March 23, 2026 – (KEY WEST, FL).  The Tennessee Williams Museum invites the public to celebrate the 115th birthday of legendary playwright Tennessee Williams on March 26 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. This beloved annual event, free and open to the public, serves as the grand finale of a month-long festival honoring Williams’ life and enduring legacy.

The celebration will offer a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere for fans, friends, and visitors alike.  Throughout the evening, guests will enjoy award presentations for short story, poetry, and plein air painting contests, recognizing the creativity and talent inspired by Williams’ timeless work.  Professional actress George diBraud will present readings from the winning short stories and poems, offering attendees a unique opportunity to experience firsthand how Williams’ voice and vision continue to inspire writers across the country.  Attendees can also look forward to light snacks, birthday cake, and bubbly beverages while mingling with fellow members of the community.
“Keeping Tennessee Williams’ legacy alive here in Key West is deeply important to us,” said Dennis Beaver, founder and curator of the Tennessee Williams Museum.  “This island was not only his home but a source of inspiration, and through events like this, we ensure that his voice, his stories, and his impact continue to resonate with new generations.”

Organizers describe the event as a joyful tribute to one of America’s greatest playwrights, bringing people together to reflect on his lasting impact on literature and theater.  Whether a longtime admirer or discovering his work for the first time, guests are invited to raise a glass, share in the festivities, and celebrate the life and legacy of Tennessee Williams.
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For more information about the free event, visit kwahs.org/whats-on or contact Dr. Cori Convertito on 305-295-6616 x507 or [email protected].
Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.

March 16, 2026 – (KEY WEST, FL).  The Key West Art & Historical Society and the Tennessee Williams Museum are pleased to invite artists of all levels to participate in the 2026 Tennessee Williams Plein Air Painting Contest, taking place on Saturday, March 21, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in Key West.

Inspired by the creative legacy of Tennessee Williams and his iconic play “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” this year’s contest celebrates Williams’ expressive approach to painting – beginning and completing a work in just a few hours.  Artists are encouraged to embrace spontaneity and creativity while painting in plein air at any location across Key West that inspires them.  Each composition should incorporate a playful nod to the theme by including a cat on a roof somewhere within the scene.

Participants will begin the day by checking in the morning of March 21 at the Key West Museum of Art & History, where their canvas or paper will be officially stamped before they head out to paint.  Artists are required to bring their own materials.  Once stamped, they will spend the day painting outdoors throughout the island, capturing the atmosphere and architecture of Key West while interpreting the contest theme. Completed artwork must be returned to the museum by 3:00 p.m. the same day.

The competition includes professional and recreational divisions, with first-place prizes of $500 and second-place prizes of $250 in each category.  A student division is also offered with free entry and a special prize awarded to encourage emerging young artists.  The selected works will be displayed during a reception and awards presentation held on March 26 at the Tennessee Williams Museum as part of the annual Tennessee Williams Birthday Party celebration.  Participating artists will also have the opportunity to offer their finished works for sale during the event while retaining 100 percent of the sale price.

Registration for the contest is $35, and artists may choose any painting location in Key West. For more information or to register, visit kwahs.org/whats-on.  For more information, contact Dr. Cori Convertito on 305-295-6616 x507 or [email protected].
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Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.

March 9, 2026 – (KEY WEST, FL).  Key West Art & Historical Society, Great Events Catering, and Unity Table at Williams Hall have teamed up to present their annual picnic-style heritage dinner prepared by acclaimed chefs Martha Hubbard and Dave Fuhrman.  This year’s Conch Revival Picnic takes place from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on March 18 in Clinton Place Park, located just outside the Key West Museum of Art & History at 281 Front Street.

The new location complements the museum’s recently opened Smithsonian-backed regional FOOD: Celebrating Conch Cuisine exhibition, offering guests the opportunity to experience the island’s culinary heritage both inside the museum galleries and outdoors through a communal dining celebration.  The picnic pays homage to the island’s Bahamian and Cuban culture through food, music, and a convivial community atmosphere.

This year’s menu begins with butler-passed hors d’oeuvres including bollos, conch salad, picadillo empanadas, and yuca frita croquetas.  The buffet dinner features whole roasted pig, whole roasted local fish, braised oxtail (rabo encendido), curried chicken, rice and pigeon peas, Jamaican jerk vegetable stew, Cuban foo foo, peel-and-eat Key West pink shrimp, tomato, avocado and pickled onion salad, hearts of palm with roasted pepper salad, and Lighthouse picnic salad.

Desserts include chocolate tres leches with coconut custard, Queen of All Puddings, guava cheesecake empanadas, and date cake with dulce de leche.

