Key West, the last in the chain of islands and the southernmost point of Florida, has drawn people from all over the world who fall in love with its paradisiacal charm. One of its most famous residents was Ernest Hemingway (also known as “Papa” Hemingway), the Nobel Prize winner who called Key West home for most of the 1930s and penned classics like “For Whom The Bell Tolls” and “Death In The Afternoon.”
Since 1981, in honor of the author’s life and his literacy accomplishments, Key West has hosted the Hemingway Day Festival (this year, July 18-23). One would think the festival is all about literature, however, besides an insightful prose and poetry reading, it aims to capture Hemingway’s wanderings on the island.
The main event is the popular Hemingway Look-Alike Contest, where about 125 stocky, bearded entrants compete for the best “Papa” emulation at Sloppy Joe’s (Hemingway’s favorite bar). Last year, Florida attorney Jon Auvil won the competition, taking home a bust of Hemingway and the honor of being likened to one of America’s most important literary figures.
Other events include a museum exhibit of Hemingway memorabilia plus a walking tour of the spots the author frequented. Those who want to celebrate his passion for water can do so through a fishing tournament or 5K paddleboard race followed by a run/walk section. The festival also commemorates what would be Hemingway’s 124th birthday (July 21) and recognizes the Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition winner, hosted by Ernest’s granddaughter, also an author, Lorian Hemingway.
“Ernest Hemingway was the first popular author to make Key West his home. He brought many of his literary friends here, therefore playing a vital role in establishing the island as a literary Mecca,” says Carol Shaughnessy, a Key West writer and publicist who has volunteered in the festival for decades. In fact, the literacy heritage in this quirky island city that began with Hemingway is still vibrant today, says Shaughnessy, 67. One notable author that you may come across is Judy Blume.
“Hemingway Days showcases the best of Key West,” says Shaughnessy. “In many ways, the festival is like a reunion of old friends, who also welcome newcomers with open arms.” More than excitement and fun to the community, the festival also benefits local nonprofits and serves as an economic boost for businesses and people in the hospitality industry.
“Hemingway Days has become part of Key West’s heritage and recalls the island’s most famous resident – and I think the community is rather proud of it,” she says.
Photo courtesy of The Florida Keys & Key West
Ernest Hemingway look-alikes kick off the annual "Running of the Bulls" Saturday, July 23, 2022, in Key West, Fla. The take-off on the famed run in Pamplona, Spain, features fake bulls on wheels and is part of the island city's annual Hemingway Days festival that concludes Sunday, July 24. Hemingway lived and wrote in Key West throughout most of the 1930s. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY (Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau/HO)