“I heard I was in town,” Jimmy Buffett quipped after strolling onstage on Key West’s Duval Street, referencing one of his well-known song titles and the rampant rumors that he would appear and perform.

Jimmy Buffett waves to some 3,500 "Parrot Head" fans during his surprise concert on Key West's Duval Street. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

And perform he did. The fabled singer/songwriter returned to his former Key West home to give a rare surprise concert that delighted some 3,500 “Parrot Head” fans during their 20th annual convention.

Jimmy, whose most successful songs include “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere” with Alan Jackson and the iconic “Margaritaville,” rocked with his world-class Coral Reefer Band for more than 70 minutes — from a stage just steps from his Margaritaville Store and Café.

“This is pretty cool, playing on Duval Street,” Jimmy admitted with a grin at the start of the free concert, which was open to the public as well as Parrot Head conventioneers.

He then launched into a set of 15 songs, most of them inspired by his time in Key West during the 1970s and 80s or mentioning local people and places.

Barefooted and comfortably casual, Jimmy played for more than 70 minutes, sharing songs and memories that recalled his days in Key West. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

While he lived on the island, Jimmy absorbed its characters, ambiance and laid-back lifestyle, memorializing them in songs that feature Key West locales like Fausto’s Food Palace, the Blue Heaven restaurant, and the Chart Room Bar. He drew on the influence of his Key West home to create the near-addictive tropical mystique that permeates his music.

Among the songs he and the Reefers played during their Duval Street concert were favorites such as “A Pirate Looks at Forty,” “Tin Cup Chalice,” “Nautical Wheelers,” and “Woman Goin’ Crazy on Caroline Street.”

The entire performance was upbeat and lively, with intricate riffs from the Reefers and stellar vocals by Jimmy. Despite new instrumental flourishes, the songs were pure classic Buffett — and each one was greeted by exuberant applause from the Parrot Heads lining the street.

Every year, Jimmy’s Parrot Head fans “flock” to Key West to explore the island portrayed in their hero’s lyrics. At the concert, some attendees wore the offbeat tropical headgear that earned them their name, and many sang along as Jimmy performed.

Jimmy greets eager Parrot Head fans after his exuberant Duval Street concert. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

(Parrot Heads, by the way, are a remarkably caring group of people. Since 2002, members of the more than 200 national and international Parrot Head chapters have contributed $22.1 million and nearly 2.7 million volunteer hours to local and national charities.)

Like his tunes, Jimmy’s commentary between numbers was rich in references to his Key West memories and favorite spots.

“I’ve had great inspiration and great fun on the streets of this little rock,” he said, “and I appreciate it very much.”

Jimmy mentioned the late lamented Islander Drive-in and former gentleman smuggler Phil Clark, whose life is chronicled in “A Pirate Looks at Forty,” and dedicated “Last Mango in Paris” to Captain Tony Tarracino. The late captain, a bar owner who became one of Key West’s most colorful mayors, was a friend of Jimmy’s whose tales inspired “Mango.”

Jimmy was backed by the entire Coral Reefer Band -- including Mac McAnally (left) and Michael Utley (right). (Photo by Crystal Ruffo)

Jimmy’s deep affection for Key West and the Florida Keys was particularly apparent as he introduced and sang “Migration.”

“Some people fly down here and never go back,” he warned his Parrot Head audience in mock seriousness. “This happened to me, and it may happen to you.”

He then embarked on the song … changing the lyrics near the end to proclaim, “I’ve got a Caribbean soul I can barely control and some Key West always here in my heart.”

Topics: Arts, Highlights, Key West, Local Color, Voices Main Archive

The 10-day masking and costuming festival known as Fantasy Fest, running Oct. 21-30 this year, is internationally renowned for its outrageous, let-it-all-hang-out party atmosphere.

Artist Rick Worth paints part of the ocean-themed vessel he's creating for the elaborate Fantasy Fest parade. (Photo by Steve Panariello, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Yet it also offers a showcase for artists — primarily costume and float designers who devote their incredible talents to perfecting creations for costume contests, the Masquerade March and the grand parade.

Among them is Rick Worth, a soft-spoken and supremely creative man whose artistic triumphs range from small Key West-themed paintings to massive, over-the-top Fantasy Fest floats and festival facades for local emporiums.

Rick began his colorful career turning shabby cars into whimsical “art-o-mobiles” (like a shark car driven by a local attorney and a drivable coral reef).

