During five days of flavorful fun, June 30-July 4, Key West’s Key Lime Festival invites lovers of the lime to celebrate the citrus via a series of events at multiple venues across the island where Key lime pie was conceived.
Festival events kick off with a cookbook signing and champagne reception with David Sloan, author of the “Key West Key Lime Pie Cookbook,” on June 30 on the veranda of the Curry Mansion Inn. A full menu of happenings ranges from culinary adventures to outrageous competitions. Here’s a sampling of some, but not all, of the lineup:
Culinary events
The schedule include a “Living the Key Lime Life” four-course dinner at Kaya Island Eats, a five-course “Key Lime Unity Table Dinner” with Great Events Catering at Williams Hall, and a five course “Key Lime Dewey Deck Dinner & Wine Pairing” event at Le Mer & Dewey House. For those who like to get hands-on in the kitchen, there are mini Key lime pie-making classes at the Key West Key Lime Pie Co.
Limey libations
Activities for those of legal age include a Key Lime Sip & Stroll where participants vote for the best Key lime cocktails and margaritas from multiple participating bars, and a Key lime rum- tasting experience at the Key West First Legal Rum Distillery.
Competitive Events
Don’t miss the World Famous Key Lime Pie Eating Championship or the gravity-defying Key Lime Pie Drop — from the top of the Key West Lighthouse.
There’s also a Key Lime Scavenger Hunt, Key Lime Pie Hop, a Key lime tree master class, and morning Key Lime Bike Tours that visit iconic landmarks and conclude with a slice of Key lime pie. Those who care to explore even further can make the 29-mile trek from Key West to Big Pine Key the evening of July 3, when the Lower Keys Rotary Club hosts Monroe County’s bid to reclaim the “world’s largest Key lime pie” title as part of the county’s bicentennial celebration.
Fourth of July events begin early with the annual Rotary Club of Key West 4th of July 5K, and continue into the night with the Rotary’s “Patriotic Dinner Under the Fireworks.” In the hours between, revelers can dive into a 4th of July pool party at Dante’s Key West Pool Bar & Restaurant and head over to the Southernmost Beach Café, where the wild World Famous Key Lime Pie Eating Championship takes place.The Florida Legislature made Key lime pie the official state pie in 2006. Launched in 2013, the Key Lime Festival was concocted by author, ghost hunter, historian, and cuisinier David Sloan and artist, production designer and Wonderdog Studios founder Marky Pierson. The 2023 festival includes numerous family-friendly activities and is presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and We’ve Got the Keys. Some events require advance reservations/registration. A full calendar with registration and reservation links is at keylimefestival.com.
