MCTCU-9419 Culture 2015 Cover LO2

CultureThe Florida Keys & Key West 2015

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“Ocean Eyes: Keys Artists Bring the Underwater World to the Surface” by Laura Marjorie Miller .............................................................................................................................. 3-5“Falling In Love With The Arts” by C.S. Gilbert ............................................................................................6-8Calendar of Events ......................................................................................................................................9-15

Here in the Florida Keys, we’re proud to be one of the most beautiful and colorful cultural destinations in the world while remaining accessible to all. Our festivals, theaters, concerts (indoor, outdoor, and underwater), art exhibitions and an abundance of cultural history are yours to enjoy in our warm and tranquil paradise.

fla-keys.com ~ 1-800-FLA-KEYS

Mayor Sylvia J. Murphy

Meticulously torn bits of hand-painted papers, delicately put together, form the exceptionally vibrant collages created by Artist Elizabeth St. Hilaire Nelson. Richard Colvin, executive director of the Lake Eustis Museum of Art says, “Elizabeth St. Hilaire Nelson’s artworks have a fresh quality that belies the way they are constructed.”

Featured in the April (2014) issue of The Artists Magazine, St. Hilaire Nelson will also be published in the upcoming North Light Books’ Incite 2 Color Passions: The Best of Mixed Media in the fall (2014). Born and raised in New England, Elizabeth has lived in Florida for the past 19 years.

She is represented by the Stone Soup Gallery, going on five years now. Elizabeth has taught two workshops right in the gallery and visits the Keys every year for her solo exhibition (this year in March). She has built many friendships with local artists and makes sure to visit them when she returns.

Elizabeth holds a B.F.A. in Advertising Design from Syracuse University, which prepared her for a dual identity as both graphic designer and fine artist (no cape required), and can switch gears at the drop of a hat! St. Hilaire Nelson is a signature member of the National Collage Society and criss-crosses the country several times a year to take her paper tidbits on the road. Teaching and sharing her collage technique through an intense 3-day Paper Paintings Workshop has become a passion.

“The Top of Solares Hill” by Leigh Burleson

"Tennessee Williams House and Jane Bowles Summerhouse" by A. Rose

“Sweet Guardian” by Mary Jean Connors

“Beach Street” by Annmarie Anderson

“Under The Hat” by Natalie Dorf

In This Issue:

About the Cover Artist ELIZABETH NELSON

“Storm Coming” by Fran Decker"Barrel of Fun” by BJ Royster

“Snook in a Nook” by Kim Workman “Fishbusterz and Chasity Brooke” by A. Rose

By Laura Marjorie Miller

THE FLORIDA KEYS & KEY WESTWelcome to the Florida Keys Culture

"Marine Sanctuary," Wyland

If you see only land when you visit the Florida Keys, you are just scratching the surface. More of the Keys lies under water than above, with reefs like entire undersea cities teeming with populations of wildlife.

The mystique of the Keys attracts artists from all over the world, and not just to the galleries on dry land! Austrian photographer Andreas Franke recently installed an exhibition along the deck of the sunken Vandenberg, 90 feet deep off the coast of Key West, of photos he had composited with the wreck a year earlier.

Yet it’s the Keys’ resident artists who are the underwater dimension’s most constant translators. The shimmering light of our island chain draws myriads of visual artists, who interpret the intense beauty of life in the ocean while also communicating the preciousness of the native ecosystem. Many visitors to the Keys see the reefs during their snorkeling or SCUBA adventures. However, since not everyone dives, and because not even divers can take their ocean experience with them when they return to the mainland at the end of their holiday, it falls to artists to capture the essence of a singular moment underwater, each according to his or her own unique vision.

STEPHEN FRINK, KEY LARGO To an underwater photographer, the Keys are a feast: “Man, on a good day, you can get 100 feet of visibility,” says Stephen Frink, photojournalist and publisher of Alert Diver magazine. Frink dives in spectacular sites around the world, leading

workshops and masterclasses in underwater photography. Yet he chooses to make his home base in the Keys, where he finds a rich diversity of underwater subjects. Frink is drawn to “the bizarre colorations” found on the reef, “and these exquisitely beautiful medium-sized reef fish.”

Not only are the fish gorgeous to the eye, they possess another attribute desirable to photographers: they are relaxed. “Here it is all about marine life and the culture of conservation, given the Keys’ long history as a marine sanctuary and state park,” Frink says. “So fish don’t associate divers with spearguns. Fish that are skittish in other places are not skittish here. A fish has a Zen awareness that you’re not going to kill it.”

Marine photographers learn how to play with the slightly warped light of a different, denser dimensional medium. Even the clearest water filters out warmer wavelengths, such as reds, at more than four feet of distance from the subject. The vibrant colors of Frink’s photos are the result of his skill with a strobe, and his patient ability to get close to his subject.

And wildlife photographers must possess their own Zen outlook: one of surrender. “The reef decides” what you are going to take a photo of on any given day, says Frink, as well as the equipment, you take down with you. “You don’t go down with a fixed idea of what you are going to shoot. The vision is offered to us by the giant stride we take off the boat!”

Keys Artists Bring the Underwater World to the Surface

"A Queen angelfish flaunts her brilliant colors on a reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary," Stephen Frink

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BJ ROYSTER, ISLAMORADA BJ Royster not only recreates a scene for her clients, but invokes its essence. Royster got her start as a pet portrait and landscape painter, but it was the moment that she overcame her fear of diving and “jumped off a perfectly good boat” that set her on the course that has become her life’s work.

Royster puts her clients’ photographs together for reference, and then asks them to describe not only the scene, but the moments before and after—a technique she swears by for accessing the intangible qualities of memory and emotion. “They will come back to me and say, ‘You nailed it!’”, Royster smiles.

Even the way we see light, says Royster, “is reflective. It reflects who we are. It is different from above to below, and it’s different from day to day.” Her paintings shimmer with a kind of pulsing, flickering light. A close look at the seemingly bare patch in the center of “Eagles Toward Heaven” reveals shadows from the surface cast on the sand bottom.

A stickler for accuracy, Royster does her homework, learning the characters of the reef fish, their habits, and where on the reef they live at different stages of their life. She puts juveniles as well as adult fish in her paintings. Different corals will be open or closed during the day and the night so her paintings reveal that, too.

The three-dimensional effect of Royster’s work comes from her layering: “I paint the way that nature is,” she says. She puts down the water first, then the rocks, then the hard coral, then soft coral, then finally the fish, who in real life would be moving through the scene, not rooted in it. Her painting technique is a kind of time-lapse of the evolution of the reef.

Royster creates paintings that are both scientifically thorough and emotive. Her own underwater experience makes the feeling authentic: “I’ve been there; I’ve experienced it; it’s what comes out at the end of the brush.”

Conch Republic: “One visit to the Keys is a life-changer. The vibe here is unparalleled. I’ve seen more green flashes here than you can believe. The panoramic sunsets, and the way the light and the clouds reflect on the bay, are like nowhere else on Earth. Florida has the most pristine and beautiful waters in the world. I get to immerse myself in that fact every time I’m down here.”

