IN PICTURES: KEY WEST WELCOMES 2022 IN STYLE

a woman in a colorful dress sitting on a red chair
Sushi, the queen of Key West’s new year, descends at midnight in her trademark red pump.

A pirate wench and a posh drag queen, a conch shell, a vintage PanAm flight attendant and a giant Key lime wedge all dropped into 2022 on New Year’s Eve in Key West.

Duval Street featured parties at all sorts of venues, including Sloppy Joe’s Bar and Bourbon Street Pub, where the legendary female impersonator Sushi descended from a second-floor balcony in a red high-heeled shoe.

In the hours leading up to midnight, several other performers entertained the masses on a stage erected on Duval Street.

Upon landing safely, Sushi welcomed the crowd to 2022 while wearing an incredible gown of her creation that took the gifted seamstress and costume designer about 60 hours to create, Sushi told the Keys Weekly. 

Mandy Miles
Mandy Miles drops stuff, breaks things and falls down more than any adult should. An award-winning writer, reporter and columnist, she's been stringing words together in Key West since 1998. "Local news is crucial," she says. "It informs and connects a community. It prompts conversation. It gets people involved, holds people accountable. The Keys Weekly takes its responsibility seriously. Our owners are raising families in Key West & Marathon. Our writers live in the communities we cover - Key West, Marathon & the Upper Keys. We respect our readers. We question our leaders. We believe in the Florida Keys community. And we like to have a good time." Mandy's married to a saintly — and handy — fishing captain, and can't imagine living anywhere else.