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Mallory Square Sunset Celebration: A Daily Key West Tradition




Fire breathers, tight-rope walkers, feral roosters, and a man playing the sitar. Intrigued yet? Wait, don’t go! I swear, this is a normal occurrence in Key West, one worth checking out at least once. Mallory Square may be empty during the day, but it gets busy quickly every night for the Sunset Celebration.


Mallory Square is located on the western side of Key West, looking out onto the Gulf of Mexico. No one can stop you from driving down, but parking is going to be limited, and will cost you. A rideshare or taxi down is worth it, and many of the resorts in New Town will run a free shuttle to and from Mallory Square, from morning until about midnight daily.


The square will generally start to fill about two hours before sunset, when the performers will begin to set up for their shows as well. It might differ depending on the time of year, but you won’t really be fighting for a spot to see a performer, much more than maybe a couple rows back from the front--and there’s a wide variety to choose from. A woman strumming her ukelele, a man breathing fire, while another in mime makeup forces himself through the rim of a bicycle wheel, all while riding a unicycle. The same way you spent last Friday night in your garage, right?

Look at this guy juggling three tomahawks: I can't even juggle one. Yet.

If it kind of sounds like the circus, well, it actually kind of is. Like most circuses though (are circuses even a thing still?), the show isn’t necessarily free, and you’ll find that out quickly. While there’s no fee to enter Mallory Square and watch, the performers will make it known how much they appreciate your patronage, and will generally have a means of collection; they’re worth a look, and even a couple bucks from your wallet or purse to keep the show going, as the Sunset Celebration is a daily event. If you’re the shy type though, just be warned, they’re not afraid to


Once you’ve had enough of the performers, head over and join the crowd at the square’s end. Passing boats fill the view as the sun sets over the Gulf of Mexico, lighting the sky up in pastels of oranges and red; the pictures practically take themselves. Who knows, you may even be lucky enough to catch the green flash--safely, of course. Please, please--do not look directly into the sun, you’re going to need your eyeballs (probably), because as much as you can read about the Sunset Celebration: why not venture to Key West and see it for yourself?

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