Key West ART GARDEN 2013

If you are a frequent visitor to Key West and have never been to The Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Gardens, you are missing an opportunity to experience a "one of a kind" US tropical forest.  The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden is the only "frost-free" botanical garden in the continental United States. A tropical environment with ample rain allows most trees to retain their leaves in the dry season (December through late May). Unlike traditional botanical gardens, this garden advocates the importance of native plants and species through education in a natural conservation habitat. A visit to this unique garden, not only allows you a glimpse of what an uninhabited island forest may look like, but the gardens host art shows, festivals and numerous educational activities for all ages.  This May 4- July 31 the Gardens host the KEY WEST ART GARDEN featuring large out door masterpieces created by local artists.  Each piece is crafted with recycled materials and is incorporated into the natural environment to compliment the surrounding natural beauty.  Take an afternoon to stroll through the nature paths enjoying art, butterflies, turtles, iguanas and stunning flora.  After your day at the Gardens you can try nearby eateries that only the locals know about.  Try the new Roostica pizza house or Chico's Cantina for the best Mexican food in the Keys.  For more information visit  http://kwbgs.org and talk to your concierges Geri or Rebecca for directions and information.

Wednesday IBIS BAY- Dive-In Movie-Night

                                                                                 

Although the sweltering heat keeps visitors away, many love the tropical heat, the summer rains and the slower pace of summer in the Keys.  It is a time to join in island events and activities that the locals enjoy and see a side of Key West that many never get to appreciate. 
If one truly wants to get a feel for the essence of Key West, there is nothing quite like the Wednesday night "Ibis Bay- Movie Night".  Akin to the days of the drive-in movie, Movie Night takes the theater outside, poolside, under the stars with a glass of wine in hand.  The Ibis-Bay resort, 3101 N. Roosevelt Blvd, hosts the movie night and one can enjoy the bar, have dinner and stick your toes in the sand. The movies are free and feature repertory, classic & cult films. Anything from 'Ferris Buellers Day Off' to 'Casablanca' to 'Reefer Madness', it is a great way to spend a tropical evening in the Keys.  A true Keys evening to remember ask your concierge for movie listings and times or contact  Michael Shields, 305-394-3804.See you there!

Key West Songwriters' Festival

Its a party not to be missed!  Celebrating its 18th year, The Key West Songwriters Festival is the largest festival of its kind in the world. Since 1997 BMI has been a charter sponsor of the festival and has helped it grow into both a tourist attraction and favorite of island locals. The festival revolves around five days and nights of more than 20 free shows, staged at an array of the island's most popular drinking holes and hot spots, where live music bliss introduces crowds to the faces, voices and stories behind the songs.
Diverse lineups featuring more than 100 top songwriters deliver rare, "Key West-only" moments: Informal adaptations of Nashville's signature in-the-round acoustic showcases dominate much of the schedule, while an event-capping street concert adds an enticing Mardis Gras fillip to the mix.  The Festival opens on Wed, May 1 and runs through Sunday May 5.  Put on your dancing shoes and join    in on the fun. For the show schedule visit http://www.kwswf.com/home.php.  If you need directions or maps to any of the popular drinking holes and song writers' stops, talk to your concierge, Geri or Rebecca.