Calendar of Events January Wreckers Levi/Levi Club Pool Party • Sunday Gay Bingo • Cinema Shores Movie Night Thursdays • Super Ball Parties Galore • Yachting Race Week • Literary Seminar February Wreckers Levi/Leather Lonely Hearts Party • Valentine’s Day Where there’sfreedom, Celebration • Sunday Gay Bingo • Mardi Gras Key West Celebration • Cinema Shores Movie Night Thursdays • Annual “Kelly McGillis Classic” Women and Girls Flag Football Championship there is expression. March Oscar Night • Mr.Key West Leather • Pink St.Patrick’s Day Street Party Fly to the Gay Destination. All major airlines offer fast, and Parade • Gay Spring Break-all month • Sunday Gay Bingo nonstop and direct service from Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta and Orlando. • Cinema Shores Movie Night Thursdays • Southernmost Party From Miami: From Naples: April American Eagle .................1-800-433-7300 Cape Air ...........................1-800-352-0714 Annual Queen for a Day Aprils Fool’s Day • Wreckers Levi/Leather Monthly Themed Event • Easter Bonnet Brunch • Sunday Gay Gulfstream/Continental .......1-800-992-8532 Bingo • Conch Republic Days Celebration • Annual Bed Races US Air................................1-800-428-4322 From Orlando: • Annual Drag Races • Cinema Shores Movie Night Thursdays American Eagle .................1-800-433-7300 From Ft. Lauderdale: Delta/Delta Connection ....1-800-221-1212 May Taste of Key West • Queen Mother Pageant • Cinco de Mayo Cape Air ............................1-800-352-0714 US Air ...............................1-800-428-4322 Celebration & Street Fair • Wreckers Levi/Leather Club Annual Gulfstream/Continental .......1-800-992-8532 Shipwreck Run • Memorial Day Celebration and tea dance US Air................................1-800-428-4322 From Tampa: • Sunday Gay Bingo • Wreckers Levi/Leather Monthly Theme American Eagle .................1-800-433-7300 Event • Survivors Party • Cinema Shores Movie Night Thursdays From Ft. Myers: Delta/Delta Connection ....1-800-221-1212 June Cape Air ...........................1-800-352-0714 Gulfstream/Continental .......1-800-992-8532 Pride Week Celebration & Parade • Wreckers Levi/Leather US Air ...............................1-800-428-4322 Club Monthly Event • Sunday Gay Bingo • Cinema Shores From Atlanta: Movie Night Thursdays • Key West Theatre Festival • Cuban American Festival Delta/Delta Connection ....1-800-221-1212 July Independence Day Celebration & Fireworks • Wreckers Levi/Leather Club Anniversary Party •Sunday Gay Bingo • Cinema Shores Movie Night Thursdays • Hemingway Days August Bears in the Keys Week • Sunday Gay Bingo • Wreckers Levi/Leather Club Bar Night • Cinema Shores Movie Night Thursdays September Womenfest Week • Sniffin the Seats Bar Crawl • Biker Babe Tattoo Contest • Cinema Shores Movie Night Thursdays • Corn Queen Pageant • Sunday Gay Bingo • Wreckers Levi/Leather Club Event October For more information, call 1-877-724-5247, Cinema Shores Movie Night Thursdays • Sunday Gay Bingo or, outside the U.S., call (305) 294-4603. •Wreckers Levi/Leather Club Ball • Fantasy Fest Celebration • Bal Masque Ball • Headdress Ball • Goombay Festival Or write the Key West Business Guild, P. O. Box 1208, Key West, FL 33041. November Cayo Carnival • Sunday Gay Bingo • Wreckers Levi/Leather Club Monthly Event • Thanksgiving Celebrate Our Family & Turkey Turnabout Contest • Cinema Shores Movie Night Thursdays •Wreckers Levi/Leather Club Thanksgiving Party • Pirates in Paradise • APBA Offshore Worlds December Cinema Shores Movie Night Thursdays • Full Moon Celebration Visit our web site at http://www.fla-keys.com/gaykeywest • Sunday Gay Bingo • Wreckers Levi/Leather Club Holiday Party •New Year’s Eve Celebration- Dropping of the High Heel E-mail: [email protected] Photography by Ed Cox Photography and Stuart Newman Associates. ©2003/2004 Monroe County Commission. All rights reserved. MCTKW-4468 Getting Acquainted There’s plenty to do and see on this two by four mile island. The quaint village is colored with lush Bougainvillaea, Royal Poinciana, and Hibiscus blossoms. Streets are lined with lovingly restored Victorian homes in every hue of the famous Key West sunset. Many are on the National Register, formerly lived in by the likes of playwright Tennessee Williams and poet Elizabeth Bishop. A testament to the laid back Welcome atmosphere, secluded courtyards and lazy porch swings are permanent Aside from its natural beauty, Key West’s warm, fixtures. And to maintain a leisurely pace, bicycles are the preferred mode of transportation. come as you are atmosphere is one of the main reasons The turquoise water beckons visitors with its endless list of possibilities. Hundreds of dive and snorkel forthe island’s popularity with gay and lesbian visitors. sites are just off shore. Try one of our gay/lesbian or clothing–optional excursions (the fish will never tell). Anglers will be happy to know the balmy subtropical KeyWest is an integrated community that is a safe and climate promises sensational fishing opportunities 365 days a year. But if you’d rather