Summer seafood and sundowners in the Florida Keys

Summer is the perfect time to sample a taste of the Florida Keys.

With the temperature rising, the spotlight turns to savoring ocean fresh seafood and refreshing, locally crafted drinks.

There is no better way to do this than at one of the culinary-themed events taking place.

Outside of the main tourist season, the best value can be found on accommodation at this time of year.

Travelers can also look forward to excellent water visibility – perfect for diving or snorkeling in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

This summer’s event highlights include:

Key West Lobsterfest, 8-11 August

Now in its 27^th year, Key West Lobsterfest celebrates the bounty of the Florida Keys lobster season. The Keys’ spiny lobster is typically served steamed with drawn butter, paired with a seasoned stuffing. Festival events kick off on August 8, when lobster aficionados can gather for a traditional lobster boil at Caroline’s Café in the courtyard of Key West’s historic Porter Mansion. Other highlights include a street fair on Duval Street, to sample local chefs’ lobster specialties. The festival concludes with a gourmet lobster brunch buffet at First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery and a lobster boil and pool party at the Southernmost Beach Resort.

Rum Fest Key West, 14-18 August

The inaugural Rum Fest Key West is set to blend rum revelry and seafaring spirit. Events will showcase Key West’s distilleries, landmarks and marine environment — as well as the rumrunning heritage that helped shape the island city during the 1920-1933 Prohibition era. Highlights include a cocktail cruise to one of Key West’s offshore sandbars, a pool party featuring reggae and rum, and a Lower Keys bar crawl via trolley. There will also be an elegant four-course dinner with rum pairings at the Hemingway Social Club. The festival’s undisputed highlight is the Grand Tasting at the Hemingway Rum Co., set for Saturday, August 17, featuring more than 30 rum brands.

REEF Florida Keys Lionfish Derby, 15-18 August

Enthusiastic fisher folk are invited to take part in the Florida Keys Lionfish Derby organised by Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) to help remove the invasive species. Fishing takes place all day on the Friday and Saturday, with a Lionfish Festival on the Sunday featuring tournament scoring, demonstrations and lionfish tastings. Lionfish is on the menu at several Keys restaurants, notably Marathon’s Castaway Waterfront Restaurant & Sushi Bar.

Key West Brewfest, 29 August – 2 September

Fans of beer and ale can sample about 150 of them while also discovering the flavours of the continental United States’ southernmost island at Key West Brewfest. Activities ‘on tap’ include brew-focused dinners, pool parties and brunches, There is also the lavish BrewFest Signature Tasting Festival held Saturday August 31 on Key West’s South Beach at Duval Street. 

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