Wyland’s murals and prints are Technicolor panoramas of life, and even his smaller pieces—he is embarking on a series of sculptures to be placed in public places all over the world—surge with energy. He relies on his firsthand experience of diving and his marine biologist’s eye to give him images that will later show up in his dreamlike works. “Art and science appear to be different things, but they are so connected,” he enthuses. The freedom of painting allows Wyland to create a world that goes “deeper than in a photograph,” conveying an emotional power that he hopes will bridge art and community, and ignite a fire for conservation: “Art is really a feeling. Art makes you feel something. It changes you.”

Love for the oceans is inherent in the work of Keys artists. From Stephen Frink’s documentary photojournalism to Rocky Ferris’s portraits of a world on the verge of vanishing to development, from Gale Upmal’s whimsical fish to Sean Callahan’s interpretation of a classic tale of confrontation with nature, it is impossible to ignore the irreplaceable quality of the ecosystem that is the setting for their vision.

As you explore the Keys, take time out to view murals and galleries with ocean eyes. The artists’ images are portholes and portals to the world below. “My passion is the reefs, anything to do with the ocean, and the environment,” says Royster. “I want to reveal the ocean’s beauty,” says Royster. “Not everyone can touch it.”

Please visit www.keysarts.com for more information on these artists and locations where their work is available to view and purchase.

wax between each color pass. “It’s a lot of work, but also a lot of fun!” says Upmal. “The end result is very rewarding. There is a big surprise when you iron out all the wax and go: WHOA! This is really beautiful!”

For her “chart art,” Upmal moves in the opposite direction: after outlining the fish over a nautical chart, she applies a base coat, and then begins layering on acrylics, moving from dark to light, creating portraits of fish superimposed over an cartographic view of their native habitat.

Upmal manages Artists in Paradise Gallery on Big Pine Key, which might seem like an outpost on a smaller key but is actually a thriving cooperative community of over thirty artists in different media. She gets her inspiration from snorkeling in dazzling underwater realms like Looe Key.

“Some of the fish are so colorful and vibrant, their colors just jump out at you. The colors on the parrotfish, the blue and white of the sailfish…. They are just amazing!” The relaxation of fish also draw Upmal to them as subjects: “They show you how to go with the flow.”

SEAN CALLAHAN, KEY WEST Watercolorist Sean Callahan has a literary, soulful connection to the sea: he sports seal tattoos and his dog’s name is Roan Inish, after the John Sayles movie about selkies. After moving to the Keys, Callahan was inspired by the mystique of Ernest Hemingway, whose famous residence is on Key West.

To make his series of Hemingway paintings integrating text and collage, Callahan bought twenty copies of The Old Man and the Sea from eBay and set to work tearing them by hand. He layers the strips of text over the painting in a long, patient process—“applying, applying, applying”—and then paints over the layered regions yet again. “These paintings take forever, and it is intense,” he says.

He takes the novel as a “diving board” into a larger body of imagination, one that allows him to visually change what happened, extrapolating from the actions of the novel and imagining different outcomes and perspectives.

Callahan just completed a dolphin mural at AIDS Help in Key West, and is continuing a series of “non-facial portraits”: intimate frames of people’s hands offering things to the viewer. Many of the hands in this series cradle sea creatures.

Callahan sees the appeal of end-of-the-road places like Key West to artists as being how much they foster a community supportive of creation. “You have to really work to get here,” says Callahan. “And it’s not easy to make it. You have to have three or four jobs, and basically create your own career. But once you are here, this is a place where people like us can actually be fed.”

WYLAND, KEY WEST From his gateway “Wyland Wall” of manatees at Scuba-Fun in Key Largo, to his eye-popping mural at the Waterfront in Key West, Wyland is a visible presence throughout the Keys: through his influence on public art, his galleries, and his conservation activism.

Although he splits his time in thirds among the Keys, the North Shore of Hawaii, and Laguna Beach, Wyland derives special inspiration from the reefs, light, and wildlife of the

Laura Marjorie Miller writes about travel, marine conservation, Yoga, magic, myth, art, photography, and other soulful subjects. She is a regular columnist at elephantjournal.com, a contributing editor at Be You Media, and a public-affairs writer at UMass Amherst. Her work has appeared in Yankee magazine, Parabola, the Boston Globe, and at MariaShriver.com, Tripping, GotSaga, Seven Miles of Steel Thistles, and Dive News Network. She is based in Massachusetts, where she lives with a cat named Huck.

About the Author: LAURA MARJORIE MILLER

ROCKY FERRIS, MARATHON KEY Rocky Ferris grew up on the west coast of Florida during the 1950s, and recalls its pre-Disney wildness: citrus groves for miles, rabbits, and rattlesnakes. “I grew up in the mangroves,” he says, “building forts out of wood my friends and I would scavenge from nearby development construction.” Now Ferris dwells on a sailboat off of Marathon

Key, the ocean as his home address as well as chief inspiration. “I came down here because of the color of the water,” Ferris confesses. “If you look up at the belly of a gull or an airplane, you can see the green of the water reflecting off of them.”

The ocean has been Ferris’ comfort his whole life: “I had a mask on my face when I was seven years old, swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, drinking salt water,” he says. A natural freediver due to his breath-hold capability, Ferris takes a camera with him whenever he goes snorkeling: “I photograph everything, see everything first through the camera lens.”

The resemblance to straight reality ends there. A self-taught photorealist, Ferris found his work over his career evolving in a surreal direction. His canvases are intersections of human and marine places: technology past and present, fruit, and skies, and also the sunny light and wildlife of the pelagic zone Ferris sees on his dives. There are also his beloved mangroves. His paintings reflect the quirky outlook and good humor endemic to the Keys, and dreamy combinations wholly new. As Ferris says, “I’m creating an image that nobody has seen.”

GALE UPMAL, SUMMERLAND KEY From the light to the dark, and then the dark to the light, Gale Upmal uses different media to evoke the vivid energy of fish.

For her batik creations, Upmal draws her subjects on rice paper and then begins the long process of layering intense colors and wax. “The paper is very thin, so you have to be gentle,” she says. Since the colors in batik are put down in the opposite order from painting, the artist must lay the lightest value first, working her way to the darkest, layering

"Eagles Toward Heaven," BJ Royster

“Giants Jump” Sean Callahan

"Summer Doldrums," Rocky Ferris

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By C.S. Gilbert

Top left photo: Students in Letty Nowak's portraiture class display their finished paintings. Credit: The Studios of Key West; Top right photo: Morada Way's Third Thursday Art Walk. Credit: "Courtesy of The Monroe County Tourist Development Council, The Florida Keys & Key West” Center row left

photo: Newel post at the Tropic Cinema was created by metal artist Reen Stanhouse. Credit: C.S. Gilbert; Center row middle photo: Douglas David's class meets on the beach, in plein air. Credit: The Studios of Key West; Center row right top photo: The Conch King and the Rooster King fight it out in the biannual holiday ballet, Nutcracker Key West, set for December 2014. Credit: Peter Estenoz; Center row right bottom photo: Sebrina Maria Alfonso

conducts the South Florida Symphony Orchestra. Credit: Steven Shires Photography, LLC; Bottom row photo: Rick Worth instructs one of his very popular Art Boot Camp sessions at The Studios of Key West. Credit: The Studios of Key West

Participatory recreations most touted in the Florida Keys tend toward watersports, fine dining and bar hopping. However, art lovers have over 100 galleries to visit; theater-goers have regional and Community Theater during the high season and summer as well. Good music is ubiquitous throughout the Keys. But if you stay down a little longer, you can learn, experiment and indulge daydreams about becoming an artist yourself. Ever want to perform a monologue, paint a picture or get your hands into some pottery clay? This is the place.

