IN PICTURES: ISLAND VIBES RETURN TO ISLAMORADA WITH MERMAIDS & SAND SCULPTURES

Mermaid Bubbles attends the 30th annual Island Fest on Saturday, April 2. JIM McCARTHY/Keys Weekly

Island tunes, sand sculptures and art galleries galore graced Founders Park Beach for the return of Island Fest on April 2-3. Organized by the Islamorada Chamber of Commerce, the 30th annual event saw festival-goers enjoying a pristine day on the beach as they listened to reggae music by Toko Irie and beach tunes by I Land Vibes. Not far away, a row of art galleries and craft tents had people checking out paintings, photographs and more. With entertainment and art came food and drinks offered by a number of vendors. Boat races, a car show and the Taste of Islamorada food contest highlighted an action-packed weekend at the beach.

Jim McCarthy
Jim McCarthy is one of the many Western New Yorkers who escaped the snow and frigid temperatures for warm living by the water. A former crime & court reporter and city editor for two Western New York newspapers, Jim has been honing his craft since he graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 2014. In his 4-plus years in the Keys, Jim has enjoyed connecting with the community. “One of my college professors would always preach to be curious,” he said. “Behind every person is a story that’s unique to them, and one worth telling. As writers, we are the ones who paint the pictures in the readers minds of the emotions, the struggles and the triumphs.” Jim is past president of the Key Largo Sunset Rotary Club, which is composed of energetic members who serve the community’s youth and older populations. Jim is a sports fanatic who loves to watch football, hockey, mixed martial arts and golf. He also enjoys time with family and his new baby boy, Lucas, who arrived Oct. 4, 2022.