Key West · December 31
Key West New Year's Eve
Times Square drops a ball. Key West drops a drag queen in a giant red high heel, a six-foot conch shell and a pirate wench lowered from a schooner mast, all at the same midnight, all within a few blocks of each other. New Year's Eve here is one big street party with Duval Street closed to cars and packed shoulder to shoulder by 11 p.m.
The drops are a Key West institution. Sloppy Joe's conch shell drop has run more than 30 years. The red shoe at Bourbon St Pub was ridden by the drag performer Sushi for a quarter century before she retired, and the bar now picks each year's performer through a national contest called "If the Shoe Fits."
Quick Facts
- Date
- December 31, every year
- Red shoe drop
- Bourbon St Pub, 724 Duval St
- Conch shell drop
- Sloppy Joe's, 201 Duval St
- Pirate wench drop
- Schooner Wharf Bar, 202 William St
- Cost
- Street viewing is free; VIP balconies and indoor parties ticketed
- Crowd
- Duval closes to traffic; shoulder to shoulder by 11 p.m.
The three big drops
Each drop has its own personality, and locals argue about which one is the real Key West experience. The honest answer is that they are all within about a ten minute walk of each other, longer once Duval is packed, so you do not entirely have to choose.
- · The Red Shoe Drop at Bourbon St Pub: a drag performer in a giant glittering high heel descends over Duval at midnight. The loudest, most famous and most photographed of the three.
- · The Conch Shell Drop at Sloppy Joe's: a lit six-foot conch shell drops from the roof of the most famous bar in town. Festivities start around 10 p.m. with a DJ and street dancing.
- · The Pirate Wench Drop at Schooner Wharf: a costumed wench is lowered from the mast of a tall ship at the Historic Seaport, with cannon fire. The calmer, more local pick.
- · Newer addition: a chicken drop at Bobby's Balls Bar on upper Duval, honoring the island's roosters. Key West is going to Key West.
How to play the night
Stake out your drop by 10:30 p.m. or accept that you will be watching from half a block back. The street party is free; if you want a guaranteed sightline, Bourbon St Pub sells VIP balcony tickets that overlook the shoe. Dinner reservations anywhere near Duval should be booked weeks ahead, and hotel rates hit their annual peak this week, so lock in a room months out.
One more local secret: the party does not really end at midnight. And if you are still standing on January 1, the Key West Dachshund Walk steps off that morning, a parade of wiener dogs that is exactly as ridiculous as it sounds.
Want more on Key West New Year's Eve?
Official details from the organizers, plus Keys Weekly's coverage from the newspaper.
Frequently Asked Questions
What drops in Key West on New Year's Eve?
Three things at midnight: a drag performer in a giant red high heel at Bourbon St Pub, a lit conch shell at Sloppy Joe's, and a pirate wench lowered from a schooner mast at Schooner Wharf Bar.
Is Key West New Year's Eve free?
Watching from the street is free at all three drops. Bars charge normal prices, and some sell tickets for balcony views and indoor parties.
Which drop should I pick?
The red shoe at Bourbon St Pub is the famous one and draws the biggest crowd. Sloppy Joe's is the classic. Schooner Wharf at the seaport is the mellower, more local scene. The first two are about a ten minute walk apart, more once the crowd fills in.
How far ahead should I book a hotel?
Months. New Year's week is the most expensive week of the year in Key West and rooms near Old Town sell out first.
More Annual Events in the Keys
Marathon · April
Seven Mile Bridge Run
One April morning a year, the Seven Mile Bridge closes to cars and 1,500 runners get it to themselves. Getting a bib is the hard part.
Islamorada · February
Gigantic Nautical Flea Market
Four hundred vendors of boat gear, rods, reels and marine bargains, one weekend a year in Islamorada. Bring cash and a truck.
Key West · July
Key Lime Festival
Key West spends the Fourth of July week celebrating its official dessert, including a pie-eating contest where hands are not allowed.
Key West · June
Key West Pride
Five days in June, a street fair, and a parade up Duval in the town that once flew a rainbow flag from the Atlantic to the Gulf.