“Presidential Families Weekend and Forum” returns to Harry S. Truman Little White House in Key West

Key West, Fla., Jan. 6, 2026 – The Key West Harry S. Truman Foundation, in partnership with The Society of Presidential Descendants, will host a series of special events in celebration of Presidents’ Day Weekend, Thursday, Feb. 12, through Monday, Feb. 16, at the Harry S. Truman Little White House, 111 Front Street, Key West, Florida.

“Happy Hour at Harry’s,” on Thursday, Feb. 12, from 6:00-8:00 p.m., launches the celebration with a spirited trivia competition hosted by Clifton Truman Daniel, grandson of President Harry S. Truman and star of the acclaimed one-man show, “Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!” and co-hosted by Truman trivia wiz and former Foundation Deputy Director Rachel Williams. Guests can enjoy cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages and light hors d’oeuvres while testing their “Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!” and President Jimmy Carter legacy knowledge. The winning team earns a tour around Key West in the Foundation’s vintage presidential limousine.

At the heart of the weekend – and among the most distinctive civic events in the nation - is the Foundation’s annual “Presidential Descendants Forum,” taking place on Saturday, Feb. 14, with gates opening at 4:00 p.m., and the program beginning at 4:30 p.m. This year’s discussion, “The Legacy of President Carter,” features descendants Amy Carter, daughter of 39th President Jimmy Carter; and grandsons James Earl Carter IV and Joshua Carter, offering personal insights on their family’s commitment to public service and humanitarian work, along with reflections of President Carter’s enduring impact. Rounding out the panel are Susan Ford Bales, daughter of 38th President Gerald Ford, and Clifton Truman Daniel. Moderated by Dr. Kurt Graham, the Forum will also include presentation of this year’s Monroe County student essay contest winners.

Opening a theatrical portal into his grandfather’s legacy, Clifton Truman Daniel will reprise his acclaimed one-man show “Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!” Performances are at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15, and Monday, Feb. 16, on the Truman Little White House grounds. Written by Samuel Gallu and debuting in 1975 at Washington, D.C.’s Ford’s Theatre, the play spans Truman’s years as a Jackson County, Mo., judge, U.S. Senator, and two-term president. Known for humor and breaking the fourth wall, it was originally performed by James Witmore. Truman Daniel, who has starred in the production since 2017, first brought the show to Key West in 2022, with performances selling out quickly.

A family-friendly Presidents’ Day Cookout on Monday, Feb. 16, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., invites guests to enjoy hamburgers, veggie burgers, and hot dogs off the grill for a suggested $10 donation. Attendees are welcome to bring a picnic blanket, with a cash bar, music, and lawn games rounding out the celebration.

Other offerings are to include guided tours of the Historic Little White House, self-guided botanical lawn tours, and for Foundation members, a special Meet & Greet event with presidential descendants.

Held at the site where 33rd U.S. President Harry S. Truman spent 11 working vacations from 1945-53, Key West’s event is the largest annual Presidents’ Day Weekend gathering of presidential descendants in the country. Traditionally hosted by The Key West Harry S. Truman Foundation, in 2022 the Foundation partnered for the first time with the Society of Presidential Descendants, a membership organization for individuals with direct lineage to one or more United States Presidents.

“Presidential Families Weekend and Forum” events support the mission of the not-for-profit Harry S. Truman Foundation: to preserve Florida’s only presidential museum—the Harry S. Truman Little White House—and to provide programming that supports civic engagement, education, and the historical and cultural influences of the Truman era. The weekend’s “Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!” events are supported in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council.

For tickets and information visit www.trumanlittlewhitehouse.org/foundation/events/.