Crafting one of Fantasy Fest's elaborate float entries requires a LOT of glitter -- as Rick (right) and his fellow designer know! (Photo by Steve Panariello, Florida Keys News Bureau)

He has also painted large-scale murals on the exteriors of local buildings, including an engaging vista outside Key West International Airport that features a rooftop view of the island’s historic Old Town architecture and greenery backed by the turquoise ocean.

And don’t miss Rick’s takeoff of the famed depiction of Washington crossing the Delaware, incorporating the Keys’ Seven Mile Bridge, outside a small bar at Simonton and Olivia streets.

Just before Fantasy Fest this year, Rick had projects galore on tap — and in keeping with the festival theme of “Aquatic Afrolic,” they had an oceanic flavor. For example, recently he was putting last-minute touches on a float and overseeing costume design for a glittering marine-themed entry in the spectacular Fantasy Fest parade. His workspace was filled with a “ship” nearing completion, beautiful shell-adorned headdresses and gauzy costumes. At the same time, he was completing weird-looking eels to be part of a building façade.

Susann D'Antonio, left, and her husband Bobby showcase their "Neptune's Reef" -- a winner of the 2011 Pier House Pretenders in Paradise costume contest. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Like Rick, Big Pine Key artists Susann and Bobby D’Antonio generally put enormous amounts of time and talent into Fantasy Fest endeavors. Since the early 1990s, the husband-and-wife team has become well known for crafting over-the-top entries for major costume competitions like Pretenders in Paradise and the Pet Masquerade — as well as the lavish parade.

Their trademark creations can best be described as crosses between gigantic costumes and small parade floats. Susann often comes up with the concept, and she and Bobby construct the pieces together — typically moving from sketches to a costume’s metal framework and fabric covering, and ending with embellishments and sequins. Challenges include keeping the piece light enough for Susann to wear and/or propel.

This year, they wowed crowds at the wonderful Pretenders in Paradise costume competition with “Neptune’s Reef,” featuring an alluring mermaid accompanied by vivid-hued, deliciously exotic denizens of the aquatic world.

Fantasy Fest's "aquatic" poster was dreamed up by artist Brian Johnson. (Photo courtesy of Fantasy Fest)

Artists in more traditional mediums contribute to Fantasy Fest too. Each year, festival organizers request design submissions for the official poster. The winning artist this year was frequent Key West visitor Brian Johnson.

Inspired by the festival’s aquatic theme, he dreamed up a blue-eyed King Neptune surrounded by imaginative undersea creatures, and elements suggesting the island’s Old Town — all depicted in the vibrant colors of the Keys’ ocean and sunset.

Whether you’re an art lover or simply a connoisseur of craziness, don’t miss any of the creativity and pageantry of Key West’s Fantasy Fest. In fact, start planning now to attend next year’s festival. According to organizers — and they should know — the 2012 dates are Oct. 19-28.

Topics: Arts, Big Pine Key & Lower Keys, Events, Festivals, Highlights, Key West, Voices Main Archive

“I want to get to Key West and away from it all,” literary legend Ernest Hemingway wrote in a letter to his friend and editor, Maxwell Perkins.

Among the notable writers who live in Key West or visit regularly are (from left) Tom Corcoran, Michael Haskins, Lorian Hemingway and Mark Childress. (Photo courtesy of Michael Haskins)

Hemingway, who lived in a Spanish Colonial villa on Key West’s Whitehead Street throughout the 1930s, is arguably the island’s most famous writer-resident — but he’s far from the only one. In fact, for decades America’s subtropical southernmost city has exerted an almost mystical attraction for writers of all types.

For example, Tennessee Williams owned a home on a quiet side street from the late 1940s until his death. Robert Frost was a frequent guest of hostess Jessie Porter Newton, and Thornton Wilder wrote “The Matchmaker” in Key West.

More recent literary residents have included Shel Silverstein, Annie Dillard, Tom Corcoran, Richard Wilbur, Alison Lurie, Thomas McGuane, Judy Blume, Mark Childress, Jimmy Buffett, Meg Cabot, Michael Haskins and Philip Caputo.

What is it that draws writers to Key West, captures their imaginations, and keeps them returning as visitors or inspires them to become residents?

Author Lorian Hemingway (right) is joined at a Key West book signing by her daughter Cristen, also a writer and editor. (Photo courtesy of Katharine Roach)

Lorian Hemingway, author of the novel “Walking into the River,” the critically acclaimed memoir “Walk on Water” and the riveting “A World Turned Over,” has been coming to the island since the late 1960s. She’s currently chronicling its flavor, personalities and past in a book-in-progress titled “Key West: The Pirate Heart.”

