What goes around comes around, and the millions of tourist dollars spent on hotels and vacation rentals in the Florida Keys each year have circled back into event funding through the county’s Tourist Development Council.
In its second round of giving this year, the TDC has announced individual awards for events which draw visitors to the Keys and keep them coming back. The first round was for capital improvement projects through nonprofits, announced in late June. The money comes from the bed tax levied on hotel rooms and vacation rentals. The TDC’s District Advisory Committees awarded money for the following events in Key West and the Lower Keys. Some have already occurred.
KEY WEST UPCOMING EVENTS:
Tropical Heat 2018: Aug. 16-20
Key West Business Guild, Inc.
$25,000
Key West Brewfest: Aug. 30 to Sept. 3, 2018
Sunrise Rotary Foundation of Key West, Inc.
$25,000
Womenfest 2018: Sept. 5-9
Key West Business Guild, Inc.
$35,000
Southernmost Marathon & Half 10k/5k: Oct. 5-7
Multirace LLC
$17,000
2018 SUP Invitational benefiting Special Olympics Florida Monroe: Oct. 12-14
Special Olympics Florida Inc.
$10,000
Fantasy Fest: Oct. 19-28
Key West Tourist Development Association, Inc.
$150,000
Key West World Championship Race: Nov. 4-11
Super Boat International Productions Inc.
$150,000
Key West Film Festival: Nov. 14-18, 2018
Key West Film Festival Corporation
$17,000
Key West Holiday Fest: Dec. 1-24
The Lodging Association of The Florida Keys and Key West, Inc.
$50,000
Key West Triathlon TRIKW: Dec. 7-8
Multirace LLC
$17,000
New Years Eve Shoe Drop: Dec. 31
Bourbon Street Pub Inc.
$17,000
KEY WEST PAST:
Key West Songwriters Festival
Bauer Restaurant, Inc.
$150,000
Key West Pride 2018
Key West Business Guild Inc.
$50,000
20th Key West Half Marathon & 5K Run
Key West Half Marathon LLC
$50,000
Key West Food and Wine Festival
Dolce Events LLC
$35,000
The Key Lime Festival
The Key Lime Festival
$17,000
Mote’s 8th Annual Key West Ocean Fest: A Community Celebration
Mote Marine Laboratory, Inc.
$17,000
FKCC Swim Around Key West, Open Water Swim and Swim Meet
Florida Keys Community College and the Letters “FKCC”
$10,000
Hemingway 5K Sunset Run & Paddleboard Race
Hemingway Sunset Run & Paddleboard Race LLC
$10,000
Kelly McGillis Classic
International Women’s Flag Football Association Inc.
$10,000
13th Annual Florida Keys Seafood Festival
Monroe County Commercial Fishermen Inc.
$17,000
Papio Kinetic Sculpture Parade
Key West Art and Historical Society Inc.
$17,000
Key West Paddle Classic
Lazy Dog Adventures LLC
$10,000
Total awards: $951,000
*Note, this amount includes two canceled events: the AquaX Key West World Championships, scheduled for December, which was awarded $35,000; and WineDine Key West, scheduled for September, which received $10,000.
LOWER KEYS UPCOMING:
46th Annual Phil Peterson’s Key West Poker Run: Sept. 14-16
Phil Peterson’s Key West Poker Run LLC
$5,000
Fantasy Fest: Oct. 19-28
Key West Tourist Development Association Inc.
$15,000
LOWER KEYS PAST:
14th Annual Nautical Expo
Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
$7,500
20th Key West Half Marathon & 5K Run
Key West Half Marathon LLC
$5,000
34th Annual Underwater Music Festival
Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
$7,500
MIDDLE KEYS UPCOMING:
Heroes Salute Weekend: Aug. 31 to Sept. 2
Hawk’s Cay Resort Sales LLC
$30,000
Fantasy Fest: Oct. 19-28
Key West Tourist Development Association Inc.
$30,000
MIDDLE KEYS PAST:
Battle in the Bay Dragon Boat Festival
High Five Dragon Boat LLC
$10,000
Coral Head Musicfest
Marathon Post No. 154 Inc.
$10,000
Island Boat Show
Island Commununity Church Inc.
$10,000
Marathon Seafood Festival
Greater Marathon Chamber of Commerce Inc.
$40,000
Sombrero Beach Run
Keys Area Interdenominational Resources Inc
$20,000
Total Funds: $150,000
ISLAMORADA UPCOMING EVENTS:
Florida Keys Poker Paddle Sept. 7-9
Florida Key Poker Paddle Inc.
$10,000
Swim for Alligator Lighthouse: Sept. 14-17
Friends of the Pool, Inc.
$25,000
Conch Scramble “On The Water” Golf Tournament: Sept. 29-30
Conch Foundation of the Upper Keys, Inc.
$10,000
Mad Dog Mandich Fishing Classic: October, dates not set
Mad Dog Mandich Fishing Classic, LLC
$10,000
Mote’s 2nd Annual Islamorada Ocean Fest: A Community Celebration: Oct. 13
Mote Marine Laboratory Inc.
$10,000
Islamorada Half Marathon & 10K, Beach N’ Beer Mile: Dec. 6-9
Islamorada Running Company LLC
$20,000
ISLAMORADA PAST:
27th Annual Florida Keys Island Fest
Islamorada Chamber of Commerce Inc.
$20,000
Uncorked – Key Largo & Islamorada Food & Wine Festival
Key Largo Merchants Association Inc.
$15,000
Total DAC IV awards: $140,000
CANCELLED P1 Islamorada Grand Prix, Presented by Mercury Racing
Powerboat P1 (USA) LLC
$20,000
KEY LARGO UPCOMING EVENTS:
REEF Fest 2018: Sept. 20-23
Reef Environmental Education Foundation Incorporated
$15,000
Orange Bowl Swim Classic and Winter Training: December
Upper Keys Community Pool Inc.
$40,000
KEY LARGO PAST:
Jimmy Johnson’s National Championship Fishing Week
CI Management Group Inc.
$25,000
Key Largo Brew on the Bay
Rotary Club of Key Largo Charitable Events Inc.
$15,000
Key Largo’s Original Music Festival
Key Largo Merchants Association Inc.
$40,000
Uncorked – Key Largo & Islamorada Food & Wine Festival
Key Largo Merchants Association Inc.
$25,000
Total awards: $160,000
