History of Key West Lobsterfest
Born from a Brawl (Over Lobster, No Less!)
Believe it or not, Key West Lobsterfest started with a friendly (or maybe not-so-friendly) dispute. Two friends couldn't agree on who made the best Lobster Chilau, a Key West staple. What else to do but settle it with a cook-off? The inaugural throwdown went down in the courtyard of Rick's & Durty Harry's Entertainment Complex, with secret family recipes and judges galore. The event was such a hit (though we'll keep the winner a secret), they knew they had to take it bigger. The next year, Lobsterfest moved to the bustling Duval Street, welcoming more participants, spectators, and sponsors than ever before. Fast forward to today, and this epic food fight has transformed into a 4-day extravaganza that takes over the entire island!
Statement from the Key West Lobsterfest Committee:
The Key West Lobsterfest Committee regrets to announce that we have made the difficult decision to place the festival on hiatus for 2025. After careful and thorough consideration, we have concluded that we are unable to produce the event to the standards our community and attendees have come to expect.
We had hoped to successfully navigate the challenges presented by a change in sponsorship and the associated logistical complexities. However, it has become clear that we are not on track to deliver the quality event we envisioned for this year.