Lorian is Ernest Hemingway’s granddaughter, but her reasons for referring to Key West as her second home have little to do with her grandfather’s legacy.

“Writers are drawn to places of fecundity and abundance, particularly when water is involved,” she says. “It’s a natural thing, being close to your roots — and the ocean is, in the very truest sense, our genesis. Perhaps writers, because of what they have to tap into in order to create, pick up on this subconsciously a little more than others.”

Phil Caputo’s best-known book is “A Rumor of War,” widely regarded as a definitive work on the brutal Viet Nam conflict. Several of his subsequent offerings took shape during his 11-year residence in Key West — a perfect setting, he believes, for those artists and writers who crave freedom from the mainstream world and its values.

Pulitzer Prize winner Phil Caputo, author of "Crossers" among other acclaimed volumes, lived in Key West for 11 years.

“Artists and writers are a bit outlaw. They march to a different drummer — and it’s a lot more congenial when you’re surrounded by a lot of other people who also march to a different drummer,” says Phil. “That’s what’s great about Key West. You’ve got people who are treasure divers and fortune seekers and renegades and runaways, and that makes life interesting.”

Perhaps acclaimed playwright Tennessee Williams provided the simplest yet most important reason for the island city’s popularity with those who write. “I work best here,” he stated in a long-ago interview.

As an authors’ haven and favorite retreat, Key West has earned an indelible place in the literary world. The island’s undemanding atmosphere leaves plenty of room for creativity to flower — and many writers seem to feel the pull of an elemental magic that defies definition.

“I’ve always been drawn by the ocean and the great ships and the moon and the water, and there’s something magical in Key West that goes somewhere very deep in me,” says Lorian Hemingway, whose island hideaway overlooks the Atlantic. “There’s a mystical quality that has at times just taken me over. I feel like I’m home every time I come back.”

Topics: Arts, Highlights, History, Key West, Voices Main Archive

New York’s landmark vote on gay marriage has certainly created an outpouring of good news for our community. The timing fit perfectly with our communities celebrating Pride across the country and throughout the world.

Gilbert Baker savors the moment as his 1.25-mile rainbow flag is unfurled down Key West's Duval Street. (Photo by Mike Hollar/Florida Keys News Bureau)

The Key West LGBT community always thinks of doing things that are outside the box, so for Key West’s 2003 PrideFest festivities, a 1.25-mile rainbow flag was sewn here by Gilbert Baker, the creator of the original rainbow flag, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original banner’s debut.

The original flag was created at the request of Gilbert’s good friend, the late Harvey Milk. Mr. Milk asked Gilbert to create something bright to replace the pink triangle that had been a symbol of “gays” for many years.

The Key West flag was created over three months and included more than 18,000 yards of nylon fabric and 25 miles of seams. Sewn in 100-foot and 250-foot sections seamed together, it weighed more than three tons.

Supported by approximately 2,000 volunteers of widely varying ages, ethnicities and sexual orientations, the world’s longest rainbow flag was carried the entire length of Key West’s Duval Street from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean in a sea-to-sea showing of openness and pride. After its unfurling, the flag was dipped simultaneously into the waters of the Atlantic and gulf.

A section of Key West's rainbow flag makes its Broadway debut -- carried down New York's famous street by enthusiastic marchers.

Following that historic event, the sections of the flag were separated and sent to Pride organizations throughout the world.

I’m always asked where the flag is, and if (or when) it will be reassembled and grace Duval Street again. Though we won’t be able to reassemble it for one of our Pride events, our “sea-to-sea” rainbow flag brings its color and history to Pride events in many cities during the year.

In the last few weeks, sections of Key West’s iconic flag were carried in Pride events in Palm Beach, Fla.; New Hope, Pa.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Houston, Texas — and right now a section is on the way to Fairbanks, Alaska.

But that’s not all. During pride and LGBT events over the last few years, sections of the flag have been showcased in Oslo, Norway; Vancouver, B.C., Canada; Manchester, U.K.; Anchorage, Alaska; Orlando, Fla.; Park City, Utah; San Francisco, Ca.; Koln, Germany; Saint Augustine, Fla.; and Stockholm, Sweden.

A section of the world-renowned Key West flag is displayed during its travels by a group from United Airlines.

