Sean Fisher was 7 years old when his grandfather, Mel Fisher, discovered the legendary shipwreck of the 17th-century Spanish treasure galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha in Key West waters.

Sean Fisher, grandson of legendary treasure salvor Mel Fisher, is passionate about recovering historic artifacts and treasures from the ocean floot. (Photo courtesy of Mel Fisher's Treasures)

While others marveled at the Atocha’s priceless historic artifacts and treasures, later to be valued at $450 million, he focused on another “treasure” entirely: the lobsters his Aunt Taffi told him were living on the wrecksite.

Today, Sean is vice president of Mel Fisher’s Treasures, the family’s shipwreck search and salvage enterprise overseen by his father Kim Fisher, headquartered beside the popular Mel Fisher Maritime Museum at 200 Greene St. in Key West.

And though the Atocha find was 25 years ago, Sean still grins at the memory of his reaction when Taffi broke the news.

“She’s telling me about this 40-foot-long, 20-foot-wide, 5-foot-tall pile of silver that they found, and I was more interested in the fact that she said there were lobsters living in the silver bars!” he said. “I couldn’t wait to grab a lobster off of it.”

Admittedly, treasure was nothing new to the young Sean. For 16 years, Mel Fisher and his family — including wife Deo, daughter Taffi and sons Kim, Kane and Dirk — had doggedly sought the Atocha. The vessel sank off the Florida Keys in a 1622 hurricane while carrying gold, silver and other riches from the New World home to Spain.

Sean shares tales of treasure on national television with "Good Morning America's" Sam Champion. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

The long search took a brutal toll, including the death of Sean’s Uncle Dirk, Dirk’s wife Angel and diver Rick Gage when their salvage boat suddenly capsized. Periodic discoveries of gold, silver and artifacts fueled the team’s determination to continue, but the major part of the shipwreck remained hidden by sand, silt and the marine concretion that grows around objects underwater.

That is, it remained hidden until July 20, 1985 — when Mel’s crew discovered the “main pile” of treasure and artifacts lying in approximately 55 feet of water 35 miles southwest of Key West.

Underwater archaeologists and divers recovered large quantities of gold and silver coins, silver bars, contraband emeralds, religious and secular jewelry, cannons and other weapons, pottery and rare navigational instruments from the Atocha site. The shipwreck also provided incredible information about the Spanish empire and 17th-century shipboard life.

But according to the vessel’s manifest, much still remains undiscovered —including 130,000 silver coins and more than 400 silver bars.

Sean and a feathered friend take a break during a live broadcast of the "Today" show with Al Roker and Matt Lauer. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

As a Key West teenager, Sean crewed on his family’s search boats. He left the Keys to attend Oregon’s Portland State University, but the drama and promise of shipwreck salvage drew him back in 2005.

“When you find treasure on the bottom of the ocean, it makes your whole body tingle,” he said. “You’re finding a piece of history, something that some poor soul was holding onto in the middle of this hurricane 400 years ago, and nobody has seen since — and you’re the first person to touch it.”

Though Mel Fisher died in 1998, in recent years the team has found plenty of pieces of history including a gold bar, emeralds and hundreds of silver coins. But Sean is just as enthralled by seemingly mundane discoveries such as medical tools, pottery and a chest of nails.

Like his legendary grandfather, who handed down his passion for shipwrecks to Sean, Sean is raising his young children to understand the family legacy. His wife Star works with him at Mel Fisher’s Treasures, and his plans for the company include seeking and finding other shipwrecks worthy of his heritage.

“If there’s anything I learned from my grandfather about the treasure hunting business, it’s that if you don’t believe you’re going to find treasure, you’ve got no business being on the water,” Sean said. “If you ask any one of us Fishers what we’re in it for, it’s all about the hunt.”

Topics: Highlights, History, Key West, Local Color, Profiles, Voices Main Archive

We island dwellers are looking forward to the New Year, as our streets are full of visitors escaping the frigid weather that has encased a good part of the United States. The sun is out, our temperatures have been rising daily, and we should have bright sunny days in the upcoming weeks.

The cast of "Lend Me a Tenor" offers a hilarious, beautifully paced performance at the Waterfront Playhouse. (Photo courtesy of Waterfront Playhouse)

Last night I joined friends for “Lend Me A Tenor” at the Waterfront Playhouse. We laughed throughout the entire performance. Local actors Tom Luna, Eric Cole, Mary Falconer, David Black, and Marjorie Paul Shook entertained us with perfect timing. If you’re in town and have a chance to see this comedy (it plays until Jan. 8), you will not be disappointed.

