Key West’s annual Summer Solstice Celebration started June 8 at Mallory Square. The 14-day celebration features a series of special happenings and experiences that will culminate on the June 21 Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year and the official first day of summer.
Highlights include live shows by acrobats and illusionists, including “Reidiculous Reid” Conklin, “Juggling Jase” Anderson, Dr. Juice and Blue; creative demonstrations and wares by local artists and artisans; island-style music; and solstice-inspired activities such as setting intentions and tying ribbons on a “wish banner,” flower-crown making and tarot card readings.
Attendees can also enjoy a variety of food and beverages from onsite vendors, along with presentations and appearances by local groups and organizations such as the Key West Woman’s Club, the Key West Police Department, Old Island Restoration Foundation, the Conch Republic Marine Army and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
The celebration culminates on Sunday, June 21, with performers, conch-horn blowing, interactive fun, and a ticketed World Food Experience option featuring sample-sized foods from a variety of Key West restaurants and chefs.
Key West’s Sunset Celebration has unfolded nearly every evening at Mallory Square for some five decades, offering a waterfront stage for street performers and a showcase for local creatives. The Summer Solstice Celebration enhances this tradition with 14 days of special programming.
Produced by the Key West Cultural Preservation Society, organizer of the Mallory Square Sunset Celebration, the festival is presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and sponsored by the Key West Sunrise Rotary Club, Four Seasons Rentals, Mount Sinai Medical Center and Publix.
More information is at sunsetcelebration.org/solstice.
