MCTKW-8326 KW Gay Broch LO3

Calendar of Events
January
Wreckers Levi/Levi Club Pool Party • Sunday Gay Bingo • Super
Ball Parties Galore • Yachting Race Week • Literary Seminar
• Sculpture Key West
February
Wreckers Levi/Leather Lonely Hearts Party • Valentine’s Day
Celebration • Sunday Gay Bingo • Mardi Gras Key West
Celebration • Annual “Kelly McGillis Classic” Women and
Girls Flag Football Championship • Sculpture Key West
March
Oscar Night • Mr.Key West Leather • Pink St.Patrick’s Day Street Party
and Parade • Gay Spring Break-all month • Sunday Gay Bingo
• Southernmost Party • Sculpture Key West
April
Annual Queen for a Day Aprils Fool’s Day • Wreckers Levi/Leather
Monthly Themed Event • Easter Bonnet Brunch • Sunday Gay
Bingo • Conch Republic Days Celebration • Annual Bed Races
• Annual Drag Races
May
Taste of Key West • Queen Mother Pageant • Cinco de Mayo
Celebration & Street Fair • Wreckers Levi/Leather Club Annual
Shipwreck Run • Memorial Day Celebration and tea dance
• Sunday Gay Bingo • Wreckers Levi/Leather Monthly Theme
Event • Survivors Party • Tropical Heat
Come as you Are
Fly to the Gay Destination. All major airlines offer fast,
nonstop and direct service from Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta and Orlando.
From Miami:
From Naples:
American Eagle .................1-800-433-7300 Cape Air ...........................1-800-352-0714
Gulfstream/Continental .......1-800-992-8532
US Air................................1-800-428-4322 From Orlando:
American Eagle .................1-800-433-7300
From Ft. Lauderdale:
Delta/Delta Connection ....1-800-221-1212
Cape Air ............................1-800-352-0714 US Air ...............................1-800-428-4322
Gulfstream/Continental .......1-800-992-8532
US Air................................1-800-428-4322 From Tampa:
American Eagle .................1-800-433-7300
From Ft. Myers:
Delta/Delta Connection ....1-800-221-1212
Cape Air ...........................1-800-352-0714 Gulfstream/Continental.......1-800-992-8532
US Air ...............................1-800-428-4322
From Atlanta:
June
PrideFest • Wreckers Levi/Leather Club Monthly Event • Sunday
Gay Bingo • Cinema Shores 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 • Hemingway Days
August
Sunday Gay Bingo • Wreckers Levi/Leather Club Bar Night
September
Womenfest Week • Sniffin the Seats Bar Crawl • Biker Babe Tattoo
Contest • Corn Queen Pageant • Sunday Gay Bingo • Wreckers
Levi/Leather Club Event
October
Sunday Gay Bingo• Wreckers Levi/Leather Club Ball • Fantasy Fest
Celebration • Bal Masque Ball • Headdress Ball • Goombay Festival
November
Cayo Carnival • Sunday Gay Bingo • Wreckers Levi/Leather Club
Monthly Event • Thanksgiving Celebrate Our Family & Turkey
Turnabout Contest • Wreckers Levi/Leather Club Thanksgiving
Party • Pirates in Paradise • APBA Offshore Worlds
December
• Full Moon Celebration
• Sunday Gay Bingo • Wreckers Levi/Leather Club Holiday Party
• New Year’s Eve Celebration- Dropping of the High Heel
For more information, call 1-877-724-5247,
or, outside the U.S., call (305) 294-4603.
Or write the Key West Business Guild,
P.O. Box 1208, Key West, FL 33041.
Visit our web site at http://www.fla-keys.com/gaykeywest
E-mail: keywestgay@aol.com
Photography by Ed Cox Photography and Stuart Newman Associates.
©2005/2006 Monroe County Commission. All rights reserved. MCTKW-8326/2.5K
Getting Acquainted
Welcome
Aside from its natural beauty, Key West’s warm,
come as you are atmosphere is one of the main reasons
for the island’s popularity with gay and lesbian visitors.
Key West is an integrated community that is a safe and
gay-friendly place to be open and relaxed, to make new
friends, and be embraced by the small town’s live and let
live philosophy. In fact, Key West’s official motto, adopted
by the City Commission, is “One Human Family.” It’s no
wonder gay men and women feel more themselves on this
subtropical island than anywhere else in the world. That’s
why many become permanent residents.
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
t h e N a t i o n a l R e g i s t e r,
formerly lived in by the
likes of playwright
Tennessee Williams and
poet Elizabeth Bishop. A
testament to the laid back
atmosphere, secluded
courtyards and lazy porch
sw i n g s a r e p e r m a n e n t
fixtures. And to maintain a leisurely pace, bicycles
are the preferred mode of transportation.
The turquoise water beckons visitors with its endless
list of possibilities. Hundreds of dive and snorkel
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
climate promises sensational fishing opportunities
365 days a year. But if you’d rather be in a lounge
chair than a fighting chair, gay and lesbian sunset
cruises offer spectacular views of pastel skies as the
pulse of Mallory Square
festivities beat in the not
too distant background.
As one of the country’s
top rated destinations for
gay and lesbian travelers,
commitment ceremonies
are a daily celebration in
Key West. The welcoming atmosphere and beautiful
courtyard or seaside settings make it the perfect
place for a union and honeymoon hideaway.