After the show I cruised Duval Street, stopping in at Vino’s on Duval. Sitting on the porch with a glass of merlot, we watched the world pass by. This is a fun, happening new spot, chock full of gay men and their friends. I’ll be a regular here and catch up with the local happenings.

Mark Certonio of the Key West Food & Wine Festival joined us and gave us a rundown of his event, which starts Jan. 27.  Darren, the GM of our local Banana Republic, was also enjoying the sights from the porch.

The talented Porsche will co-host the New Year's Eve festivities at the Bourbon Street Pub.

Leaving Vino’s, I crossed the street to visit a packed 801 Bourbon, strolled through the One Saloon, then crossed over to the Bourbon St. Pub. Hanging above the door is the six-foot red stiletto that will be the “chariot” for the New Year’s Eve “drop” of drag queen Sushi. At the pub I watched good friend and dancer Alex entertain a full house (there’s nothing better than scantily clad men dancing on the bar).

Then I headed to the Bourbon St. Garden Bar. Sitting around a bar in a garden overlooking a swimming pool and Jacuzzi is a wonderful thing. The crowd was great fun. Many of my buds were there and we were able to catch up on what we’ve been doing and our plans for New Year’s Eve.

Porsche, known for her performances on the Wanda Sikes Show and her Fire Island summers, will be performing through January.  She’s co-hosting the shoe drop with Sushi on Dec. 31, while performing for the crowd.

A group of friends prepares to embark on a Blu Q cruise in the waters surrounding Key West. (Photo courtesy of Blu Q)

If you’re visiting Key West, a great way to see the island and our architecture is by bicycle or moped. The Moped Hospital has been providing transportation to the LGBT community since 1979. Pete and his staff can help you navigate the narrow streets and lanes of Old Town Key West. Located at the corner of Simonton Street and Truman Avenue, it’s open seven days a week.

Spend your afternoons this winter on the water snorkeling or watching the sunset on the boats that operate daily here on the island. If you prefer to be with a mixed group of people and enjoy live entertainment, I suggest the Fury or Sebago. If you want to be with your male gay friends, the Blu Q is the one to catch; for the women, Venus Charters offers snorkeling, dolphin watching or fishing as well as commitment ceremonies.

And don’t miss Sculpture Key West, set to open Jan. 15. Designed to offer opportunities for emerging and established artists, this exhibition of art delights us each year through April.

Until we chat again in 2011, I wish you a very Happy New Year!

Topics: Arts, Events, Key West, LGBT, On the Water

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the Keys
Smiling holiday revelers savored the breeze.
But in other locations, nobody was smiling
as they braved freezing temperatures far from the islands.

Could this bearded fellow cruising the Keys' underwater world be Santa Keys? (Photos by Bob Care, Florida Keys News Bureau)

While Keys visitors partied in warm outdoor bars,
toasting friends with mojitos sipped under the stars,
Christmas spirits had plans for the cold “refugees”
who were physically elsewhere but craving the Keys.

That’s why, out on the beach, there arose such a squawking
of unsettled seagulls in seagull talk talking
that drivers of cars cruising next to the ocean
couldn’t figure out what had caused all the commotion.

The moon on the shining white crescent of beach
made the shoreline of Cuba seem almost in reach
when what to the drivers’ amazement appeared
but a Santa in flip-flops and seaweed-decked beard.

Now, this Santa was wise and this Santa was bright
and he sure sympathized with the northerners’ plight.
In his past life, before heading south for the sun,
he too spent the winter months freezing his buns.

Santa Keys meets a fishy fan in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

So he hijacked a sturdy old boat used for fishin’,
found some Key deer to pull it and started his mission.
Sailing skyward to surf on a tropical breeze,
he steered his ship north bringing gifts from the Keys.

As palm fronds before a wild summer storm fly
(when the shutters are closed and the water is high),
Santa Keys cruised the northern states with his Key deer
spreading visions of warm blue seas and island cheer.

At each house where the residents longed for the tropics,
he left small Keys tokens stuffed deep in their stockings.
There were conch shells and flip-flops and Key lime tidbits,
Margarita mix too — and “Buffett’s Greatest Hits.”

There were fishing reels, dive logs and lotions for sun
Conch Republic flags, stickers that read “U.S. 1,”
tiny replicas of Key West’s Southernmost Point
and shrimp sauce from a funky old Keys seafood joint.

