Hemingway Look-Alike Contest Heats Up in Key West

What's Brewing?

Key West is about to get a whole lot beardier as the 43rd annual Hemingway Look-Alike Contest kicks off from July 18-21. This year's event also marks the 125th birthday of the legendary writer himself. Expect around 150 "Ernests" to flock to Sloppy Joe's Bar, vying for the title of the best Hemingway doppelgänger.

Main Events

• Preliminary Rounds: Thursday and Friday at 6:30 p.m., Sloppy Joe's Bar.
• Finals: Saturday at 6:30 p.m., featuring previous winners like Gerrit Marshall from Madison, Wisconsin, as judges.
• Running of the Bulls: A quirky take on Pamplona’s famous event, with man-made bulls on wheels, starts at 1 p.m. Saturday, Greene Street.
• Papa Birthday Bash: Sunday at 9 a.m., featuring a birthday cake and photo ops with the new "Papa 2024".

Why It Matters

Besides the beard-growing camaraderie, the event supports scholarships for Florida Keys students, a tradition since 2000. Plus, it’s a nod to Hemingway’s impactful years in Key West, where he penned classics like "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and "The Snows of Kilimanjaro".

For more details, head over to keywestlookalikes.com and hemingwaydays.net.

Catch you at Sloppy Joe's!