Sections of the flag were displayed during the 2010 Winter Olympics held in Vancouver, B.C., at the official Olympic “Pride House.” Pride House is believed to be the first house at the Olympics for gay and lesbian athletes, their friends and families — and is seen as a positive force in tackling homophobia in sports.

We’re always pleased to loan sections of Key West’s famed banner to our friends for special events so members of our community can see and touch a piece of the world’s largest rainbow flag.

On another note, we recently hosted several gay travel writers for a “gay Key West” fix — and now I want to share links to their articles and a blog.

Along with sections of the flag, Key West's philosophy of open-hearted diversity is being carried to cities and countries around the globe.

Writer Tony Adams splits his time between New York City and Fort Lauderdale, and on his recent island escape said he “ate the best of Key West.” Jack Gonzalez, a world traveler whose home base is Brisbane, Australia, tells of his adventures in the island city. Travel correspondent Troy Petenbrink, based in Washington, DC, shared his experiences in Edge Publications and posted a photo slideshow on the Examiner.

I hope you enjoy their tales, and make plans to visit soon and create your own stories. Spend some time with us this summer and you can experience the Underwater Music Festival July 9, run with the “bulls” and Papa Hemingway, fly like James Bond on the water, party with the boys this August at Tropical Heat, play with the girls in September during Womenfest 2011, and picnic with the bears during September’s Key West Bear Fest.

Meantime, Look for me July 14-17 at the Key West booth during San Diego’s Pride.

Topics: Arts, Events, Festivals, Key West, LGBT, Local Color

(Editor’s Note: This week’s Keys Voices, honoring the late Clarence Clemons, was written by Larry Kahn, editor of the “Florida Keys Keynoter.”)

"Big Man" Clarence Clemons, shown here onstage in the Florida Keys, was an unparalleled musician who loved the island chain. (Photo courtesy of Redbone Celebrity Tournament Series)

Saxophone player extraordinaire Clarence Clemons, 69, for nearly 40 years Bruce Springsteen’s No. 2 man in the E Street Band, was well known in the Keys for playing gigs at various bars, sitting in with whatever bands were playing.

They include the Schooner Wharf in Key West; the Brass Monkey Lounge, Castaway, Dockside Lounge and the Hurricane Grille in Marathon; and Woody’s, the Lorelei and Cheeca Lodge in Islamorada.

Clemons, who died June 18, was also a staple fixture at a group of Florida Keys fishing tournaments that raise money for cystic fibrosis treatment and research.

“He always showed up with his sax and played, even though I never was presumptuous that he would play,” said Gary Ellis, founder of the Redbone Celebrity Tournament Series.

Ellis said that even though it wasn’t widely known, Clemons had an affinity for sportfishing.

“He was totally taken by fishing,” Ellis said. “He was all about Keys fishing … for tarpon and bonefish.”

Shown here releasing a bonefish, Clemons found great enjoyment in fishing Keys waters. (Photo courtesy of Redbone Celebrity Tournament Series)

In the Keys, Clemons’ special place was in Marathon. His Stirrup Key home overlooks Florida Bay.

Clemons’ 2009 autobiography, “Big Man: Real Life and Tall Tales,” has a chapter called “Marathon Key.” In it, he writes following back surgery:

Most of my time lately has been spent in Florida healing. It’s a slow process but I’m doing well. I feel strong every day and look forward to dancing across the stage again on the next tour. As I write this, I’m sitting on my porch looking out at the bay toward the horizon where the ocean meets the sky.

The book also has a chapter called “Looking Back from Islamorada.” That recounts his chance meeting with singer Jimmy Buffett, who was signing books at an Islamorada bookstore, likely Hooked on Books.

Clemons went into the bookstore and saw a bunch of Parrot Heads {as Buffett fans are called}.

Clarence plays the Brass Monkey in Marathon in May 2010 at the Save the Monkey party. (Photo by Ryan McCarthy, "Florida Keys Keynoter")

I walked up to the head of the line and waited for Jimmy to notice me. It’s very hard not to notice me. Especially in a tiny Florida bookstore a few feet off the highway.

“You’ll have to get in line with everybody else, sir,” said Jimmy when he finally looked up.

“I don’t think so,” I said.

“I don’t think so either,” said Jimmy, smiling. “Big Man! Look everybody, it’s Clarence Clemons.”

The folks in line smiled. Two big stars for the price of one in a very unlikely setting. Well, one big star and me. They applauded.