Throughout the Keys there are hands-on opportunities to learn about painting, sculpture, ceramics, music, dance, even occasional theater — and all skill levels can be accommodated, from beginners to visitors who have considerable experience in their arts. Lovers of multiple arts can work their way down the Keys from class to class and event to event.

Of course, the famed Key West Literary Seminar every January and the numerous fine arts, music and dance festivals throughout the year have contributed to the island chain's growing reputation as an arts destination. The Key West Film Festival has quickly established itself, the Songwriters' Festival attracts nationally-known participants and a new Mystery Writers' Festival won cheers when it was introduced in 2014. Year round there's almost always a weekend festival or two happening somewhere in the Keys. In town from November till May, Waterfront Playhouse, the Red Barn Theater and Key West Fringe keep theater-lovers happy. Theatre XP's Summer Stage enlivens the warmer months.

But how about highlighting your vacation with instruction in the fine or performing arts? All sorts of samplings are available.

In Key Largo, Veronica Gutierrez and other qualified artists regularly offer classes at Glassworks Art and Glass Studio (101641 Overseas Highway, 305-304-9411). Islamorada is home to the Morada Way Art and Cultural District, which sponsors a monthly Art Walk on the third Thursday of each month, 6 till 9 p.m., and during season, offers improv workshops and classes in painting, woodworking, mosaics, clay and are launching cultural culinary demonstrations. Visit moradaway.org for details. New is the History of Diving Museum (82990 Overseas Highway MM 83, 305-664-9737), which is open to the public 10-5 every day and hosts monthly events.

In the Middle Keys, the Marathon Community Theater presents high-quality performances during season. At The Art Studio, an art glass studio at MM 53.6, Sheila Cook and her son, Sam, both create and teach glass cutting and an introduction to glass fusing. Workshops are scheduled monthly and by appointment (12535 Overseas Hwy, theartstudiomarathon.com, 305-289-9013). Artists in Paradise Gallery is the fine arts and crafts center of Big Pine

Key, a “vibrant co-op of artists” offering jewelry classes in season (artistsinparadise.com, 305-872-1828.) At Island Iron and Ink, MM 21.5 on Cudjoe Key, Reen Stanhouse creates mostly functional art in hand wrought iron and other metals. She offers private classes by appointment (305) 744-9196.

Jim Salem, of the elegant Cocco and Salem Gallery in Key West (coccoandsalem.com), has for 20 years, year-round except Septembers, taught painting on Thursday mornings, 9:30 till 12:30, in the Tiki Hut behind Sugarloaf Lodge (MM 17). The $15 fee has never changed. Walk-ins are welcome but students must provide their own supplies. In summer, classes are sometimes held in Salem's home studio: (305) 394-5555.

Annamarie Giordano, instructor at Florida Keys Community College on Stock Island, teaches walk-in continuing education classes in life drawing and still life in any medium year-round. Classes are held on campus and at other Key West locales. Register with the college's Cathy Torres (305) 809-3250. Also, the Tennessee Williams Theater on campus presents a variety of professional touring companies as well as talented Key West-based performers; special this December 13-21 is a dance extravaganza unique to the Keys: the biannual Nutcracker Key West. Just down College Road, Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden Society (kwbgs.org) is open daily 10 a.m. till 4 p.m.

In Key West artistic possibilities bloom on almost every block of Old Town and beyond. As the Keys have evolved into a cultural destination, the vibrant hub of the arts is Key West.

The Studios of Key West, 533 Eaton St., was founded “with the vision of bringing world class artists to the island” and is doing just that. TSKW offers a variety of programs, performances, events and classes. It also offers artists' residencies and studio space. A favorite class is Rick Worth's seasonal Artists' Boot Camp: step-by-step instruction and all supplies. Register well ahead! Artists in Residence and other local professionals also offer instruction in poetry, painting, acting, photography, assemblage and more for youngsters as well as adults. Details: tskw.org or (305) 296-0458.

Key West Art and Historical Society maintains museums at the old Lighthouse and Keeper's Quarters and Fort East Martello as well as their stately 1891 brick home at The Custom House (281 Front St.). KWAHS hosts major art shows as well as permanent exhibits on Ernest Hemingway and Flagler's railroad. Visit kwahs.org for details.

There are some specialties, too. Key West Pottery at 1203 Duval St. at Grinnell has a year round schedule of classes and workshops for artists of any age (305-900-8303, keywestpottery.org). Summer acting workshops in scene study and monologue/audition are taught at the Red Barn by longtime theater professional Carol McCartee (305-296-5587).

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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All phone numbers are area code 305 unless otherwise noted.

“Octopus” by Tere Kelley

Masquerade in Paradise” by Susan O’Neill

“Morning on the Reef" by Jerry Bachman

“Pelican” by Dia Spriggs

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All phone numbers are area code 305 unless otherwise noted.

Calendar The Grateful Guitar (1075 Duval St., Duval Square) offers individual, one-on-one lessons in guitar, bass guitar, ukelele and banjo at all levels, Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. till 7 p.m. In season there are workshops and free banjo jams and ukelele classes on Mondays. Check out thegratefulguitar.com.

For painters, Key West Plein Air Painters meet Wednesdays at 5 p.m. For information and scheduling, follow them on Facebook or contact Susan O'Neill at oneillpaintings@gmail.com.

For dancers, walk-in classes in a variety of genres are available at the CoffeeMill Dance Studio on Pohalski Lane, home of Key West's DANCE KEY WEST. Visit them at coffeemilldance.com. On Fridays Paradise Health & Fitness Dance Studio (1706 N. Roosevelt Blvd., 305- 294-6348) hosts a drop-in class in Salsa and Salsa Rueda at 7 p.m. No partner is needed. Visit them at dancekeywest.com for details. The Dance Factory (906 Kennedy Dr., 305-304-8184) offers “dance socials---ballroom, Latin, Argentine Tango” on Sundays at 7 p.m. Details at dancefactorykeywest.com. Weekday evening classes are also open to visitors.

This is of course only a sampling of what is available regionally, and additionally serving all of the Keys are several countywide organizations.

Florida Keys Council of the Arts is the umbrella organization supporting all the arts throughout the Keys. While Key West based in the County's historic Gato Building, the Council in recent years has greatly expanded its membership and events. A perfect example is the Mosaic Project, a participatory event that invites locals, visitors, professional artists, everyone! — to have their way with six-inch by six-inch canvases, using any mediums they choose. The resulting mosaic or patchwork quilt of artwork opens in Key Largo and travels to Islamorada, Marathon, and Big Pine Key before landing in Key West.

C.S. Gilbert first visited Key West

with her snowbird father in 1944. In 1994, after often-simultaneous careers in college teaching, theater, motherhood, activism, PR consulting and journalism, she came to stay, intending to retire. Instead, her by-line has appeared in about every publication in the Lower Keys. She currently writes features in the Culture Vulture column for KONK Life and her second book of poetry is scheduled for publication in spring 2015.

