June in the Florida Keys: Sun, Sea, and Celebrations Await

FLORIDA KEYS — June is when the island chain trades spring breezes for full-blown tropical swagger, and 2025’s lineup is a postcard come to life. Think sunset street shows, coral-saving dives, parades powered by Pride, and enough fishing derbies to make even Hemingway blush. Pack flip-flops and curiosity—here’s your travel-insider guide.

Sun-Kissed Kick-Offs

• Summer Solstice Celebration, Mallory Square (June 1-20, Key West)
  Nightly at 7 p.m., the famous Sunset Celebration ups the ante with extra performers, pop-up art, and a front-row view of the sun’s fiery drop into the Gulf. Order a rum runner, applaud the fire jugglers, and let island time take the wheel.

• Coralpalooza™ 10th Anniversary (June 5-7, Multiple Keys)
  For World Oceans Day, divers and snorkelers join scientists to re-plant coral and swap stories topside at family-friendly eco-fairs. Saving reefs has never felt this adventurous.

• REEF Ocean Exploration Center Grand Opening (June 7-8, Key Largo)
  Brand-new, totally free, and loaded with touch tanks, VR dives, and food-truck fuel—perfect for budding marine biologists and beach-chair spectators alike.

• International Ocean Film Festival (June 7, Key West)
  Grab popcorn at the Tropic Cinema, then meet the filmmakers fighting for our seas. A Q&A with conservation pros follows the splashy shorts lineup.

Move, Mingle, Repeat

• REEF Fish Out of Water 5K (June 8-14, Key Largo)
  Jog, walk, or flip-flop shuffle the Overseas Heritage Trail for conservation cash—and killer ocean views. Custom swag and post-race snacks await at the finish.

• I Love Stock Island Fest (June 11-15, Stock Island)
  Five days of seafood tastings, cocktail crawls, and art tours reveal why Key West’s cool-kid neighbor is suddenly on every foodie’s radar.

• Swim Around Key West (June 14, Key West)
  Hardcore? Tackle the 12.5-mile loop. Casual? Enter a shorter relay. Either way, you’ll glide over turquoise shallows most snorkelers only dream about.

• “Immerse Yourself!” Salvage Ops Talk (June 18, Islamorada)
  The History of Diving Museum spills the daring details of underwater recoveries—free, both in-person and online.

• Key West Pride: “Still Rising” (June 22-29, Key West)
  Trolley bar crawls, drag brunches, sunset cruises, and a Stonewall-tribute exhibit paint the town every color of the rainbow.

Tight Lines & Tall Tales

From Tavernier to Key West, June is mahi-and-tarpon mania:

• Lower Keys Chamber Dolphin Tournament (June 6-8) dangles $35K in prizes.

• Ladies Tarpon Fly Tournament (June 10-12) crowns fly-fishing queens.

• Father’s Day Dolphin Derby (June 13-14) lets kids snag prizes for Dad.

• Prestige peaks at the invite-only Gold Cup Tarpon (June 16-20), while the UM Sports Hall of Fame Celebrity Tourney (June 19-21) pairs anglers with Hurricanes legends. Round it out with high-payout derbies from the VFW, Islamorada Fishing Club, and the Florida Keys PBA through June 29. Bring your lucky lure.

Bottom line: June in the Florida Keys is a choose-your-own-paradise adventure—sunset toasts, reef rescues, rainbow parades, and bucket-list fishing all rolled into 125 miles of island magic. So toss a swimsuit in your carry-on, charge the GoPro, and chase that horizon—paradise is only one road trip (or puddle-jumper) away.