(Editor’s Note: Andy Newman contributed to this piece. An earlier version of it appeared in the Wednesday, June 22, edition of the “Florida Keys Keynoter.”)

Topics: Arts, Highlights, Islamorada, Marathon, Profiles, Voices Main Archive

Rob O’Neal wasn’t born with a camera in his hand (at least, his mother is reasonably sure he wasn’t). But somewhere along his journey from childhood to adulthood, from his former homes to Key West, the camera became an extension of Rob’s eyes and heart and brain.

Rob O'Neal's eye for a great photo leads him to shoot images like the "southernmost legs" in front of the Southernmost House in the continental United States. (All photos by Rob O'Neal)

He doesn’t regard that as remarkable; it’s simply the way things are. Just as Dylan and Springsteen translate their experiences into chords and lyrics, Rob translates his into photographs. His “Key West Photo Safari” book, a compilation of those experiences, is a quirkily vivid record of the world he inhabits — and a must-have volume for everybody who loves the island city.

Though Rob has shot thousands of photos of Key West and the Keys, until 1996 he was a land-locked guy who worked in the restaurant business in Dayton, Ohio. But serendipity intervened, and he wound up in Key West with a camera and a simple philosophy.

“The battle cry has always been, if it moves, shoot it,” says Rob, ”and if it doesn’t, shoot it again.”

From a helicopter, Rob captured the action of a world-class sailing regatta held each year in Key West waters.

Since his immersion in the world of Keys photography, Rob has found himself in some pretty unusual situations. For example, flying over Key West Harbor in a helicopter at 100 miles per hour to shoot world championship powerboat races. Diving on the shipwreck site of the fabled “Nuestra Señora de Atocha” Spanish galleon that sank off Key West in 1622. Dodging huge, lavish floats full of semi-naked revelers during the elaborate (and wonderfully bizarre) annual Fantasy Fest Parade.

Rob’s camera has captured some of the wackiest events in the Keys. Like the Minimal Regatta, where rules mandate that “vessels” must be constructed of two sheets of flimsy plywood and a roll of duct tape. The annual Parrot Head gathering of some 3,000 Jimmy Buffett fans, who typically wear eccentric headgear that inspired their name. The late lamented Chickenfest, a celebration of Key West’s free-range fowl that included a “Poultry in Motion” parade.

When former President Bill Clinton strolled down Duval Street past Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, Rob was there with his camera.

And while some photographers shoot only pretty stuff, or only things they’re assigned and paid to shoot, that’s not the case with Rob O’Neal. For him, chronicling his world on film is as natural — and as necessary — as breathing.

His wonderful “Photo Safari” is a testament to his passion. Not only are the shots intriguing and appealing, but many portray things that only someone with a highly developed “eye” (and an equally well-developed appreciation of the absurd) would recognize and shoot.

For example, there’s a car shaped like a giant red chile pepper rolling down legendary Duval Street. A trio of tiny dogs wearing t-shirts riding in a cushioned bicycle basket. A garbage truck with a supersized pink plush bunny stuck to its grill. A shrimpboat with its outriggers arched like the legs of a giant grasshopper.

And of course Rob’s book showcases the glorious mix of characters that give Key West its character — from drag queen Sushi to weatherbeaten former mayor and saloonkeeper Captain Tony.

So who is Rob O'Neal? Here's a rare portrait of the guy behind the camera.

You’ll even find a shot of former president (and repeat Key West visitor) Bill Clinton, dressed in a bright red polo shirt, standing under the sign that marks Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Café.

“Ask any Key Wester and they’ll tell you that the people are what it’s all about,” says Rob, adding that his book includes “entrepreneurs, doctors, musicians, cab drivers, city commissioners, policemen, firefighters, artists, writers, bartenders, and a healthy dose of full-fledged nut cases.”

Get the book, spend some time wandering through its pages, and you might be able to figure out which are which. Or, of course, you might not. But either way (and this is virtually guaranteed), you’ll have a terrific time trying.

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

Some people visit Key West just for the fun of it, while others come to enjoy the laid-back lifestyle. Then too, there are the artists and craftspeople who find themselves irresistibly drawn to the island for the inspiration it provides. (Though few people remember this, even former president Dwight Eisenhower began painting during a stay in Key West in the 1950’s.)