When he dropped the last gift at the last snow-topped house,
Santa Keys told his Key deer to steer a course south.
His farewell drifted back on a sweet balmy breeze:
“Merry Christmas to all — now come visit the Keys!”

“Merry Christmas to all — now come visit the Keys!”

To watch the underwater video of Santa Keys, click here.

Topics: Big Pine Key & Lower Keys, Districts, Highlights, Islamorada, Key Largo, Key West, Local Color, Marathon, Quirks, Voices Main Archive

Key West is going to the dogs. It’s not enough that the island city’s canines can often be spotted as passengers on scooters or in bicycle baskets, or that a popular eco-outfitter offers “doggie paddle” kayak excursions for pooches and their people, or that dogs have their own beach next to a popular restaurant.

Dressed in sporty bonnets, Bella (left) and Daisy (right) stroll past an Old Town storefront during the Key West Dachshund Walk.

No, there’s also the annual Key West Dachshund Walk at noon on New Year’s Eve, a short stroll for long dogs with short legs.

This might surprise you, but a stunningly large number of the small critters either live in or visit Key West during the holidays. A couple of years ago the wacky walk drew 165 dachshunds, some of them costumed, who trotted down Key West’s famed Duval Street.

(In case you’re doing the math, at an average of four cute stubby legs per dog, that’s 660 legs trotting down Duval — not counting the longer limbs of the canines’ human companions.)

“People in Key West embrace these crazy things,” said island resident Ruth Reiter, who founded the informal walk with her husband Dan Metzler after learning about group dachshund events in other locales.

For the first several years, Ruth and Dan’s standard wirehaired dachshund Schumann was among the leaders of the pack. Sadly, Schumann is no more — but other dogs have appeared to provide a touch of offbeat canine style.

With characteristic style, Ruth and Dan's beloved Schumann leads the 2008 procession.

According to Ruth, walkers traditionally include a wide variety of dachshunds from miniature to standard and longhaired … plus a few dogs bearing a suspicious resemblance to other breeds.

“I think maybe there are some imposters who sneak in, but we don’t check pedigrees here,” Ruth said — which means even dachshund “wannabes” are allowed to strut their stuff.

Prominent pooches in past years’ events include the lovely Lola, a miniature longhaired dachshund who wore a pink sequined “gown” and a feathered headdress reading “Happy New Year” as she ambled around Key West’s picturesque downtown.

Last year, the dachsie duo of Winston and young Goodman wowed crowds dressed as the Skipper and Gilligan from the 60s TV series “Gilligan’s Island” — riding in a nautically decorated “SS Minnow” wagon pulled by their owners.

Dachshunds Goodman (left) and Winston, dressed as Gilligan and the Skipper from the 60s sitcom "Gilligan's Island," were among 156 pooches parading in last year's Key West Dachshund Walk.

Other dogs have turned up costumed as spacemen, hippies, court jesters, hot dogs nestled in “buns” and even “Superdog” in a red cape.

The sidewalk walking route is deliberately kept brief, by the way, because of the canine contingent’s short legs. A supply wagon generally accompanies the dachshund delegation, carrying plastic bags for quick cleanup of any accidents and water for pooches that get parched.

Not surprisingly, the quirky procession stops traffic as the dogs embark (sorry!) and draws crowds, laughter and applause throughout the route.

“This is all about crazy people taking their dogs for a walk,” said Ruth, who directs each year’s event with humor, class and a hint of nanny-like firmness. “When you see one dachshund, they make you smile — so when you see many, they’re really funny.”

Topics: Animal Ambassadors, Events, Highlights, Key West, Local Color, Quirks, Voices Main Archive

This week we saw the departure of our recent chilly weather and were running around in shorts and T-shirts. Watching us cope with our “cold” weather must amuse visitors who live in areas that see 5- and 10-degree days. We hunker down and bring out the winter wardrobe (which is akin to many areas’ spring and fall wardrobes).

What's happening in Key West this New Year's Eve? The famed "drag queen drop" -- don't miss it! (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

I had some fun times with a group of tour operators from London and from Italy this week. They were in town to experience the Keys so they could return home and convince their clients to visit. Between dinner at Nine One Five, an award–winning restaurant that has prepared meals for the James Beard Foundation, and the shows at Aqua and the 801, the group left with a whole new outlook on how to present the Keys!