About the Author: C.S. GILBERT

Marky Pierson works on a mural during the new autumn Art! Key West festival.

© 2014 - 2015 Monroe County Commission. All Rights Reserved.Event listings are for use as a guide in contacting event coordinator and receiving information on event dates, times and locations. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, but verification of information should be made when planning to attend these events. Dates, times and locations are subject to change. Neither

the Monroe County Commission, Monroe County Tourist Development Council, nor their agency may be held liable for incorrect information, errors or omissions.

of Cultural Events

OCTOBER 2014 – SEPTEMBER 2015FESTIVALS & FUNDRAISERS

October 17 & 18Goombay Street FestivalIsland arts and crafts, music and food in the heart of Key West’s historic Bahama village.www.bahamavillagegoombay.com

October 17-26Fantasy Fest 2014Anime: Animated Dreams & AdventuresCelebrity Look-A-Like Contest, Street Fairs, Pet Masquerade, Children’s Day and Fantasy Parade. Various times & locations in Key West.www.fantasyfest.net

October 17 & 18Marathon Community Theater Fundraiser: Comedies & Tragedies8 p.m. 5101 Overseas Hwy., MM 49.5.743-0408. www.marathontheater.org

October 20Brazarr: Womankind Fundraiser Decorated Bra Auction6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Aqua Key West, 711 Duval St., Key West.294-4004 x114. www.womankindkeywest.com

October 21 Headdress Ball 20148 p.m. Animelistic Head Trip to benefit AIDS Help. Southernmost Hotel on the Beach, 508 South St., Key West.295-7676. www.keystix.com

October 29-November 2Meeting of the Minds: Havana Daydreamin’ Various times & locations in Key West. Parrot Heads in Key West.www.phip.com

October 31Screaming Green Halloween10 a.m.-2 p.m. Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden, 5210 College Rd., Key West.296-1504. www.kwbgs.org

November 1 & 2Art McKee DaysVarious events & times. The History of Diving Museum, 82990 Overseas Hwy., MM 83, Islamorada.664-9737. www.divingmuseum.org

November 7-10Key West International Latin Arts Festival Various times & events. San Carlos Institute, 516 Duval St., Key West.394-0808. www.keystix.com

November 12-16Key West Film Festival Featuring screenings and special events hosted at landmark venues throughout Key West.www.kwfilmfest.com

November 26-December 31Key West Historic Seaport Holiday CelebrationThe Lighting of the Harbor Walk, exhibitions

and receptions at galleries and shops along the waterfront between Greene, William, Margaret & Caroline Streets.www.keywestchristmas.org

November 28-30ART! Key West!Various times & venues. Celebration of Key West’s arts scene, artistic heritage, artists, galleries, performance art and music. Key West.619-5105. www.artskeywest.com

November 28-December 20MARC House Christmas Tree Sale9 a.m.-7 p.m. Benefits MARC House programs. 1401 Seminary St., Key West.294-9526 x25. www.marchouse.org

November 29Big Pine & the Lower Keys Island Art Festival8 a.m.-2 p.m. Chamber of Commerce grounds, MM 31, Big Pine Key. 872-2411. www.lowerkeyschamber.com

December 3The ReMARCable Keys Federal 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Table Top Christmas Tree Auction at the Westin Resort & Marina, Main Ballroom, 245 Front St., Key West.294-9526 x25. www.marchouse.org

December 5 Florida Keys Holiday Festival 4 p.m.-10 p.m. Tree lighting ceremony and Holiday Fest Parade. Founders Park, MM 87. 664-4503. www.islamoradachamber.com

December 6City of Key West Holiday Parade7 p.m. Starting at Truman Ave. & White St., then proceeding down Duval St. and ending at Eaton St. in Key West.

December 13Schooner Wharf Lighted Boat Parade8 p.m. 202 William St., Key West.292-3302. www.schoonerwharf.com

December 13Key Largo Holiday Lighted Boat Parade7:30 p.m. Blackwater Sound, MM 104.451-4502. www.keylargoboatparade.com

December 31 New Year's Eve CelebrationsFireworks. Watch the Conch Shell, the Drag Queen or the Pirate Wench drop.www.keywestchamber.org

January 8-17Uncorked: Food & Wine FestivalVarious times & venues. Key Largo & Islamorada.www.fkrm.com/uncorked

January 9 & 10Florida Keys Celtic Festival3 p.m.-10 p.m. & 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Community Park, MM 49, Marathon.www.celticheritageproductions.com

Similarly, the Keys are proud of the South Florida Symphony Orchestra, born in Key West in 1998, which now offers master concerts and string quartet performances of classical music on the mainland as well. These highly praised concerts are well worth staying in the Keys an extra night. There is also the amateur but skilled Florida Keys Community Concert Band, which offers classical and pop concerts in the Middle and Upper Keys.

To help feed the dreams and plan future vacations, subscribe to the arts council's KeysArts Weekly e-mail by visiting their website, keysarts.com for a listing of performances, classes and workshops in all the arts. There have been lectures on Cuban art, dance workshops, even a course in tropical permaculture design. Clearly, there's no place better under the sun to embrace the arts than in the Florida Keys.

During season the Lower Keys offer a variety of theatrical performances. Credit: C.S. Gilbert

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“Fly With Me” by Ann Irvine

“Daybreak at Morada Bay” by Kathleen Denis

“Keys Queen” by M. Ann Lynch

“Sunset on The Mangroves” by Mary Border All phone numbers are area code 305 unless otherwise noted.

“Royal Beauty” by BJ Royster

“Great Blue Bathtime” by Beryn Harty

“Freedom Found” by Beti Duke

“Osprey Nest Construction” by Dale MaloneAll phone numbers are area code 305 unless otherwise noted. All phone numbers are area code 305 unless otherwise noted.

January 13The Studios of Key West: Eaton St. Grand Opening!10 a.m. A celebration for all ages featuring food, arts activities, tours and live music. 533 Eaton St., Key West.296-0458. www.tskw.org

January 17 Art Under the Oaks 9 a.m.-4 p.m. San Pedro Church Gardens, Plantation Key, MM 89.5.360-8556. www.artundertheoaks.com

January 17 & 18Florida Keys Seafood Festival11 a.m.-8 p.m. Bayview Park, Truman & Jose Marti Dr., Key West.872-9026. www.fkcfa.org

January 17 & 18Baygrass Bluegrass Festival11 a.m. Featuring old and new bluegrass bands. Founders Park, MM 87, Bayside, Islamorada.395-6344. www.keysice.com

January 25Master Chefs Classic: MARC House Fundraiser4 p.m. Westin Resort & Marina, 245 Front St., Key West.294-9526. www.marchouse.org

January 27-February 1 Key West Food & Wine Festival Various times & locations in Key West.www.kwfwf.com

February 1Anne McKee Artists Fund AuctionPreview 6 p.m./Auction 7 p.m. Fort East Martello Towers, 3501 S. Roosevelt Blvd., Key West.www.mckeefund.org

February 7 & 8 Pigeon Key Art Festival 10 a.m. Marathon Community Park, MM 49. www.pigeonkeyartfestival.com