Folk artist Mario Sanchez captured the Key West of his boyhood in his painted wood carvings. (Sanchez photos courtesy of the Key West Museum of Art & History and Gallery on Greene)

In fact, it’s hard to walk down the tranquil streets of Key West’s Old Town district without coming upon at least one artist intent on an easel. The colorful Victorian architecture and strong tropical light are pretty well irresistible to painters — and the atmosphere of creativity has encouraged craftsmen from palm-frond weavers to the late Mario Sanchez, who was widely regarded as the 20th century’s most important Cuban-American folk artist.

With wood, simple brushes, and chisels, Sanchez recreated the Key West of his boyhood in three-dimensional painted woodcarvings. His vivid and often humorous images feature subjects ranging from street vendors and cigar makers to dancers, gossiping women and chicken thieves.

Key West's historic courthouse is vividly portrayed in this classic Sanchez piece.

In addition, Sanchez’ work portrays colorful impressions of island landmarks — including Ernest Hemingway’s one-time home, the Key West Lighthouse and the San Carlos Institute.

He began his pieces as sketches on brown paper bags. Slowly, carving and adding the bright primary colors of the tropics, he produced incredible, unforgettable primitive art.

Like Mario Sanchez’ masterworks, much of the other art found in the Keys mirrors the island chain’s characteristic lightheartedness, irreverence, and appreciation for life.

That’s especially true of the pieces created by leading American sculptor Seward Johnson, a part-time Key West resident. Johnson is world-renowned for his trompe l’oeil life-sized cast bronzes of ordinary people engaged in everyday activities.

Seward Johnson's gigantic "American Gothic" figures stood outside the Key West Museum of Art & History until they were replaced by another evocative pair of Johnson giants. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Placed in public settings around the world, they’re so realistic that they unfailingly elicit double-takes and grins.

Johnson arrived in Key West with his wife in the early 1990s. For the past several years, his pieces have been a starring attraction in and around the Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House.

His exhibits have included “Beyond the Frame,” three-dimensional life-sized interpretations of 19th-century paintings — constructed so that visitors actually step into the scenes to become (at least temporarily) part of the artwork.

His “Icons” showcase included “Forever Marilyn,” a life-sized three-dimensional take on the famous photograph of Marilyn Monroe, dressed in white, with a flirtatiously blowing skirt. (That piece, by the way, now stands in front of Key West’s beloved Tropic Cinema on Eaton Street.)

Visitors to Johnson's "Beyond the Frame" exhibit at the Key West Museum of Art & History could actually step into this lifesize sculpture to become part of the artwork. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

Johnson’s work overflows the Custom House building and spills out onto the grounds. A gigantic pair of his sculptures stands in front of the museum, beckoning people in to discover more. And his multi-figure piece in the garden behind the Custom House literally stops people in their tracks. (It’s inspired by “The Dance” by Henri Matisse — look that up and you’ll see why it’s so startling!)

Not unexpectedly, given its artistic richness, Key West is home to a variety of galleries. Stroll around historic Old Town district and you’ll find galleries offering Haitian primitives, art glass, folk art, original oils and watercolors, bronzes and other sculptures, offbeat “gyotaku” fish prints, and much more.

For an inspiring “big picture” of the arts scene in Key West and the Florida Keys, just click here.

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

It snowed in Chicago this week while, here in Key West, we were cooling off at the beach and in our pools. Winter does not want to let go up north, so it’s up to you to pack a small bag and head down here to get away from the chill.

Attendees at the waterfront Taste of Key West savored great food against the backdrop of a gorgeous sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.

Years ago, the island slowed down as winter months gave way to summer, but that has changed. We have many enticing activities and events coming up that will keep you hopping during your Key West escape.

This week brought us the 16th annual Taste of Key West benefitting AIDS Help, our community-based service organization. The Island House team joined more than 50 local restaurants serving a taste of their special dishes, and cooked over 900 crab cakes … yummy. (Watch a few minutes of video on the event here.)

The 29th annual Conch Republic Independence Celebration kicks off this week with a wild and varied schedule. If you’ve never been to a “Military Muster,” you can join the crowd April 22 at a reception on the USS Ingham Memorial Museum Ship, then head to the festival kick-off party at the Schooner Wharf Bar.

Sand sculptor Marianne Vandenbroek finishes a depiction of the Keys' historic Oversea Railway at the Casa Marina Resort. January 2012 will mark the 100th anniversary of the railroad's completion. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

You’ll also enjoy the Conch Republic Drag Race, the pet stroll with a pet look-alike competition, the World’s Longest Parade down Key West’s famed Duval Street, and the Red Ribbon Bed Race set for Saturday, April 30. Check the event schedule and come down for our celebration!