Recently I attended the Key West Innkeepers Association’s annual holiday social. The Innkeepers Association is made up of more than 55 inns and bed-and-breakfast properties along with hotels and suppliers.

While this is not a “gay” group, its president Ian Whitney is an active and vital part of our community. Board chairman is David Taylor, innkeeper at the historic Cypress House Guesthouse — a great champion of Key West who can be seen at many of the LGBT expositions we attend each year. Registering the guests and selling raffle tickets was Stephen Aube, a Cypress House manager and member of our LGBT community.

Last Friday we raised more than $10,000 at the annual “Share the Wreath’” event. Started by Queen Mother Rhonda Riviera, “Share” has raised close to $90,000 for AIDS Help, our community-based service organization. There were all types of wreaths including a Burberry wreath and one bedecked with a chandelier — complete with votives.

The gracious Cypress House is guided by Dave Taylor, chair of the Key West Innkeepers Association. (Photo courtesy of Cypress House)

By the way, if you’re here and need a last-minute gift, stop in Fast Buck Freddie’s, a Key West institution founded in 1976 by partners Tony Falcone and the late Bill Conkle — and still flourishing under Tony’s watchful eye.

Imagine a chic Manhattan boutique picked up and dropped off on the corner of Duval and Fleming streets (be sure to check out their award–winning window displays!). They also operate Fast Buck Freddie’s furniture and décor emporium and Half Buck Freddie’s discount store … both on Caroline Street.

Need a break from our “main” street? Check out Nancy Forrester’s Secret Garden located at One Free School Lane, off Simonton Street between Southard and Fleming streets. Or visit the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden, the only frost-free botanical garden in the continental U.S., located on Stock Island.  Both are real treats and will delight even those who can’t tell one plant from another.

Ever wanted to peek into one of Key West's gorgeous private homes and see how the "natives" live? You're invited inside during the annual house tours.

Previously I wrote about the diverse and lively performances at our local theaters. Check out the Tennessee Williams Theatre in January for shows by the Paradise Big Band, local entertainer Bobby Nesbitt, drag celebrity Randy Roberts and the Key West Pops. (I love telling friends that we can offer just about everything a big city like New York does — and we can walk or bicycle almost everywhere we want to be.)

Which reminds me, we celebrate the 51st annual Key West House and Garden Tours Dec. 28 and 29, when you get to go inside some of the historic properties in Old Town Key West. The tours are sponsored by the Old Island Restoration Foundation, and you might even see me as a “red shawl” host at one of the properties.

And DON’T forget to join New Year’s Eve crowds on Duval Street in front of the Bourbon Street Pub for the annual “drop” of a 6-foot red stiletto carrying a sequin-embellished drag queen. You’ll encounter scantily-clad dancers, live performances, tons of confetti, and CNN broadcasting the party throughout the world.

Are there enough fun things for us to do on this tiny island, or what? Ta-ta until next time.

Topics: Events, Highlights, Key West, LGBT, Local Color

Maybe it’s because the Florida Keys, the southernmost islands in the continental United States, have never experienced a traditional snow-filled Christmas. Or it might be simply because Keys residents love to celebrate special occasions.

Santa skippers a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter in a Florida Keys holiday boat parade..

But whatever the reason, despite our subtropical climate, we go a little overboard with our holiday decorations, parties and spirit. (Don’t misunderstand … this is NOT a bad thing!)

In fact, from Key Largo to Key West, the December calendar is packed with events designed to spread holiday cheer — including lighted boat parades featuring everything from kayaks to tall ships adorned with Christmas trees, multicolored lights or whatever other decorations their crews can dream up.

For many of us who live in the Keys, there’s one holiday tradition that tops all the others: getting a photo taken with that special someone whose smiling face has come to symbolize the season.

I don’t mean Santa — I mean Santini.

Santini occasionally sports a red cap with a white bobble, but there his resemblance to St. Nick ends. Santini doesn’t have a white beard, a red suit or a little round belly.

Actually, Santini is a dolphin.

He and his flippered friends live at Dolphin Research Center, a highly acclaimed educational and research facility just north of Marathon. Established in 1984, the not-for-profit DRC is home to a family of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions, and has done groundbreaking work relating to dolphins’ understanding of number concepts.

All year long, visitors to DRC can take part in enjoyable programs to learn about dolphins, their environment and their remarkable abilities. And from somewhere around Thanksgiving to just before Christmas each year, if you participate in the Meet the Dolphin program, you can also pose with Santini or one of his cohorts for a holiday photo.

