Everything You Need to Know about the Key West Key Lime Festival

Every Fourth of July weekend, Key West gets together to celebrate the national fruit of the island - the key lime. From June 30 - July 4, 2023, it’s key lime everything - pies, drinks, dinners, brunches, drops, and hops. That said, here are the biggest Key West Key Lime Festival events happening on each day of the five-day fest.

[The Gates Guide to the Best Key Lime Pie in Key West]

Key Lime Rum Tasting - Fri. June 30, 2023, 12 p.m. @ Key West First Legal Rum Distillery

When it comes to flavored rums, few can touch the key lime. Taste it for yourself (for free!) at the award-winning Key West First Legal Rum Distillery. This tart and refreshing spirit pairs perfectly with citrusy dishes like pithy salads or delicate desserts.

Miss Key Lime Pageant - Fri. June 30, 2023, 6 p.m. @ General Horseplay

Who will be crowned Miss Key Lime Pageant 2023? See the “tangy takeoff on the Miss America competition” for yourself at General Horseplay. Categories include Talent, Q & A, and Evening Wear. Participants must be 21+ to enter.

‘Living The Key Lime Life’ Dinner - Fri. June 30, 2023, Time TBD @ Kaya Island Eats

The island fusion eatery that is Kaya Island Eats has a very special four-course key lime inspired menu planned by Chef Scott Taylor and the culinary team. If it’s anything like their menu items featuring the citrus fruit, we’re in for a treat. Stop by the Duval Street restaurant anytime to try their Killer Fish Tacos lightly blackened with a key lime cilantro sauce, Hawaiian Pork Sliders with a mango key lime slaw, or fresh catch lightly seasoned with key lime butter.

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Key Lime Sip & Stroll - Sat. July 1, 2023, 3 p.m. @ First Flight

If you prefer the tart flavor of key lime on the rocks, this is the event for you. Decide who makes the best key lime cocktail on the island as multiple bars compete for your vote with the finest key lime margaritas and key lime 'open' cocktail in Florida. Tickets to the Key Lime Sip & Stroll include samples of 10 or more drinks and a souvenir for the first 275 registrants. Participating bars include island mainstays like First Flight, Hank’s Hair of the Dog Saloon, and Conch Republic Seafood Company.

Key Lime Pie Drop - Sun. July 2, 2023, 11 a.m. @ The Key West Lighthouse

We like to drop things here in Key West - like shoes, conch shells, and pirate wenches on New Year’s Eve. The Key West Key Lime Festival has the most delicious drop of all - the key lime pie. More surprising is that the goal of the Key Lime Pie Drop is to NOT ruin the pie, despite the long fall from the Key West Lighthouse. The most creative mind to outsmart gravity wins!

Key Lime Pie Hop - Mon. July 3, 2023, 11 a.m. @ Conch Republic Seafood Company

Key lime pie lovers, this is your chance to eat your heart out. The Key Lime Pie Hop takes you across the island for a walking tour of the best - and most unique - key lime pies in the Conch Republic. Tickets include five pie samples and a 2023 Key West Key Lime Festival T-shirt. Official stops for the 2023 Key Lime Pie Hop will be announced closer to the event date.

World Famous Key Lime Pie Eating Championship - Tues. July 4, 2023, 1:30 p.m. @ Southernmost Beach Café

The Key West Key Lime Festival wouldn’t be complete without the most popular event of all - the World Famous Key Lime Pie Eating Championship. Here you can compete for the title of Key Lime Pie Eating Champion. The award goes to the participant who can eat a 9-inch key lime pie the fastest.

Key lime pie isn’t limited to the annual festival, we celebrate it all year long in Key West. Places like Old Town Bakery and Key West Key Lime Pie Company always serve up a delicious slice, while you can get your hands on all things key lime goodness at places like Kermit’s Key Lime Shoppe, Key Lime Pie Bakery, and Southernmost Key Lime Shop.

Ready to join us in Key West? Choose from our best rates and special offers when you book direct with The Gates Hotel, a Conde Nast award-winning Key West destination. Our on-site food truck, The Blind Pig, has a tasty key lime pie slice of its own, plus delicious Conch fusion small plates and tapas-style dishes inspired by Key West’s Cuban, Bahamian, Caribbean, and Floridian roots.