Inspired by Society board member and island native the late Dianne Zolotow, the Conch Revival Picnic tradition was launched in 2016 to increase awareness of Key West/Conch culture by preserving and promoting historic recipes created and consumed by Conch families for generations but which have, over time, been disappearing from memory and tables.  Many of the recipes are inspired by the postwar Key West Woman’s Club Cookbook edited by original Conch and first Florida Keys woman mayor Wilhelmina Harvey, as well as recipes from other historic cookbooks in the Society and Key West Public Library collections.

“Key West Art & Historical Society is honored to partner with Great Events and Williams Hall to celebrate our local Bahamian and Cuban communities for this year’s picnic,” says Society Executive Director Michael F. Gieda.  “Hosting the event beside the Key West Museum of Art & History also allows us to connect this living culinary tradition with the stories and foodways explored in our new Smithsonian-affiliated exhibition.”

Visit kwahs.org/whats-on to purchase your tickets.  Children under 12 admitted free with adults.  For more information and to access the full menu, contact Cori Convertito at 305-295-6616 x507.  Sponsored by Great Events Catering and Williams Hall.

March 3, 2026 – (KEY WEST, FL).  What happened before the fame?  Before The Glass Menagerie.  Before A Streetcar Named Desire.  Before the world knew the name Tennessee Williams.  For two nights only – Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14, 2026 – audiences at Williams Hall will step inside the restless, romantic, and razor-sharp mind of the young writer in Tennessee Rising: The Dawn of Tennessee Williams, an internationally acclaimed solo performance written and performed by Jacob Storms and originally directed for the stage by Tony Award winner Alan Cumming.

Presented as part of the annual Tennessee Williams Key West Festival in partnership with the Key West Art & Historical Society and Williams Hall, this powerful theatrical event explores a six-year period (1939–1945) never before dramatized on stage, the years that forged one of America’s most groundbreaking artists.  The play begins in a modest boarding house attic in New Orleans, where a 28-year-old Williams invites the audience to share a nightcap as a “kind stranger.”  From there, the story unfolds across America, through artistic failures, romantic heartbreak, literary ambition, and personal reckoning.  We witness the humiliating Boston collapse of his early play Battle of Angels, his obsessive dedication to writing, and the emotional devastation that hardened his once-romantic heart.

We also see the profound influence of his sister Rose’s mental illness, the real-life inspirations behind some of his most iconic characters, and the relentless persistence that led, finally, to the Broadway triumph of The Glass Menagerie in 1945, transforming him, seemingly overnight, into a literary force.

Storms has performed Tennessee Rising around the world, including extended Off-Broadway runs and a 23-performance engagement at the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.  Broadway World hailed the production as “an electrifying event not to be missed!”

Following each Key West performance, audiences are invited to remain for a special talkback with Storms, offering a rare opportunity for conversation and insight into the creation of the piece.

For those seeking a fully immersive evening, a limited number of dinner-and-a-show packages are available, featuring a three-course dinner at Unity Table prepared by Chef Martha Hubbard at 6:00 PM, followed by the 8:00 PM performance downstairs at Williams Hall.
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To reserve your ticket; visit kwahs.org/whats-on.  Tickets are $50 for general admission and $70 for balcony seating.  For more information, contact Dr. Cori Convertito on 305-295-6616 x507 or [email protected].
Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.

January 12, 2026 – (KEY WEST, FL).  In celebration of the 115th birthday of Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Tennessee Williams, the Tennessee Williams Museum in Key West invites poets and prose writers to submit original work for its 2026 Poetry and Short Story Contests.  The contests are held in conjunction with the annual Tennessee Williams Key West Festival, which takes place each March honoring the literary icon who made Key West his home in 1949 and lived and worked on the island for nearly four decades.

Drawing inspiration from the 2026 Festival theme, all contest submissions must reference Williams’s seminal work “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” in some manner.  Writers are encouraged to interpret the theme broadly.  References may include the play itself, Williams during the writing process, one or more of its characters, or actors and actresses associated with the stage or film adaptations.

The entry fee is $20 per submission, and each entrant may submit one poem and/or one short story.  First-place winners in each category will receive a $500 cash award, with second-place winners receiving $250.  Submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on March 1, 2026.  Contest winners will be announced on March 26, 2026, during a special Tennessee Williams Birthday Celebration at the Tennessee Williams Museum and will be published online on the Tennessee Williams Key West Festival website www.twfest.org/contests.

