Key West

Lisa Ferringo of Summerland Key, Florida, caught a 24.84-pound dolphin fish to earn top honors in the women’s division of the inaugural Key West Co-Ed Mahi Masters tournament that ended Sunday, May 14.

In the Middle and Lower Florida Keys, four unique state parks — Long Key, Curry Hammock, Bahia Honda and Fort Zachary Taylor — are easy to explore and offer some of the best recreational opportunities in the 125-mile-long island chain.

Seventeen regional bartending champions are to converge on Key West Wednesday through Sunday, June 7-11, for the final rounds of the Stoli Key West Cocktail Classic, believed to be North America's largest annual LGBT bartender competition.

Stretching 125 miles into open water, the Florida Keys can boast early settlers ranging from Bahamian fishermen to Cuban cigar makers and New England merchants. In such a rich melting pot, it’s natural that the indigenous cuisine incorporates diverse and delicious influences — with a reliance on an abundant array of fish and seafood harvested from surrounding waters.

Pageants, a cocktail competition and a parade featuring a segment of a 1.25-mile-long rainbow flag are among the attractions for visitors to Key West Pride 2017. The annual festivities, set for Wednesday through Sunday, June 7-11, celebrate diversity and equality in the southernmost city, a perennial favorite vacation destination for LGBT visitors.

Three virtuoso Florida Keys guitarists are to present concerts in three Keys locations Friday through Sunday, June 2-4, intriguing audiences with performances in genres from classical to contemporary to Latin. 

A Michigan father and son who share the same name also share a talent for tournament angling, as they proved by taking top honors in four divisions of the Key West Fishing Tournament’s Kickoff 2017 that ended April 9 in the Florida Keys. 

More than 50 shows featuring over 200 top performing songwriters, including 2017 Grammy winner Maren Morris, await music lovers during the 22nd annual Key West Songwriters Festival. An annual tradition for many of America’s leading country and pop music hitmakers, the festival is scheduled Wednesday through Sunday, May 10-14.

The Key West community is remembering Gilbert Baker, the creator of the iconic LGBT rainbow flag, who passed last week in New York City.

Dragsters sporting high-heeled shoes instead of monster-sized wheels are to sprint along a challenging course at the Great Conch Republic Drag Race scheduled Saturday, April 22, in Key West.