with exhibitors and visitors alike.

10 AM TO 5 PM Daily
Whitehead and Caroline Streets
Old Town Key West

For more Key West events visit http://www.gotokeywest.com/

KEY WEST FOOD AND WIND FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND

The festival celebrates Key West's lively culinary scene, indigenous ingredients and multifaceted flavors through gourmet galas and tastings, educational food and wine seminars and offbeat food-focused experiences. Festival highlights include a wacky afternoon of bowling with coconuts and Duval Uncorked, a stroll along Key West's Duval Street that stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean.

Restaurants, bars, galleries and boutiques will welcome revelers with food tastings, samples of fine wine and tasty shopping experiences during the event, set for late afternoon and evening Saturday. The festival schedule also includes a cigar dinner celebrating Key West's Cuban heritage, a laid-back bike tour and tropical ice cream tasting, a "seafood seduction" dinner, tastings and tapas, an outdoor wine market, informative food and wine seminars, the Master Chef's Classic and more. Attendees can purchase VIP passes and tickets for individual events also are available. For a complete festival schedule, event prices and ticket information, visit www.keywestfoodandwinefestival.com

For more Key West events visit www.GoToKeyWest.com

KEY WEST BOAT SHOW & NAUTICAL MARKET

The 8th Annual Key West Boat Show & Nautical Market will be February 27-28th along the Truman Waterfront.

The 1/4 long nautical market will have large selection of new and used boats from Florida Keys boat dealers as well as marine equipment, rods and reels, arts and crafts, and nautical clothing.

Other scheduled attractions include live music, food and ice-cold beverages.

Kids in attendance can take part in the “Fish Florida” program that provides free rods, reels and tackle boxes. They receive their gear after participating in an educational program, that focuses on responsible angling, bait and tackle, knot tying, equipment and casting.

Proceeds from the boat show benefit the Rotary Club of Key West’s scholarship fund. For more information, visit www.keywestboatshow.com

Weather Channel Show Will Feature Florida Keys

"Florida Keys: Keys to Paradise" -- premieres Feb. 14 at 10 p.m. ET as part of a new series Features Extreme Climates and the People Who Call Them Home, hosted by Jim Cantore.

The Show: The Florida Keys' beautiful waters, tropical climate and laid-back lifestyle can all be attributed to why people are attracted to the clusters of islands that make up the Keys. A garden variety of people from tourists, divers and fishermen to treasure hunters, famous writers and presidents have been known to flock here. Jim Cantore meets with quirky; free-spirited souls of the Florida Keys and gives viewers closer look at what really draws people to visit and -- sometimes never leave.