The contest is open to U.S. residents only.  Poetry submissions may be no longer than 30 lines, while short stories must be between 1,500 and 4,000 words.  All entries must be original, unpublished work written in English and submitted online via the official entry form.  Full contest guidelines, eligibility requirements, judge information, and submission links are available at twfest.org/contests or kwahs.org/tennessee-williams-festival.
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The Tennessee Williams Museum, located at 513 Truman Avenue, is open daily for self-guided tours from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information about the contests, the museum, or the Tennessee Williams Key West Festival, contact the Key West Art & Historical Society at 305-295-6616 or visit www.kwahs.org.
Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.

December 29, 2025 – (KEY WEST, FL).  Budding poets ages 7 to 12 are invited to explore the power of words and imagination at a free Youth Poetry Workshop, hosted by the Seawall Society of Young Poets in partnership with the Key West Art & Historical Society.  The workshop will take place on Saturday, January 10, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the historic Fort East Martello Museum.

Led by Key West Poet Laureate Emily Schulten Weekley and experienced facilitators, this interactive two-hour session will inspire young writers to discover big ideas hidden in small things.  Participants will explore Key West’s rich literary legacy through the children’s poems of John Ciardi and other playful, thought-provoking works.

The workshop will begin with reading and discussion of poems that celebrate imagination, curiosity, and observation.  Participants will then head outdoors to notice the tiny details in their surroundings, whether a seashell, a leaf, or a fleeting moment, and use them as inspiration to create their own poems.  The session encourages students to experiment with new poetic forms, develop their own voice, and share their work in a supportive, no-pressure environment.

As part of the Seawall Society’s mission to elevate youth voices, each participant will record their original work for inclusion in a video anthology, which will be featured on the Seawall Society website.

This event is free and open to all youth in the Key West area, regardless of background or writing experience.  All materials will be provided.  Space is limited and advance registration is required. Families can register at kwahs.org/whats-on.
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Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.

December 29, 2025 – (KEY WEST, FL).  On Thursday, January 15, join meteorologist Jonathan Rizzo for an engaging exploration of the evolution of weather forecasting in the Florida Keys.  His lecture, titled “A History of Weather Forecasting in the Florida Keys,” is part of the Key West Art & Historical Society’s Distinguished Speaker Series.  The talk will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton Street.

The history of formal weather observing and forecasting in the Florida Keys began with the U.S. Lighthouse Board and the later establishment of Key West as one of the original 24 U.S. Signal Corps weather offices.  During this informative presentation, Rizzo will highlight critical milestones in the development of the nation’s operational weather services, from its early days as the U.S. Signal Corps to its modern role as the National Weather Service, and how these advancements specifically impacted the Florida Keys.

Using historical photographs and firsthand anecdotes from early U.S. Weather Bureau officials, the lecture will provide insight into the experiences of early forecasters and the methods they used to observe and predict weather in a region long shaped by extreme and rapidly changing conditions.

Jonathan Rizzo has served as the Warning Coordination Meteorologist at NOAA’s National Weather Service office in Key West since May 2002.  In this role, he is responsible for planning, coordinating, and carrying out impact-based decision support services designed to protect life and property during severe weather events.  Rizzo has supported Monroe County, its municipalities, and the U.S. Navy during tropical cyclone emergency operations and major public events.  His professional background also includes winter and fire weather forecasting in eastern Washington State.  Originally from Lower Southern Maryland, Rizzo holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology from Florida State University.

“Weather has shaped nearly every aspect of life in the Florida Keys, from how we prepare for storms to the way our homes are built and our community functions,” says Cori Convertito, curator for the Society.  “Jonathan Rizzo’s presentation offers a fascinating look at how forecasting evolved alongside our island history, helping us better understand the challenges, resilience, and ingenuity that define life in this unique environment.”

To reserve your spot at the lecture; visit kwahs.org/whats-on.  Tickets are $13 for KWAHS members, $17 for non-members.  Tickets will also be available at the door on the night of the event.  For more information, contact Dr. Cori Convertito on 305-295-6616 x507 or [email protected].
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Your Museums.  Your Community.  It takes an Island.
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November 21, 2025 – (KEY WEST, FL).  Key West, Fla. — The Key West Museum of Art & History is pleased to invite the community to the opening of its newest juried exhibition, “Shadow & Light: Island Contrast,” on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, with a free public reception from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.  The celebration will take place in the museum’s Bryan Gallery and will feature the work of more than 40 Florida Keys artists, including Karen Beauprie of Key West, John David Hawver of Islamorada, Michael Palmer of Key West, and Kitty Rose of Key West, among many others.

Guests are encouraged to explore the exhibition, meet participating artists, and enjoy beverages available for purchase at the museum bar while taking in one of Key West’s most storied historic spaces. The evening marks the debut of an evocative collection that examines the profound relationship between illumination and darkness in the artistic process.  The exhibition features works in oil, acrylic, watercolor, fabric, pencil, sculpture, and mixed media, each one reflecting the artists’ individual interpretations of how light and shadow influence form, mood, and meaning.

