Pucker Power! Key West’s Key Lime Festival returns July 1 – July 5

Key West’s zesty Key Lime Festival returns July 1-5, with five days of delectable culinary events, only-in-Key West competitions, and citrus-soaked revelry across the tropical paradise where Key Lime pie was born. Here’s a taste of what’s to come:


Wednesday, July 1 – The 2026 Key Lime Festival Kick Off Party: Zestivities launch at 6:00PM on the veranda of the Avalon Bed & Breakfast inn, spilling onto Duval Street, where energetic music permeates the atmosphere and tropical cocktails elevate the spirit. Festival co-founder David Sloan will welcome lovers of the lime with a special keynote presentation while those possessing dramatic flair can compete in the Key Lime Spirit Pageant for the title of Key Lime Festival Emperor or Empress. Full cash bar; admission is free. After the party, celebrate the flavors of island life with a luscious “Living the Key Lime Life” dinner at Kaya Island Eats prepared by Chef Scott Taylor and team.


Thursday, July 2 – Hop, Revel and Roll: The Key Lime Pie Hop leads aficionados on a downtown tasting tour to sample assorted variations of the treat; the Key-Lime-O-Rama Farmers Market takes over the Truman Waterfront; Mary Ellen’s Bar hosts the wild and wacky “Wheeling & Dealing Hot Wheels Race,” and Sloppy Joe’s serves up “The Ultimate Key Lime Smash Party,” with local celebrities taking whipped cream pies to the face to raise funds for charity. And, at the Southernmost Beach Resort’s “Pub Style Trivia with a Key Lime Twist” event, fun-loving factophiles can compete for prizes and the title of “Wisest on the Island.”


Friday, July 3 – Taste and Tour: Adventurous spirits can tackle the “5-Alarm Pie Challenge” at the Alex Vega Key West Firehouse Museum, where Key Lime pie gets fiery, creative twists. Then, quench that sizzle during the Key Lime Sip & Stroll, where participants can vote on the best Key Lime cocktails and margaritas served up by multiple participating bars. Limey revelers can dive into a Key Lime-Tastic Pool Party at Blue Flamingo Resort for a cool-down, and celebrate the day’s adventures over a divine Key Lime inspired four-course dining experience at Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Key West Kitchen.  


Saturday, July 4 - Independence Day kicks off energetically with the annual Rotary Club of Key West 4th of July 5K, benefitting the Edward B. Knight Scholarship Fund, then shifts to the Southernmost Beach Café for an abundance of activities leading up to the World Famous Key Lime Pie Eating Championship. Enjoy beach games, a Key Lime Kid Zone, and a lavish Key Lime Vendor Village that opens at 10:00AM.


The World Famous Key Lime Pie Eating Championship—the Festival’s centerpiece—is an outrageously messy twist on New York’s traditional Independence Day hot dog eating contest that invites a field of twenty-five competitors to devour a 9-inch pie, hands-free, in the fastest time possible. Advance registration available on the Festival website; winner scores a trophy, championship belt, and serious bragging rights.


More Fourth of July events include a pool party at Dante’s Key West Pool Bar & Restaurant and the annual Rotary Club of Key West’s Fireworks Celebration, with viewing options that include a free gathering at Sonny McCoy Indigenous Park with refreshments available for purchase, and a paid-admission Casa Marina beachfront experience (kids ten and under free).


Sunday, July 5 – Wind down from the long weekend’s revelries over a relaxed dockside brunch at Matt’s Stock Island Kitchen and Bar at the Perry Hotel, where a special Key Lime inspired menu is served up alongside spectacular marina views. Then, slip into any one of the Festival’s yummy daily offerings, such as a luxurious SpaTerre “Key Lime in the Coconut” experience at Ocean Key Resort, Key Lime Rum Tasting at the Key West First Legal Rum Distillery, decadent dessert at Better Than Sex, and plenty of other ahhhh-some Festival finale opportunities.


Festival organizers regret that this year’s planned July 5 Key Lime Pie Drop will not take place, but have vowed to have it back on the menu in 2027, with all the ZEST its fans expect.


The Key West Key Lime Festival’s tempting array of limey happenings also includes a night of Havana-inspired salsa, rumba, and cha-cha dancing fun at the La Concha Key West Hotel; a Key West Artisan Market: Red, White, Blue & Green Edition at Higgs Beach; JF Haden’s Battle of the Bartenders at The Marker Key West Harbor Resort, and a “Pirates of the Key Lime – Curse of the Tartiest Pie” party at Kava Key, complete with a home-made Key Lime dessert competition, pirate costume contest, Key Lime mocktail showdown, and a treasure chest raffle.
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The Florida Legislature declared Key Lime pie the official state pie in 2006. The Key Lime Festival, launched in 2013 by author and historian David Sloan, and Wonderdog Studios founder Marky Pierson, is a family-friendly celebration presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and We’ve Got the Keys. A full events calendar along with registration and reservation links is at http://www.keylimefestival.com.