Key West

There’s always something happening in the Florida Keys & Key West, from eclectic festivals focusing on the area’s colorful history, artistic culture and notable cuisine to events that celebrate the Keys’ unique environment, underwater adventures and quirky ambiance.

Top local chefs are to vie for culinary honors while food lovers savor their edible entries at Key West’s 26th annual Master Chefs Classic set for 4:30 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020.

Emmy Award–winning travel host Samantha Brown is set to showcase the Florida Keys experience in a 30-minute television episode of “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love,” scheduled to air on public television stations nationwide beginning in January 2020.

America’s southernmost island is to embrace a tail-wagging tradition Tuesday, Dec. 31, when the 15th annual Key West Dachshund Walk provides an informal, family-friendly kickoff to New Year’s Eve festivities.

This winter the Florida Keys continue to spotlight sustainability and responsible tourism as new resorts open, new low-impact tours and experiences are created and a new app is unveiled to promote safe driving and highlight eco-attractions.

More than 20 acclaimed contemporary writers are to explore the literature of sports during the 38th annual Key West Literary Seminar. Scheduled Thursday through Sunday, Jan. 9-12, the seminar is themed “Reading Between the Lines: Sports and Literature.”

The 22nd annual Key West Half Marathon & 5k is to draw several thousand runners to compete Sunday, Jan. 19, in the subtropical island city’s historic Old Town and scenic waterfront.

Architectural highlights on the continental United States’ southernmost island range from charming 19th-century cottages to ornate period mansions decorated with intricate wooden “gingerbread” trim. Visitors can explore homes embodying this stylistic heritage as well as contemporary gems during weekend home tours in December 2019 and January, February and March 2020.

New Year’s Eve celebrations in the Florida Keys traditionally feature balmy temperatures and a warm welcome for revelers fleeing colder climes. From beachside fireworks where overcoats and gloves aren’t allowed to wacky takeoffs on the traditional ball drop in New York’s Times Square, the island chain offers visitors a wealth of ways to welcome 2020.

Discover the flavors of the Florida Keys in two of the island chain’s regions during the 2020 edition of “Uncorked: The Key Largo and Islamorada Food and Wine Festival,” an 11-day culinary and cocktail extravaganza Thursday, Jan. 9, through Sunday, Jan. 19.