February 25 The Studios of Key West Annual Gala7 p.m. Annual fundraiser with hors d'oeuvres, fine wine, entertainment, raffle prizes and silent auction.296-0458. www.tskw.org

February 27Garden Walk 201510 a.m.-4 p.m. Self-guided tour of distinctive, private gardens not otherwise available to the public. Various locations in the Upper Keys.www.gardenclubupperkeys.com

March 2-March 31 Tennessee Williams Birthday Month CelebrationVarious events & times. Films, painting, poetry and more. 513 Truman Ave., behind the Key West Visitor Center.294-3121. www.twkw.org

March 7Conch Shell Blowing Contest 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Old Island Restoration Foundation, 322 Duval St., Key West.294-9501. www.oirf.org

March 14 & 15Marathon Seafood Festival10 a.m. Marathon Community Park, 200 36th St. 800-262-7284. www.marathonseafoodfestival.com

March 22Key West Lawn Party & Croquet TournamentWomanKind Fundraiser5 p.m.-9 p.m. Hosted by Edward B. Knight on the Thompson Island Estate. 294-4004 x114. www.womankindkeywest.com

March 28 & 29Florida Keys Island Fest10 a.m.-5 p.m. Founders Park, MM 87, Plantation Key.664-4503. www.islamoradachamber.org

AprilMigration Mania & Egg HuntTBA. Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden, 5210 College Rd., Stock Island.296-1504. www.kwbgs.org

April Key Largo Conch Republic DaysVarious venues & times.www.keylargoconchrepublic.com

April 4Florida Keys Ocean Fest & Waterfront Craft Show11 a.m.-6 p.m. Fundraiser includes music, art, exhibitions and silent auction. Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center, 32 East Quay Rd., Truman Waterfront, Key West.292-7963. www.keysoceanfest.org

April 19BayJamAll day. Founder’s Park, MM 87, Islamorada.www.keysice.com

May 6-10Key West Songwriters Festival Various times & locations in Key West.304-0184. www.kwswf.com

May 14-17Key Largo’s Original Music FestivalVarious locations in Key Largo.www.keylargosongwritersfestival.com

June 12-14Pridefest Key West 2015Various locations in Key West.292-3223. wwww.pridefestkeywest.com

June 18-21Key West Africana FestivalVarious times & venues in Key West.www.keywestafricancemetery.org

JulyReMARCable Mathessen’s Ice Cream & Fresh Fruit SocialMARC House, 1401 Seminary St., Key West.294-9526. www.marchouse.org

JulyMel Fisher DaysVarious locations & times in Key West.294-2633. www.melfisher.org

July 4VNA/Hospice of the Florida Keys Fundraiser Fourth of July Picnic & FireworksCasa Marina Resort, 1500 Reynolds St., Key West.

July 11Underwater Music Festival10 a.m.-2 p.m. Looe Key Reef Resort, National Marine Sanctuary, MM 27, Ramrod Key.872-2411. www.lowerkeyschamber.com

July 16-21Hemingway Days FestivalVarious events & locations in Key West.292-8445. www.hemingwaydays.net

August 7-9Key West Lobsterfest Lower Duval St. www.keywestlobsterfest.com

September 2015Key West Women FestVarious times & locations in Key West.www.womenfest.com

MUSICNovember 29, December 20, January 31, February 28, March 21 & April 25Pops in the Park: Keys Community Concert BandPerformances begin at 4 p.m. Founders Park, MM 87, Islamorada.853-7294. www.keyscommunityconcertband.org

December 10Dan Bern Acoustic ShowFounders Park, MM 87, Bayside, Islamorada.395-6344. www.keysice.com

December 20Marathon Community Theater Holiday Concert5 p.m. & 8 p.m. 5101 Overseas Hwy., MM 49.5.743-0408. www.marathontheater.org

January 30Susan Werner in Concert 8 p.m. The Studios of Key West, 533 Eaton St. 296-0458. www.tskw.org

February 6Gordon Ross: Cabaret8 p.m. Marathon Community Theater, 5101 Overseas Hwy., MM 49.5.743-0408. www.marathontheater.org

February 18Muriel Anderson Acoustic Show7 p.m. Founder’s Park, MM 87, Islamorada.www.keysice.com

February 27An Evening with Bobby Nesbitt8 p.m. Marathon Community Theater, 5101 Overseas Hwy., MM 49.5.743-0408. www.marathontheater.org

SundaysKeys Chamber Orchestra Rehearsal2 p.m. Pavilion at Venture Out Resort, 701 Spanish Main, Cudjoe Key.304-7544. kco@sunlink.net

FLORIDA KEYS CONCERT ASSOCIATION: Middle Keys SeriesPerformances begin at 7:30 p.m.

Marathon High School, 204 East St.:January 19: The Tommy Dorsey OrchestraFebruary 2: Alexander String QuartetFebruary 23: Anagnoson and Kinton

San Pablo Church, 550 122nd St., Marathon:January 26: Intersection February 9: Michael BrownFebruary 16: An Evening of Opera Highlights

451-0665. www.floridakeysconcerts.com

FLORIDA KEYS CONCERT ASSOCIATION: Upper Keys Series:Performances begin at 7:30 p.m.

Island Community Church, 83250 OS Hwy., MM 83.3, Islamorada:January 20: The Tommy Dorsey OrchestraJanuary 27: Intersection February 3: Alexander String Quartet February 10: Michael Brown February 17: An Evening of Opera Highlights February 24: Anagnoson and Kinton

451-0665. www.floridakeysconcerts.com

IMPROMTU CLASSICAL CONCERTS OF KEY WESTPerformances begin at 4 p.m.

St. Paul’s Church, 410 Duval St., Key West:January 4: Ashu Saxaphone & PianoFebruary 8: Michael Brown, Solo PianoMarch 22: De Coda, Piano & 4 WoodwindsSan Carlos Institute, 516 Duval St., Key West:January 25: Classical JamFebruary 22: Parker String QuartetMarch 8: Project Trio

www.classicalconcertskw.org

LIVING ROOM SERIESPerformances begin at 8 p.m.

Truman Little White House, 111 Front St., Key West:January 10-13: Miriam Pico & David Chown in Concert: Pico & Chown, Back in TownJanuary 25 & 26, February 16 & 17 and March 15 & 16: Bobby Nesbitt & Carmen Rodriguez: I like Ike, Songs of the Eisenhower EraFebruary 12: Libby York ConcertMarch 8: Bobby Nesbitt & Carmen Rodriguez: A Tribute to the USO

294-9911. www.keystix.com

SOUTH FLORIDA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: Blue Door String Quartet Chamber Series Performances begin at 7:30 p.m.

The Studios of Key West, 533 Eaton St.:April 13: Works by BeethovenMay 3: Dohnanyi June 7: Puccini, Chrysanthemums ResphigiJuly 12: Philip Glass, Martinu, Beethoven

295-7676. www.keystix.com

SOUTH FLORIDA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: Master ConcertsPerformances begin at 7:30 p.m.

Tennessee Williams Theatre, 5901 College Rd., Key West:November 12: Expressive VirtuosityJanuary 17: Continuous CrescendoFebruary 18: Love, Loss, RedemptionMarch 26: Fate of a HeroMarathon High School, 350 Sombrero Beach Rd.:February 17: Love, Loss, Redemption

295-7676. www.keystix.com

SOUTH FLORIDA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: Pops Series: World AIDS Day Commemoration ConcertsPerformance times listed per venue.