At Dolphin Research Center, visitors can swim the resident dolphins -- not to be confused with the Miami Dolphins, despite this one's apparent fondness for football. (Photo courtesy of Dolphin Research Center)

As if a posing with a smiling silvery dolphin isn’t enough, DRC can supply plenty of props to use — Santa hats, reindeer antlers, holiday wreaths and more. And I can pretty well guarantee that the results will make a world-class Christmas card.

Last year, not long after their stint as holiday models was over, DRC’s dolphins enlivened another big event on the American calendar: the Super Bowl.

In honor of Super Bowl 2010 being played just up the Florida Keys Overseas highway in Miami, dolphins Tursi, Talon and Pax tried their skills at football as part of their exercise repertoire.

Admittedly, they couldn’t throw as well as star quarterback Peyton Manning, or catch as well as famed running back Reggie Bush, but they could sure swim faster — even with a football in their mouths.

Meeting DRC's exuberant, engaging dolphins is an experience you'll never forget. (Photo courtesy of Dolphin Research Center)

According to DRC staff, the dolphins really seem to enjoy playing with the football. In fact, even during the sport’s off-season, pigskins are provided to them as part of their enrichment programs.

(FYI, the three football-playing dolphins are descended from two of the dolphins that played the part of Flipper in the first “Flipper” movie.)

Whether you’re looking for an amazing holiday photo or not, and whether you’re fanatical about football or not, I highly recommend stopping at DRC during your next Florida Keys vacation. You might even consider planning a trip around a visit to the center — because believe me, meeting DRC’s engaging dolphin clan will be an experience you’ll never forget.

Topics: Animal Ambassadors, Environment, Highlights, Local Color, Marathon, Voices Main Archive

Just about every aspect of the Florida Keys’ natural world is reflected in the work of the area’s artists.

Artist Stacie Krupa depicts Keys ocean life with lively colors and playful flair.

For example, there’s Keys resident Jim Salem, who paints graceful birds in their native habitats along the island chain. And Islamorada’s Stacie Krupa is widely acclaimed for her playful, unforgettable portraits of subjects like indigenous birds, fish, sea turtles and even visiting manatees.

Stephen Frink’s underwater photography and Wyland’s marine life paintings and murals capture the undersea world of the continental USA’s only contiguous living coral barrier reef — a reef that runs parallel to the Keys and provides endless inspiration to the two Upper Keys residents.

Some artists rely on the Keys environment and its creatures for more than just inspiration — they’re the actual medium for the art.

That’s particularly true in the case of Kim Workman and her late husband Ian Workman, masters of the traditional Oriental art form of gyotaku or fish printing. The Workmans spent years memorializing the Keys’ finned population — by inking or painting actual fish, and then pressing paper or cloth on their “catch’s” scaly skin to make multicolored replicas.

Wyland portrays the Keys reef environment on traditional canvases and in large-scale outdoor murals. Here, he paints an underwater scene on a four-story Key Largo building. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

On a far larger scale, environmental artist Nancy Forrester created a one-acre secluded rainforest garden, often referred to as a living work of art, at the end of a narrow lane in the heart of Key West’s Old Town. Fittingly called Nancy’s Secret Garden, it’s well worth a visit.

No matter what their medium, though, many Keys artists have another calling besides creating meaningful pieces. They’re also environmentalists, making subtle yet powerful statements about the need to preserve and protect the Keys’ unique ecosystems and wildlife.

World-renowned marine life artist Wyland is probably the best example. For 30-some years, he’s been using his artwork — paintings and sculptures of whales, dolphins, manatees, sea turtles and reef creatures — to raise national and international awareness about protecting the oceans. His environmental commitment has drawn praise from notables like scientist Jane Goodall and former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan.

Stephen Frink, whose brilliant photos have made him one of the world’s most frequently published underwater photographers, is a strong supporter of the Keys’ focus on marine conservation. Viewing the underwater world, he believes, can be a major motivator in inspiring people to work for reef protection.

John James Audubon was the first artist to capture the Keys' wildlife on canvas -- during an 1832 visit to the island chain. (Image courtesy of Audubon House Gallery)

Artists’ fascination with the Keys environment is nothing new. It began, really, in 1832, when artist and ornithologist John James Audubon visited Key West and the Dry Tortugas.

During his visit, he spotted and drew almost 20 new species for his massive “Birds of America” folio — many of the images most likely conceived at the Key West property now called Audubon House & Tropical Gardens.