be in a lounge gay-friendly place to be open and relaxed, to make new chair than a fighting chair, gay and lesbian sunset cruises offer spectacular views of pastel skies as the pulse of Mallory Square friends, and be embraced by the small town’s live and let festivities beat in the not too distant background. live philosophy. In fact, Key West’s official motto, adopted As one of the country’s top rated destinations for by the City Commission, is “One Human Family.” It’s no gay and lesbian travelers, commitment ceremonies are a daily celebration in wonder gay men and women feel more themselves on this KeyWest. The welcoming atmosphere and beautiful courtyard or seaside settings make it the perfect place for a union and honeymoon hideaway. subtropical island than anywhere else in the world. That’s why many become permanent residents. Entertainment & Events If you like the night life and you like to boogie, you’ve come to the right place. Key West has some terrific clubs, rock & roll bars, tropical bars and jazz clubs. Make your way to a cabaret for a spicy performance by stiletto and lipstick clad drag queens. In fact, many The eclectic mix of locals and passersby and the nationally known drag stars love to spend time here. After which, you’ll need to loosen your collar, grab a breath of fresh air and a brew at one of the legendary back splash of tropical color make Key West an open air pubs. Or, if you’re feeling more low key, kick back in a cocktail lounge or swanky piano bar. artist’s haven. Galleries and outdoor markets And while there are some exclusive gay/lesbian gathering spots, even in the main-stream places same-sex couples are met with a welcome as warm showcase the paintings, sculptures, and other as the simmering nights. objects d’art of the local talent. In fact, the Key West On Saturdays, you may want to soak in the scenery on the Gay & Lesbian trolley tour. And any day of the week you can visit the Butterfly & Art Gallery Association estimates that the island Nature Conservatory. is currently home to more visual artists and For such a small island, Key West sure has a big social galleries per capita than anywhere else in the calendar. With year round events and celebrations – many of them designed to United States. Visitors can take home a little piece appeal specifically to gay and lesbian visitors – any of the Keys in a variety of artistic expressions time is a good time to arrive. Foralisting of festivals and cultural events, please see the Calendar of Events. including oils, watercolors, sculptures, Haitian And for an overview of Key West, see the map on the back of this brochure. primitives, photography, pottery, wood carvings, art glass and more. History & Culture With more than 2,500 historical buildings here, KeyWest is an island rich in architectural heritage. Its famous “Carpenter Gothic” gingerbread houses have hosted novelists, playwrights, painters, poets, even presidents. In fact, one of the aspects that first attracted the gay population to KeyWest in the 1970’s was the score of dilapi- dated Victorian houses begging to be restored into fabulous showplaces. Highlights include the Little White House Culture in the Conch Republic? You better believe it. Museum, dedicated to President Harry Truman’s tenure, the Audubon KeyWest has a long tradition of presenting fine House, San Carlos Institute (the cultural center for the Cuban exile community), the Ernest Hemingway House and the Key West Lighthouse Museum. For dramas, comedies and musicals in intimate theaters. a glorious glimpse into the past, visit the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, where resurrected artifacts and Several venues offer locally produced masterpieces treasures bedazzle. For such a small town, as well as guest artists and road companies from KeyWest is big on culture. Besides live theatre, the around the world. Most of the island’s four town boasts a local (yet world-class) Symphony, theaters are within walking distance of each other. aPops Orchestra, Opera Theatre and Film Society. The Key West Founders It is here at the Red Barn Theater, Waterfront Society brings in top talent from all over the world to round out a full cultural season. Playhouse, Tennessee Williams Theatre and San Carlos Institute that the legacies of Tennessee Williams and other playwrights live on through exciting and provocative productions. Eat, Drink, Be Merry. Afestival for your taste buds, Key West is home to world class chefs. Many restaurants artfully prepare the island delicacies – succulent Key West pink shrimp, Conch, fresh fish, and Key Lime Pie with their own unique flair. Whatever the culinary theme, the ambiance is as enticing as the entrée. From romantic courtyards to chic sidewalk cafes, you’ll soon discover why Key West is meant A stroll down Duval street will present you to be savored. with endless shopping opportunities. Must Relax and Stay Awhile haves include funky native lounge wear, hand KeyWest’s accommodations range from elegant crafted jewelry, sea shells, aloe products, hand- resorts to cozy tropical guest houses.