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 bar s,
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
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
open air pubs. You may decide to let loose completely
with a special show at one of our nude entertainment
or dance clubs. Or, if you’re feeling more low key,
kick back in a cocktail lounge or swanky piano bar.
And while there are some exclusive gay/lesbian
gathering spots, even in the mainstream places
same-sex couples are met with a welcome as warm
as the simmering nights.
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 &
Nature Conservatory.
For such a small island, Key
West sure has a big social
calendar. With year round
events and celebrations –
many of them designed to
appeal specifically to gay
and lesbian visitors – any
time is a good time to arrive. For a listing of festivals and
cultural events, please see the Calendar of Events.
And for an overview of Key West, see the map on the
back of this brochure.
The eclectic mix of locals and passersby and the
back splash of tropical color make Key West an
artist’s haven. Galleries and outdoor markets
showcase the paintings, sculptures, and other
objects d’art of the local talent. In fact, the Key West
Art Gallery Association estimates that the island
is currently home to more visual artists and
galleries per capita than anywhere else in the
United States. Visitors can take home a little piece
of the Keys in a variety of artistic expressions
including oils, watercolors, sculptures, Haitian
primitives, photography, pottery, wood carvings,
art glass and more.
History & Culture
With more than 2,500 historical buildings here,
Ke y West is an island r ich in architectural
h e r i t a ge . I t s f a m o u s “ C a r p e n t e r G o t h i c ”
gingerbread houses have hosted novelists,
playwrights, painters, poets, even presidents.
In fact, one of the aspects that first attracted
the gay population to
Key West in the 1970’s
was the scores of dilapidated Victorian houses
begging to be restored
into fabulous showplaces.
Culture in the Conch Republic? You better believe it.
Key West has a long tradition of presenting fine
dramas, comedies and musicals in intimate theaters.
Several venues offer locally produced masterpieces
as well as guest artists and road companies from
around the world. Most of the island’s four
theaters are within walking distance of each other.
It is here at the Red Barn Theater, Waterfront
Playhouse, Tennessee Williams Theatre and
San Carlos Institute that the legacies of Tennessee
Williams and other playwrights live on through
exciting and provocative productions.
Highlights include the
Little White House
Museum, dedicated to
President Harry Truman’s tenure, the Audubon
House, San Carlos Institute (the cultural center for
the Cuban exile community), the Ernest Hemingway
House and the Key West Lighthouse Museum. For
a glorious glimpse into the past, visit the Mel Fisher
Maritime Museum, where resurrected artifacts and
treasures bedazzle.
For such a small town,
Key West is big on culture.
Besides live theatre, the
town boasts a local (yet
world-class) Symphony,
a Pops Orchestra, Opera
Theatre and Film Society.
The Key West Founders
Society brings in top talent from all over the
world to round out a full cultural season.
Eat, Drink, Be Merry.
A stroll down Duval street will present you
with endless shopping opportunities. Must
haves include funky native lounge wear, hand
crafted jewelry, sea shells, aloe products, handrolled cigars, and plenty of other fun-in-thesun accessories. If you’re feeling adventuresome,
go wild in the adult “toy shops”.
A festival 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
to be savored.
Relax and Stay Awhile
Key West’s accommodations range from elegant
resorts to cozy tropical guest houses. Many guest
houses cater primarily to gay men, lesbians,
or a combination of both. They’re often private
hideaways tucked under neath swaying
palms, furnished with island wicker or rattan
and museum quality
antiques. It’s common
to find private pools,
pr ivate beaches, and
clothing-optional
sunning decks. Many
establishments offer suites or apartments that
are perfect for groups of friends.
Map Listings
1 Key West Aquarium
2 Waterfront Playhouse
3 Key West Art & Historical Museum
(Custom House)
4 Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage
Museum
5 Little White House Museum
6 Presidential Gates
7 Audubon House & Tropical
Gardens
8 Old City Hall
9 Curry Mansion
10 George Bowne Patterson House
11 Dr. Joseph Yates Porter House
12 Heritage House Museum & Robert
Frost Cottage
13 Oldest House Museum
14 St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
15 Key West United Methodist
Church
16 Donkey Milk House
17 Richard Peacon House
18 Bahama Houses
19 Historic Seaport
20 Harris School
21 Key West City Cemetery
22 William Albury House
23 John Lowe, Jr. House
24 Benjamin Curry, Jr. House
25 San Carlos Institute
26 Historic La Concha Hotel
27 Monroe County Courthouse
28 Cornish Memorial AME Zion Church
29 Ernest Hemingway House
30 Key West Lighthouse Museum
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
Alfonso/Carrasco House
Key West Armory
Charles Pendleton House
Frank Knight House
Bayview Park/Martí Statue
Tennessee Williams House
Charles Thompson House
Mercedes Hospital
Harvey Government Center at the
Historic Truman School
St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic
Church
Fire Department Station No. 3
Armas de Oro Cigar Factory
Coral Rock House
Casa Marina
West Martello Tower
East Martello
Vining Harris House
Gato Cigar Factory
Nelson English House
Fort Zachary Taylor
Fort Jefferson
Metropolitan Community Church
Sands African-Bahamian Museum
AIDS Memorial
Flagler Station Museum
Red Barn Theater
Key West Butterfly & Nature
Conservatory
Gay/Lesbian Trolley Stop
Pirate Soul Museum
Gay & Lesbian Visitor’s Center
Historic
Old Town
Key West
TO TENNESSE
WILLIAMS THEATRE