“Shadow & Light” delves into the expressive possibilities of natural light, its ability to shape form, reveal texture, cast shadows, and transform everyday scenes into moments of striking beauty.  The resulting body of work is both visually dynamic and deeply introspective, offering viewers an opportunity to pause, reflect, and rediscover the world through the interplay of contrast.

“We wanted to create a space where artists could respond to the extraordinary quality of light that defines life in the Florida Keys,” said Dr. Cori Convertito, curator for the Key West Museum of Art & History.  “Light shapes our experiences in ways we often overlook, and this exhibition invites visitors to slow down, observe, and appreciate the beauty in even the simplest moments.”
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“Shadow & Light: Island Contrast” will remain on view through February 15, 2026, at the Key West Museum of Art & History, 281 Front Street, Key West.  For more information, please contact Dr. Cori Convertito on 305-295-6616 x507 or [email protected] or visit the museum’s website at kwahs.org/event/shadow-light.

November 3, 2025 – (KEY WEST, FL).  The Key West Art & Historical Society invites the community to savor Florida’s rich culinary heritage with Emmy Award–winning multimedia journalist Dalia Colón.  On Thursday, November 20, from 6:00–7:00 p.m. at Williams Hall, Colón will present “Telling Florida’s Food Stories,” an engaging exploration of the state’s past, present, and future told through its foodways.  This Distinguished Speaker Series lecture is a partnership between Florida Humanities and as part of the organization’s “Florida Talks” program.

Dalia Colón is host and executive producer of The Zest podcast for WUSF, and associate producer and co-host of WEDU Arts Plus on Tampa Bay PBS.  Her first cookbook, “The Florida Vegetarian Cookbook,” was published in March 2024.  Colón’s work explores the intersection of food, culture, and community across Florida.

Colón has traveled the state, sampling the diverse flavors and uncovering why Florida is celebrated as the birthplace of fusion cuisine.  Her presentation examines how food reflects Florida’s culture, traditions, and history, from indigenous foodways and the rise and fall of the citrus industry to contemporary sustainability and plant-based innovations.

“Florida’s history is on the plate,” said Dr. Cori Convertito, Curator & Historian for the Society.  “Through food, we discover who we are, where we come from, and the stories that connect our communities. We’re thrilled to welcome Dalia Colón to Key West to share these delicious histories and invite audiences to taste, explore, and reflect on our shared cultural identity.”

Tickets for the Distinguished Speaker Series start at $13 per person, with advance purchase strongly recommended.  Guests can enhance their experience with VIP Balcony Seating, which includes exclusive balcony access during the lecture and entry to a private reception with Colón afterward.  The reception features a tasting of select recipes from her “Florida Vegetarian Cookbook,” prepared by Chef Martha Hubbard of Unity Table.
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Tickets and additional information are available at kwahs.org/dss-food-stories.  For more information, contact Dr. Cori Convertito on 305-295-6616 x507 or [email protected].

October 31, 2025 – (KEY WEST, FL).  The Key West Art and Historical Society (KWAHS) has received a $100,000 challenge grant from heirs of George and Adela Kantor and Arthur and Gladys Mulberg, honoring their families’ long history in Key West.  Funds raised through the end of 2025 will support the ongoing elevator replacement project and future building preservation efforts at the Key West Museum of Art and History at the Custom House.

The museum’s original elevator, installed in the mid-1990s during landmark restoration efforts overseen by architect Bert Bender of Bender & Associates Architects, P.A., served visitors for nearly three decades before ceasing operation in March 2023.  Demolition and structural work, led by Marino Construction, began in August and is nearing completion.  Elevator installation by TK Elevator is scheduled to begin in November.

Due to an expanding scope of work and increased material costs driven by tariffs, the total project budget rose to over $545,000.  To date, $525,829 has been raised through generous support from the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, the Dogwood Foundation, Mr. Thomas Kenan III, the Edward B. Knight and Joan T. Knight Foundation, the Fran Sessa and Norman Hunt Charitable Fund, and numerous individual donors.

“The Society is truly grateful for the Kantor and Mulberg heirs’ generosity and for the community support in raising the much-needed funding to replace the Custom House’s elevator,” said Michael F. Gieda, Executive Director.  “Our highest priority is ensuring the museum is fully ADA accessible, so visitors of all abilities can enjoy the museum.  Without an operating elevator, access has been limited to the first floor.”
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Tax-deductible donations toward the elevator and ongoing preservation projects can be made online at kwahs.org/donate-elevator, by check, or via stock transfer.  Contributions may also be made through the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys’ Custom House Preservation Fund.