February 2023: The Florida Keys are celebrating the island chain's unique culture and 200-year history, with a host of events and tours taking place from Key Largo to Key West. From learning about the destination's history through tours of unique Key West homes and helping to protect the continental United States' only coral barrier reef, there is much to see and do throughout winter and spring 2023.

Highlights include:

Key West Home Tours, February & March

In Key West, the 63rd Annual Home Tours will see some of the historic homes of the continental United States' southernmost island open their doors to visitors over weekends in February and March, from quaint 19th-century cottages to ornate period mansions decorated with intricate wooden “gingerbread” trim. Tours are planned Friday and Saturday 17 and 18 February and 17 and 18 March. Each weekend features approximately five homes chosen for their contribution to the Key West community as significant historic buildings, creative renovations or examples of the Florida Keys lifestyle.

Key West's Old Town contains what is believed to be the largest predominantly wooden historic district in the United States with almost 3,000 structures. Many were constructed by shipbuilder-carpenters and cigar manufacturing barons in the 1800s, with the island's architecture reflecting the building styles and cultures of its early inhabitants.

Key West to Celebrate Tennessee Williams, March

In Key West, fans of theatrical drama can celebrate the life and work of Tennessee Williams, award-winning playwright of “The Glass Menagerie,” “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” among other works, throughout March on the island he called home for more than three decades. The acclaimed playwright helped shape the island's rich literary culture after taking up residence in 1949.

Festivities include a fundraising garden party on 5 March, at the Key West home of Dennis Beaver and Bert Whitt, founders of the exhibit that became the Tennessee Williams Museum. Guests can get exclusive tours of the facility on 10 March, highlighting Williams' “The Rose Tattoo”; and 24 March, highlighting “The Glass Menagerie.” Museum exhibits include personal photographs, rare memorabilia, a scale model of Williams' Key West home and other items that chronicle his years on the island. The celebration concludes with a 'birthday party' on 26 March — the 112th anniversary of Williams' birth — at the Tennessee Williams Museum.

Mural Commemorates Florida Keys' Bicentennial, February through April          

The eclectic and talented Florida Keys arts community comes together each year through the Connections Project to form one large mural made from hundreds of individual paintings by Keys artists. In 2023, the Florida Keys Council of the Arts has announced a special edition entitled “Connections Project: Celebrating Our Unique History” honouring the bicentennial of Monroe County, which contains the five districts that make up the Florida Keys.

Artists have been tasked with the theme of “Pirates to Pineapples in Paradise – 200 Years in Monroe County.” Their individual canvases will be pieced together to form one 24-foot-long mural. Subjects will focus on the wide-ranging and colourful history of the Keys, from the days when pirates prowled the waters surrounding the island chain through the time of pineapple plantations, the development and demise of the Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad, building of the Overseas Highway and the renown generated for the Keys by brilliant authors, playwrights, musicians and artists.

Once the mosaic mural is assembled, it will embark on a 'road show' tour of galleries and other venues around the island chain. The special historic edition mural will be on display at venues that include Baker's Cay Resort in Key Largo beginning 7 February, Marathon's Royal Furniture Showroom beginning 2 March, Big Pine Key's Artists in Paradise Gallery beginning 24 March and Key West's historic Gato Building beginning 20 April.

Divers Help Keys Coral Restoration, Earth Day, April

Visiting divers in the Florida Keys can join marine scientists during hands-on coral restoration dive trips, enabling them to play a role in protecting coral reefs for future generations. Captain Hook's on Big Pine Key is teaming up with Reef Renewal USA on a three-day immersive citizen science initiative leading up to Earth Day in April that enables divers to actively aid in reef restoration.

The programme begins with a two-day Coral Fragging Party set for 20 and 21 April to study and participate in fragmenting corals into small pieces for widespread propagation. Then divers suit up on Earth Day, 22 April, for a Coral Nursery Dive to work on 'coral tree' development and planting.

After exploring landside exhibits and nurseries and hands-on work to help grow and support the fragile coral reef system, visitors can reward themselves by experiencing some of the most fascinating dives in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary along the Florida Keys Wreck Trek.

Wrecks include Spiegel Grove and Duane in the waters off Key Largo; Benwood and Eagle off Islamorada; Thunderbolt off Marathon; Adolphus Bush off the Lower Keys and Joe's Tug and Vandenberg off Key West.

For more information on the Florida Keys & Key West, visit www.fla-keys.co.uk

Media Information Only

Sam Kirton, PR Account Director at the Florida Keys & Key West UK Press Office: sam.kirton@kbc-pr.com

Rachael Mathewson, PR Account Executive at the Florida Keys & Key West UK Press Office: rachael.mathewson@kbc-pr.com