Key West

Revelers can express their creativity by donning dazzling costumes during the annual Fantasy Fest celebration in Key West. Set for Friday, Oct. 21, through Sunday, Oct. 30, the 2022 festival is themed “Cult Classics & Cartoon Chaos.”

WLRN, South Florida’s National Public Radio affiliate, and the Florida Keys & Key West tourism council have partnered to offer families free or reduced-price admission passes to nearly 20 Florida Keys attractions and museums Friday through Sunday, Aug. 26-28.

Watersports enthusiasts on paddleboards and other self-propelled watercraft can race around the continental United States’ southernmost island Saturday, Oct. 1, during the 25th annual Key West Paddle Classic.

In the Florida Keys & Key West, fresh seafood is a must for just about every meal. And with the abundance of fish and seafood in Keys waters, most restaurants along the island chain make it a menu staple.

For several thousand women, early September in Key West means enjoying adventures in Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico waters, entertainment and parties with like-minded people and relaxation on an accepting subtropical island — all during the island city’s annual Womenfest.

In September 1622 the Spanish treasure galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha sank in the Florida Straits southwest of Key West, where it lay until Mel Fisher’s crew discovered it in 1985. In September 2022 history and shipwreck buffs can mark the 400th anniversary of the sinking with cultural and adventure events featuring those who found the Atocha.