These days, Jim Salem captures the Keys’ bird life in detailed, subtly shaded acrylic paintings. On his canvases, you might find majestic Keys herons against luminous clouds, or birds hushed just before sunset — with each piece communicating his subjects’ natural beauty and his passion for their world.

Whether they’re making creative statements about endangered species or chronicling local plants and wildlife, Keys artists have embraced the islands’ unique ecosystems. They, and the people who buy and enjoy their work, have made environmental awareness an art form all its own.

Topics: Arts, Big Pine Key & Lower Keys, Environment, Highlights, Islamorada, Key Largo, Key West, Marathon, Voices Main Archive

Lights flashing on palm trees, floats with swinging hammocks, conch shells, drag queens, pirates and wenches, singers aboard trolleys, lighted “trains,” kings and queens, red and green Jell-O shots, bags of candy and beads — throw in a few children and some bicycles decorated as camels, and you have the Key West Christmas Parade!

Here I am (on the right) at the Christmas parade with fellow Key Wester Chris Belland (left) and a grinch-like fellow who dropped in for the festivities.

On the first Saturday in December, we march down the streets wishing all a Merry Christmas and happy holiday season. It’s not a traditional Christmas parade, but more of a hometown quirky Key West version of one.

Fittingly, this week we awakened to a little blast of cool air. Low 70s prevailed during the day, while most of the rest of the country experienced freezing weather. Our friends in the UK are snowed in with their major airports shut down. (Sounds like the perfect time to plan your visit to the subtropical Florida Keys!) Although Key West’s winter temperatures are normally in the 70s, with no humidity, it feels cool to those of us who live here — so, much to the amazement of northern visitors, we’re wrapped up in winter wear as we ride around on mopeds and bicycles.

The cooler days give us good reason to stop by El Siboney Restaurant for a bowl of homemade Cuban soup. There’s nothing better than soup, Cuban bread and a café con leche to get the afternoon off to a good start. But if Cuban food isn’t your thing, stop by the Old Town Bakery on Eaton Street for homemade pickle or cauliflower soup with a warm walnut Gorgonzola baguette. Fabulous!

Santa skippers a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter in a previous Key West holiday boat parade.

Speaking of fabulous, Pearl’s Rainbow, formerly an all-lesbian resort, has now opened its doors to all visitors. Many women guests had commented that they wished their gay male friends could stop by for a visit or a cocktail, so the owner chose to change to an all-welcome policy. Pearl’s will still be all-lesbian for special events such as Pridefest and Womenfest, and the property will continue offering sports parties and live entertainment on weekends.

Bone Island Bare It All Weekend kicked off with a rousing reception at the Island House.  Gaining a reputation as the largest male naturist event in South Florida, the weekend draws enthusiasts from all points including Canada, the UK and France. Mark your calendar for next July’s gathering.

The end of the year brings us great choices for theater on the island. The Red Barn Theatre kicks off its 31st season with the hit comedy “Greetings!” followed by “Sister Robert Anne’s Cabaret Class.” The Waterfront Playhouse’s upcoming productions include “Lend Me a Tenor,” followed by “Glengarry Glen Ross” and  “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.” And the Tennessee Williams Theatre begins its offerings with “Forever Plaid,” a musical set in 1964, followed by Michael Flatley’s “Lord of the Dance” and the Temptations in concert.

Key West's gorgeous inns throw open their doors to holiday revelers during annual Lighted Inn Tours presented by the Key West Innkeepers Association.

Don’t forget our Lighted Inn Tours set for Dec. 10-11 and 17-18, the Lighted Boat Parade on the Gulf of Mexico Dec. 11, and performances of the unique and lovely “Nutcracker Key West” starting Dec. 17.

New Year’s Eve is a special time here on the island. A lighted conch shell atop Sloppy Joe’s, a wench clinging to a tall ship’s mast, and a bedazzled drag queen will ring in 2011. Join the crowds on the street in front of Bourbon St. Pub for the 14th annual “drop” of the six-foot red stiletto carrying a gloriously garbed drag queen. Attractions generally include scantily-clad dancers, live performances, tons of confetti and CNN broadcasting the party throughout the world.

(Steve’s current American Airlines mileage ticker: 2,570,713 miles promoting Key West to the LGBT world. Divided by 500 miles per hour average, that means 5,141.4 hours in a can at 30,000 feet!)

Topics: Arts, Events, Festivals, Highlights, Key West, LGBT