Coral Shores High School, 89901 Old Hwy., Tavernier:December 6: 8 p.m.Key West High School, 2100 Flagler Ave.:December 5: 8 p.m.Tennessee Williams Theatre, 5501 College Rd., Stock Island:February 5: The Wannabeatles. 7:30 p.m.

295-7676. www.keystix.com

Jan 4- Ashu Saxophone & Pianoat St. Paul’s Church

Jan 25- Classical Jamat San Carlos

Feb 8- Michael Brown, solo pianoat St. Paul’s Church

Feb 22- Parker String Quartetat San Carlos

March 8- Project Trioat San Carlos

March 22- De Codaat St. Paul’s Church

keywestimpromptu.org

Key West 2015 Season

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All phone numbers are area code 305 unless otherwise noted.

“Night Blooming Cactus” by Janis Stevens

“Tree Frog Baby” by Mary Bonde

“Blue Solstice” by Maureen Tracy Venti

All phone numbers are area code 305 unless otherwise noted.All phone numbers are area code 305 unless otherwise noted. All phone numbers are area code 305 unless otherwise noted.

SOUTH FLORIDA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: Tropical Beats Dinner & Concert SeriesPerformance times listed per venue.

La Te Da Hotel & Restaurant, 1125 Duval St., Key West:October 12: Moonlight Treasures. 6:30 p.m.

Guy Harvey Outpost, 82100 Overseas Hwy., Islamorada: January 5: Starry Night. 6 p.m.

Marriott Beachside Hotel, 3841 N. Roosevelt Blvd. Key West :January 6: Starry Night. 6 p.m.

TBA:February 25: An Evening with Terry Barber. 7:30 p.m. March 11: Dual Passion. 7:30 p.m.

295-7676. www.keystix.com

TENNESSEE WILLIAMS THEATRE: Cabaret SeriesPerformances begin at 8 p.m.

Tennessee Williams Theatre, 5901 College Rd., Key West:January 4 & 5: Bobby Nesbitt, Tribute to Fred Astaire.March 21 & 22: Haley, Mulligan, Robinson: The Men Our Mothers Loved, Part II

295-7676. www.keystix.com

WATERFRONT PLAYHOUSE: Music ConcertsPerformances begin at 8 p.m.

310 Wall St., Key West:November 21 & 22: An Evening of Cole Porter, A Swell PartyJanuary 20-24: She Loves MeApril 14: Two Score-A Concert with Broadway Star Terri WhiteMay 23: Here’s To Us, A Tribute to the Great Waterfront Musicals

294-5015. www.waterfrontplayhouse.org

MUSIC CLASSESThe Music RoomPrivate piano, Woodwind and guitar lessons.Robin Kaplan, 294-7382.

Violin/Viola/Cello ClassesIndividual lessons in Key West, all ages and levels. Paul, 879-0560.

Bahama Village Music ProgramFree classes in steel pan, drums, piano, guitar, clarinet, saxophone, flute, violin and gospel choir for kids during the school year. 292-9628.

THEATERTENNESSEE WILLIAMS THEATRE: Encore SeriesPerformances begin at 8 p.m.

5901 College Rd., Key West:November 7: The Beach Boys December 1: Camelot, the MusicalJanuary 30: Neil Berg’s 103 Years of Broadway February 13: Alvin Ailey II Dance CompanyFebruary 20: The SpinnersMarch 6: Stayin’ Alive – Bee Gees TributeMarch 17: Anything Goes – National TourMarch 28: Hotel California – A Salute to The EaglesApril 6: Memphis – National TourApril 22: Kathy Griffin

295-7676. www.keystix.com

GINSBERG PRODUCTIONSPerformances Fridays & Saturdays at 8 p.m. Sunday Matinees at 2 p.m.

Murray E. Nelson Government & Cultural Center, 102050 Overseas Hwy., MM 102:October 31 & November 1,2,7,8,9: Little Shop of HorrorsMarch 27, 28, 29 & April 3-5: Noises Off

212-541-4684. www.ginpro.me

KEY WEST BURLESQUE Performances begin at 8 p.m.

Waterfront Playhouse, 310 Wall St., Key West:October 18-22: Adventures in Burlesque Land October 23: Burlesque and Pole Contest

Sunset Pier at Ocean Key Resort, 0 Duval St., Key West:December 31: New Years on the Pier

www.keywestburlesque.com

FRINGE THEATER KEY WESTPerformances begin at 8 p.m.

Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, 200 Greene St., Key West:December 26-January 11: The Price.

TBA:February: Private Lives.

The Studios of Key West, 533 Eaton St.:March 12-28: Orson’s Shadow. April 24-26: Conch Republic, The Musical296-4761. www.keywestfringe.org

MARATHON COMMUNITY THEATERPerformances Thursdays-Saturdays at 8 p.m. Sunday Matinees at 3 p.m.

5101 Overseas Hwy., MM 49.5, Marathon:November 13-December 6: Tuna ChristmasJanuary 8-31: Harvey March 5-April 4: The ProducersMay 7-23: The Fox on the Fairway

743-0994. www.marathontheater.com

RED BARN THEATREPerformances begin at 8 p.m.

319 Duval St. (Rear), Key West:November 4-22: The Poetry of HeartsDecember 16-January 17: The Last Night of BallyhooFebruary 3-March 7: Clark Gable Slept Here

296-9911. www.redbarntheatre.com

THE KEY PLAYERSPerformances begin at 8 p.m.

Murray E. Nelson Government & Cultural Center:October 2-4 & 16-18: Three one act plays. A Mad Breakfast, The Bathroom Door and Three TablesNovember 13-16, 20-23: Jon Peterson performing George M. CohanJanuary 30 & 31, February 1, 6-8, 13 & 14: Nunsense Jamboree, a Musical Country Western

509-0027. www.thekeyplayers.org

WATERFRONT PLAYHOUSEPerformances begin at 8 p.m.

310 Wall St., Key West:December 16-January 10: Noises Off February 10-28: Next Fall March 17-April 11: Monty Python's Spamalot April 29-May 16: Me and Jezebel

294-5015. www.waterfrontplayhouse.org

VISUAL ARTSNovember 26-30International Sand Art CompetitionThe Sandbox of Key West, Casa Marina Resort, 1500 Reynolds St., Key West.www.sandisle.com

November 28-30, December 27-30, February 7 & 8, March 7 & 8Locals Art Show10 a.m.-5 p.m. Original artwork. K-Mart Shopping Plaza, MM 50.2, Oceanside, Marathon. 664-0001. www.lobstertrapart.com

February 27 Joe Cella Birds in Nature Art Exhibit10 a.m.-4 p.m. Francis Tracy House, MM 94, Tavernier.451-2726.

March 5-15Art Guild of the Purple Isles 49th Annual Members' Judged Art Show10 a.m.-6 p.m. Key Largo Library (Tradewinds Shopping Center), MM 101.4.451-2726. www.purpleislesartguild.com

Third ThursdaysWalk on White Gallery Walk6 p.m.-9 p.m. Exhibitions and receptions at galleries and shops along White St. & Truman Ave., from Southard to United Streets, Key West.

