“And I have been drunk now for over two weeks;
I passed out and I rallied and I sprung a few leaks.
But I gotta stop wishin', gotta go fishin'
Down to rock bottom again
Just a few friends, just a few friends”
— JImmy Buffett’s ‘A Pirate Looks at Forty’
The weekend-long tribute to Jimmy Buffett was called Just a Few Friends, but ended up drawing thousands to the island city for the long Labor Day weekend.
The weekend included appearances by members of the Buffett family for the renaming of A1A as the Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway, a Hawaiian surfing tradition called a “paddle out” in honor of the singer/songwriter and a festive Second Line march through Old Town that culminated at Truman Waterfront Park for a free concert and Party in the Park.
Buffett died on Sept. 1, 2023 after a four-year battle with a form of skin cancer called Merkel-cell carcinoma. His death prompted a spontaneous outpouring of music, memories and margaritas last year in Key West.
This year, with more time to prepare, Paul Menta, owner of Key West’s First Legal Rum Distillery, worked with several people, performers and organizations to put together the Just a Few Friends celebration that quickly cemented itself on the Key West events calendar.