Almost 100 years ago, you could travel in luxury on the Oversea Railway from the Florida mainland through the Keys to Key West. In fact, next January marks the centennial anniversary of the first train’s arrival in the island city. The Key West Art & Historical Society recently debuted a fascinating exhibit on the railroad, titled “Flagler’s Speedway to Sunshine,” in the Custom House on Front Street. Stop in and experience the 100-mile trip over the sea.

What do you get when you take eleven actors, eight writers, seven directors, five burlesque performers, four comedians and two producers and put them in a theater together? You get Short Attention Span Theatre 2011, that’s what — a high-octane evening of short plays and wondrous acts featuring talented local performers presented at our Red Barn Theatre.

And don’t forget the 16th annual Key West Songwriters’ Festival. Enjoy live music performed over five days and nights with dozens of free shows staged at an array of the island’s most popular watering holes and hotspots.

In addition to plays and festivities, spring in Key West means fabulous flowers bursting into bloom.

Meanwhile, the Waterfront Playhouse and Conch Color bring us “Red, White & Tuna,” a satirical ride into the hearts and minds of the polyester-clad citizens of Texas’ third smallest town.  Directed by local Cameron Murray, the show promises to be great fun.

Speaking of Conch Color, many of you may know this colorful weekly newsmagazine. Tom Oosterhoudt, the former “Colorful Key West City Commissioner,” labors every week to chronicle all the great things happening on our island and throughout the Keys. The publication is full of photos of locals and visitors enjoying Keys events — so, if you were here recently, check it out and see if your picture made it into an issue.

I will be traveling again to two gay travel expos in the northeast, so look for me up north in New York and Philadelphia.

Better yet, I’ll see you in Key West — at the 801 Bourbon Bar’s Gay Bingo, or Sundays at La Te Da’s Tea Dance!

Topics: Arts, Events, Festivals, Key West, LGBT, Local Color

Just as Ernest Hemingway developed his “Papa” persona while living in Key West, internationally recognized singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett drew on the influence of his island home to create the “Margaritaville mystique” that has flavored his music for decades.

Who knew Jimmy Buffett sang at weddings? Here, he belts out a song during a close friend's wedding reception in the Lower Keys. (Photo by Andy Newman, Florida Keys News Bureau)

During his Key West years, Jimmy studied the island’s characters, cheerfully loony atmosphere and laid-back lifestyle — and memorialized them in songs such as his anthem, “Margaritaville,” and “A Pirate Looks at Forty.”

His tunes tell the stories of larger-than-life Key Westers like the late “gentleman smuggler” Phil Clark and the late bar owner/mayor Captain Tony Tarracino. Many of his most famous lyrics feature Key West locales like Fausto’s Food Palace (owned by another former Key West mayor, Jimmy Weekley), the Blue Heaven restaurant where free-range chickens entertain diners in the outdoor courtyard, and the legendary Chart Room Bar.

In fact, before he gained lasting fame and pioneered the musical genre now called “tropical rock,” Jimmy occasionally sang and played guitar at the Chart Room — and at Captain Tony’s, and at the late lamented Full Moon Saloon where 1970s Keys outlaws and visiting celebrities shared drinks and stories.

In 1985, Jimmy debuted his first Margaritaville Store in Key West — and what began as a welcoming yet ramshackle enterprise on the waterfront grew into an empire. The original Margaritaville is now located beside his Margaritaville Café on Key West’s historic Duval Street.

Jimmy's early albums -- like "White Sport Coat" here -- reflect his passion for his Key West home.

Given Jimmy’s strong connection to Key West and the Keys, it’s fitting that — just seven weeks after his newsmaking fall off a stage during a show in Australia — his first post-fall performance was a surprise Keys mini-concert to celebrate the wedding of two good friends.

Jimmy walked barefooted onto a small stage at the private home of local dentist Fred Troxel, who a few hours earlier had exchanged vows with Key Wester Rita Brown (also known as the Keys’ film commissioner).

Delighting the 300 reception guests, he belted out Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” and the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” For his finale, he sang his own “Margaritaville,” changing some of the lyrics to cater to the occasion.

Jimmy told the crowd that it was the first time he’d performed for any group since the fall that put him in the hospital briefly and caused him to cancel a New Zealand performance. However, he showed no ill effects from the five-foot tumble.

