During the Hemingway Days celebration, which runs from July 18th to July 23rd, 2023, Key West is brimming with celebrations. This vibrant event honors the literary legacy of Ernest Hemingway, the iconic American author who resided and wrote on the island during the 1930s.
The festival draws Ernest Hemingway look-alikes, writers, anglers, and avid fans of his work for a week of exciting activities. Among the highlights is the Hemingway® Look-Alike Contest at Sloppy Joe’s Bar, where men resembling the legendary writer compete.
Numerous events, including prose and poetry readings, the “Running of the Bulls,” presentations on Ernest’s influence, a marlin tournament, a street fair, and a 5k run and paddleboard race, make this celebration unforgettable. Key West’s vivacious spirit and Hemingway’s literary prowess merge in this joyous homage to a literary giant.
Today, July 21st, would mark Ernest Hemingway’s 124th birthday. Visitors can explore Hemingway’s former home, now a museum, where he penned masterpieces like “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and “The Snows of Kilimanjaro,” forever linking his legacy to the scenic island of Key West.
The cover photo was provided by the Florida Keys News Bureau, Tom Grizzard, right, winner of the 2008 “Papa” Hemingway Look-Alike Contest, and other past winners judge contestants during the 2023 contest Thursday, July 20, 2023, at Sloppy Joe’s Bar in Key West. The 2023 “Papa” is to be crowned Saturday, July 22.
Watch the live cam from Sloppy Joe’s Bar here
Watch the live cam from Duvall Street here