First FridaysUpper Duval Street Stroll6 p.m.-9 p.m. Galleries, boutiques and cafes open late for receptions and exhibitions fromTruman Avenue to United Street.

Last FridaysGallery Night6 p.m.-9 p.m. Key Largo Art Gallery, 103200 Overseas Hwy.451-0052. www.keylargoartgallery.com

OngoingMorada Way Arts & Cultural District Walkabout6 p.m.-9 p.m. Park and stroll along the Old Highway to visit galleries, enjoy culinary arts and music in the heart of Islamorada. MM 81.5. 664-9100. www.moradawayarts.org

CUSTOM HOUSE EXHIBITSContact for exhibit times.

281 Front St., Key West: September-January 2: The Art of Hand Printing by Suzie DePooOctober 10-February 5: Visions of Key West by Ronny BaileyJanuary 9-June 30: Following the Fish: Ernest Hemingway in Key WestFebruary 13-September 30: The Civil War in Key West: A Sesquicentennial Salute

295-6616. www.kwahs.org

GALLERY ON GREENEOpening Receptions at 6 p.m.

606 Greene St., Key West:October 18: Native Sons & Daughters: Andy Thurber, Wayne Garcia, Mike Marrero & AudraFebruary 15: BouzaganyFebruary 22: Peter VeyMarch 1: Carole Feuerman

March 8: Group Exhibit: Bill Thompson, Mike Rooney, Karen Sheridan and Priscilla Coote.March 15: Group Exhibit: Michael Harrell, Joe Jackson and Ronnie Currathers.

294-1669. www.galleryongreene.com

KEYS HISTORY & DISCOVERY CENTERIslander Resort, MM 82, Islamorada:August 28-November 9: The Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935November 13-February 1: The Rails & the RoadOngoing: Movies in the Florida Keys

922-2237. www.keysdiscovery.com

LUCKY STREET GALLERY540 Greene St., Key West:November 25-December 3: Ashley Benton, Jim Toia & Diane Lublinski & NANA 13

294-3973. www.luckystreetgallery.com

DANCENovember 6-8 Key West Contemporary Dance Co.: After These MessagesWaterfront Playhouse, 310 Wall St.407-7083. www.keystix.com

December 13-14 & 18-21 Nutcracker Key West 20147:30 p.m. Uniquely crafted and inspired by Key West’s tropical environment and rich cultural history. Tennessee Williams Theatre, 5901 College Rd., Key West.295-7676. www.keystix.com

February 13 Alvin Ailey II Dance Company8 p.m. Tennessee Williams Theatre, 5901 College Rd., Key West. 295-7676. www.keystix.com

May 30The Dance Factory Annual Recital8 p.m. Tennessee Williams Theater, 5901 College Rd., Key West.295-7676. www.keystix.com

June 5 & 6Tah Dance 2015, All Dance Production5101 Overseas Hwy., MM 49.5.743-0408. www.marathontheater.org

DANCE CLASSESCoffeeMill Dance & Yoga StudioBallet, modern, jazz, tap, hip-hop, Latin, belly dance and African dance. 916 Polhaski Ln., Key West. 296-9982. www.coffeemilldance.com

Dallas MacDonald Senior CenterLine Dancing and Lessons. 380 Key Deer Blvd., Big Pine Key. 745-2383

Dance Factory Ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, lyrical, hip-hop and creative movement for children and adults. Ballroom and Latin Dance classes. 906 Kennedy Dr., Key West. 296-5015, 304-8184. www.dancefactorykeywest.com

Florida Keys Community CollegePre-ballet, ballet for all ages and levels. 5901 College Rd., Key West. 809-3185. www.fkcc.edu

Friday, January 9 3pm-10pm

Saturday, January 10 9am-9pm

celticheritageproductions.com/keys.htm

Advance Tickets Now Available!941-625-8544

Celtic Bands, Highland Athletics, Celtic Food, Beer & Celtic Vendors!

MM 49, Oceanside, Marathon

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All phone numbers are area code 305 unless otherwise noted. All phone numbers are area code 305 unless otherwise noted.

Mondays, January-MarchFriends Of The Key West Library: Free Lecture Series6 p.m. The Studios of Key West, 533 Eaton St. www.friendsofthekeywestlibrary.org

Third Mondays, January-AprilLunch Bunch Group12 p.m. Hooked on Books. MM 81.9, Islamorada. 517-2602.

First WednesdaysKeys Writers Meeting1 p.m. Read-aloud critique group for all forms of creative writing. All levels welcome. Big Pine Library, 213 Key Deer Blvd., Big Pine Key.www.keyslibraries.com

Second Wednesdays, September-MayBook Bites Reading Group5:30 p.m. Monthly meeting discussing anything by or about a specified author. 292-3595. www.keyslibraries.com

Last Wednesdays, September-MayLatitude 25 Writers Meeting7 p.m. Key Largo Library, Tradewinds Shopping Center, MM 101.4. 853-7277 x16. www.keyslibraries.com

Thursdays, January-MarchFriends Of The Marathon Library Books And Coffee Lecture Series2 p.m. Notable local authors. St. Columba Episcopal Church, 451 52nd St. 289-3137. www.keyslibraries.com

Second Thursdays, January-AprilCafé Con Libros Monthly Book Meeting9:30 a.m. Key West Library, 700 Fleming St.292-3595. www.keyslibraries.com

First Saturdays, November-AprilKey West Library Palm Garden Book Sale 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. 700 Fleming St., Key West.292-3595. www.keyslibraries.com

Second & Fourth SaturdaysKey West Writers Guild Meeting9:30 a.m. All newcomers welcome. Key West by the Sea, Community Room, 2601 S. Roosevelt Blvd. 296-9051. www.keywestwritersguild.net

CLASSES AND WORKSHOPSKey West Art Center301 Front St., Key West.294-1241. www.keywestartcenter.com

The Studios of Key WestWorkshop Series, Artist Exhibitions & Receptions, Special Events & Presentations. 533 Eaton St. 296-0458. www.tskw.org

The Art Studio – Marathon12535 Overseas Hwy., MM 53.6.289-9013. www.keysartstudio.com

Morada Way Arts & Cultural District81549 Old Hwy., Islamorada. www.moradaway.org

Please visit www.keysarts.com under “Calendars” to view Florida Keys Council of the Arts Cultural Calendar and the KeysArts Events Quarterly brochure for details

and www.fla-keys.com.

with local experts to discuss the park’s flora and fauna, birdlife and maritime history. Dry Tortugas National Park, Yankee Freedom.295-6616. www.kwahs.org

Third Wednesdays Immerse Yourself! Series7 p.m. Free. The History of Diving Museum, 82990 OS Hwy., MM 83, Islamorada.664-9737. www.divingmuseum.com

Second ThursdaysDistinguished Speaker Series6 p.m. Scholars, historians and experts discuss different aspects of Key West’s rich history. Key West Art & Historical Society, Custom House Museum, 281 Front St. 295-6616. www.kwahs.org

KEY WEST GARDEN CLUB: Educational Lecture SeriesLectures at 1:30 p.m.

