Several thousand Jimmy Buffett fans paraded along Duval Street on Aug. 31 for a Second Line Memorial Walking Parade saluting the life and legacy of the late musical icon on the island that inspired his signature “trop-rock” sound.
Marchers in tropical shirts and flower leis bounced beach balls, blew bubbles and waved banners bearing Buffett’s likeness during the exuberant procession that highlighted the Just a Few Friends celebration over Labor Day Weekend.
The parade was led by a group including Buffett’s youngest sister Lucy Buffett, a restaurateur and cookbook author; vocalist Nadirah Shakoor of his famed Coral Reefer Band; and Keys “trop-rock” musician Howard Livingston. Along the route, Shakoor and Livingston led march participants in a rousing version of Buffett’s hit “Margaritaville.”
Buffett, who died on Sept. 1, 2023, discovered Key West in the early 1970s and its influence is widely credited with inspiring many of his classic songs. He called the island home for many years and frequently referenced its characters, landmarks and laid-back attitude in his lyrics. His first Margaritaville Store and Margaritaville Café debuted there in the mid-1980s.
“Key West is where Jimmy found his home in his heart, and where he found the niche of his creativity that spurred him into the masses,” said Lucy Buffett during the festival’s kickoff ceremony outside her brother’s Shrimpboat Sound recording studio. “And that’s why all of you all got touched — because of the life that he found when he got here.”
The procession ended at Truman Waterfront Park, where the free “Party in the Park” concert featured Shakoor, Livingston & the Mile Marker 24 Band, and others who learned from or performed with Buffett.
Proceeds from the festival’s collectible event badges directly benefit three Key West organizations: Reef Relief, the Bahama Village Music Program, and the Key West High School Marching Band.