Jimmy performs a rollicking set for his Parrot Head fans during one of their annual conventions in Key West. (Photo by Rob O'Neal, Florida Keys News Bureau)

That’s fabulous news for his millions of “Parrot Head” fans, named for the offbeat headgear they wear at his concerts. Emulating their beloved “pirate laureate,” they regard Key West as their spiritual home port — flocking to visit the Margaritaville Store and Café, and even making pilgrimages to the small unmarked waterfront warehouse that houses Jimmy’s Shrimp Boat Sound recording studio.

Each year, the Parrot Heads hold their annual convention on the island Jimmy described in his early classic, “I Have Found Me a Home.” No doubt many of them, too, feel the Keys magic that caused their hero to write about pedaling his old red bike to “the bars and the beaches of my town” … and inspired his simple but heartfelt line, ‘You can have the rest of everything I own / ’cause I have found me a home.”

Topics: Arts, Big Pine Key & Lower Keys, Events, Highlights, Key West, Local Color, Voices Main Archive

In some locales, people’s choice of car provides clues to their actual or aspired-for income and social status (and, in more than a few cases, the size of their egos!).

Bruce Neff's art car features more than $30,000 of original Keys-themed artwork -- and a lucky winner will drive away in it after an April 17 raffle.

That’s not usually true in Key West, where the preferred method of travel is likely to be a zippy scooter or fat-tired “conch cruiser” bike (sometimes with a flop-eared dog riding in the basket) instead of a status-symbol car.

However, there’s one Key West car that’s coveted by residents, visitors and practically everyone who spots it cruising the narrow, palm-lined island streets and lanes.

That’s because it’s more than just an automobile — it’s an art-o-mobile.

The unique four-wheeled art gallery was the brainchild of Bruce Neff, a passionate Key West historian whose primary project is developing an online archive and interactive tour of the island city’s most notable historic sites.

The art car is adorned with iconic "postage stamp" Keys images, like this depiction of Key West's Southernmost House by impressionist William Welch.

What does an art car have to do with Key West history?

Actually, quite a lot.

Bruce, an innovative and out-of-the-box thinker (after all, he’s a longtime Key Wester!), persuaded 18 local and visiting artists to paint “postage stamp” images — each one depicting an aspect of the Keys’ heritage or environment — all over a 2005 Nissan Sentra.

Art, history (and automotive!) enthusiasts can vie to win the gallery on wheels by making $25 donations to Bruce’s Key West Historic Marker project. Each donation “buys” one raffle ticket — and the winner will be chosen April 17 at an artist reception (fittingly held on the grounds of Key West’s historic Southernmost House).

Meantime, the quirky art car can be spotted at events all over the island, eliciting smiles, questions and widespread interest.

World-renowned marine life artist and Keys resident Wyland painted a sea turtle on the art car's hood.

It’s definitely something to see. The value of the artwork alone is estimated at more than $30,000 — and that’s no surprise, since it includes original pieces by masters including world-famous marine life artist Wyland, who painted a classic sea turtle on the vehicle’s hood during a recent show at his Key West galleries.

The other images are equally representative of the Keys’ environment and history. For example, there’s Fran Decker’s series of three paintings saluting the Oversea Railway that connected the Keys to the “real world” in the early 1900s. Impressionist William Welch chose to depict Key West’s famed (and lavishly turreted) Southernmost House, while Pam Hobbs painted a rendition of the historic Key West Lighthouse.

Karen Beauprie saluted Key West’s onetime sponge harvesting industry with an image of men hard at work in the sponge market, and David Harrison Wright featured the Schooner Western Union sailing majestically toward a palm-fringed island.

The Keys' colorful flora is represented by Janis Childs' vibrant image.

Janis Childs was inspired to recreate the lush flowers blooming throughout the Keys; Sally Binard captured the region’s living coral reef in a scene featuring two indigenous yellowtail snappers. There’s even an icon for cat lovers: Sherry Sweet Tewell’s engaging feline waving a friendly paw.

But those are only some of the images adorning the vibrant vehicle. From its hood to its back fender, the art car is a traveling microcosm of the Keys’ colorful atmosphere and experience.

If you’re a friend of the enticing island chain, and want to help support a worthy heritage project, consider investing in a raffle ticket for Bruce Neff’s unique car. You don’t have to attend the April 17 drawing to win — and you just might find yourself the proud owner of the one-of-a-kind Key West art-o-mobile.

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