West Martello Tower, 1100 Atlantic Blvd., Key WestOctober 2: Care and Feeding of OrchidsNovember 6: Hydroponic Gardening December 4: Gardening with ButterfliesJanuary 8: The Story of Grimal GroveFebruary 5: Care of BromeliadsMarch 5:PlumeriasApril 2: Living Walls Container Gardening

294-3210. www.keywestgardenclub.com

KEY WEST GARDEN CLUB: Horticulture Lecture SeriesLectures are 5:30-7 p.m.

West Martello Tower, 1100 Atlantic Blvd., Key WestJanuary 14: The History of West Martello Tower & the Key West Garden ClubMarch 18: How to Grow Orchids

294-3210. www.keywestgardenclub.com

MEL FISHER MARITIME MUSEUMFebruary-March Various Dates: Museum Archaeologist and guest Scholars on science, history and archaeology Free Lecture Series December ’14 - December ‘15: Celebrating 30 Years of Treasure and Adventure Exhibit294-2633. www.melfishermuseum.org

KEY WEST TROPICAL FOREST & BOTANICAL GARDENContact for exhibit and speaker series times.

5210 College Rd., Key WestDecember-July: Speaker SeriesDecember: GardenFestApril-June: Key West Art Garden, sculpture exhibit April: Hot Havana NightsJune: Mid-Summer Night’s Dream & Spectacle

296-1504. www.keywestbotanicalgarden.org

LITERARYJanuary 8-15Key West Literary Seminar: How The Light Gets In: Literature of the SpiritJanuary 8-11: Session One. January 11-15: Writer’s Workshop Program. San Carlos Institute, 516 Duval St., Key West. 293-9291. www.kwls.org/seminar

First SundaysKey West Poetry Guild Meeting8 p.m. Open to all interested in poetry. Blue Heaven Restaurant, 729 Thomas St., upstairs, Key West. 393-7844.

December 27 & 28, January 16 & 17, February 13 & 14, March 13 & 14Opening Doors for 55 Years - Old Island House & Garden Tours4 p.m.-7 p.m. Each tour features 5 private homes and gardens. Old Island Restoration Foundation, 322 Duval St., Key West. 294-9501. www.oirf.org

January 14, February 18, March 18, April 15Key West Art & Historical Society: The Curators Voice12:30 p.m.-1:30 p.m. A series of talks about our permanent collection, elements of exhibition and development.295-6616. www.kwahs.org

February 15Presidential Families Series: Where Presidents Vacation4 p.m. Truman Little White House, on the North Lawn, 111 Front St., Key West.294-9911. www.keystix.com

February 27Garden Club of the Upper Keys: Garden Walk 201510 a.m.-4 p.m. Self-guided tour of distinctive, private gardens. Garden tea party, music, art show, artisans and plant sales. Francis Tracy Garden Center, MM 94.www.gardenclubupperkeys.org

March 7Marathon Garden Club Home & Garden Tour10 a.m.-4 p.m. A tour of homes and gardens located in Marathon.743-4971. www.marathongardenclub.org

March 28 & 29Key West Garden Club Gardens Tour10 a.m.-3 p.m. 1100 Atlantic Blvd.294-3210. www.keywestgardenclub.com

April 4Migration Mania10 a.m.-6 p.m. The great egg hunt and wild bird show. Key West Botanical Garden & Tropical Forest, 5210 College Rd., Stock Island.296-1504. www.kwbgs.org

MayKey West Turtle Museum Days200 Margaret St., Key West.www.keywestturtlemuseum.org

May 15 & 16Truman Legacy Symposium: Marshall Plan – America’s Greatest Humanitarian Effort that Saved One Billion LivesMay 15th at 6 p.m. located at Little White House, 111 Front St., Key West. May 16th at 9:30 a.m. located at the Marriot Beachside Resort, 3821 N. Roosevelt Blvd., Key West.294-9911. www.keystix.com

May 26-September 1 Blue Star Museums ProgramFree Admission for Active Military Personnel and their families. Museums include: The Custom House, The Key West Lighthouse& Museum, Fort East Martello, Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden and the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum.www.arts.gov/national/blue-star-museums

November 15Key West Art & Historical Society: Heritage Program - Islands of History7:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Explore Fort Jefferson

All phone numbers are area code 305 unless otherwise noted. All phone numbers are area code 305 unless otherwise noted.

Learn to Dance with Lucy & Friends Monthly dance socials, 8 week courses in swing, hustle, salsa rueda, cha cha and more. 1706 N. Roosevelt Blvd., Key West. 296-6348. www.dancekeywest.com

Marathon Community TheaterAll ages and levels in tap, Irish step, belly dancing for women, Bollywood, jazz and hip-hop. 5101 Overseas Hwy., Marathon.743-0408. www.marathontheater.org

FILMNovember 12-16Key West Film Festival Featured screenings and special events hosted at landmark venues throughout Key West.www.kwfilmfest.com

February 22The Oscars @ Key West7 p.m. Live telecast and a gala red carpet evening. Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton St., Key West.295-4393. www.tropiccinema.com

March 9, 16, 23 & 30 Tennessee Williams Classic Film Series6 p.m., The Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton St., Key West. Tennessee Williams Birthday Month Celebration. 294-3121. www.twkw.org

March 29Tennessee Williams Film Forum2 p.m. Local film critics will lead discussion. 513 Truman Ave., Key West.294-3121. www.twkw.org

September-May Tuesday Film Matinees & Wednesday Movie NightsTuesdays at 3:30 p.m. & Wednesdays 5 p.m. Key West Library, 700 Fleming St. 292-3595. www.keyslibraries.org

December-MarchFriends in Focus Environmental Films7 p.m. Tuesdays (2nd & 4th). Free. Popcorn and drinks available for small donation. Marathon Power Squadron Bldg., 52nd St., Marathon. 289-2288. www.sanctuaryfriends.org

MARATHON CINEMAShows at 7 p.m. Saturdays & Sundays at 2 p.m. 5101 Overseas Hwy.743-0288. www.marathoncinema.com

TROPIC CINEMA New, independent, foreign, documentaries and urban films. 416 Eaton St., Key West. www.tropiccinema.com

MUSEUMS, HISTORY & NATURENovember 22 & 23Key West Garden Club: Annual Fall Plant Sale & Art Show10 a.m.–3 p.m. Native and exotic plants, local artists and great food. West Martello Tower, 1100 Atlantic Blvd., Key West.294-3210. www.keywestgardenclub.com

December 5-7Fort Taylor Pyrate Invasion10 a.m.-5p.m. Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park. 292-6713. www.forttaylorpyrates.com

KEY WEST B IG P INE KEY & THE LOWER KEYS MARATHON

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With hundreds of art galleries and studios throughout The Florida Keys & Key West, you don’t have to wait for an annual art extravaganza to see inspired works of art. Our show runs 365 days a year. And here, everyone’s a VIP. fla-keys.com/culture 1.800.fla.keys

Art seen vs. art scene.

KEY WEST B IG P INE KEY & THE LOWER KEYS MARATHON

ISLAMORADA

KEY L

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With hundreds of art galleries and studios throughout The Florida Keys & Key West, you don’t have to wait for an annual art extravaganza to see inspired works of art. Our show runs 365 days a year. And here, everyone’s a VIP. fla-keys.com/culture 1.800.fla.keys

Art seen vs. art scene.