The late Jimmy Buffett will be remembered in his one-time hometown of Key West, Florida, with four-day tribute celebration that will be held over the Labor Day Weekend. The second annual Just a Few Friends festival runs from Friday, August 29, through Monday, September 1. September 1 also will mark the second anniversary of the beloved singer/songwriter’s death from skin cancer at age 76.
A variety of activities, events, and performances are lined up for the fest.
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The celebration will officially kick off at 11 a.m. ET on Friday, August 29, with an outdoor ceremony during which Jimmy Buffett Day will be proclaimed in the city of Key West. Florida city, county, and state leaders and the Key West High School Marching Band will participate in the event.
Among the other major events planned is the Second Line Memorial Parade, which is scheduled for Sunday, August 31. The parade will feature “a vibrant procession” that will travel down Duval Street and end at Truman Waterfront Park. At the park, a free “Party in the Park” concert will be held. The show will feature singer Nadirah Shakoor, a member of Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band, and a variety of Jimmy’s musical friends.
“This is about more than music,” Just a few Friends co-organizer Paul Menta said in a statement. “We honor Jimmy’s memory by immersing people in the island he loved—the people, the history, the sunsets, the flavors. It’s a celebration of a way of life.”
Other Events and Activities Planned for the Festival
Other concerts held during the weekend will include performances by ex-Coral Reefer Band guitarist Roger Bartlett and his group The Nautical Wheelers, and singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Will Kimbrough. Kimbrough co-wrote “Bubbles Up,” a tune that appeared on Buffett’s posthumous 2023 final album, Equal Strain on All Parts.
Among the many other activities planned for the festival are fan meet-ups and happy hours, walking tours, bar crawls, pool parties, a Buffett-themed lecture, outdoor movie screenings, book signings, a best-cheeseburger contest, a BBQ rib battle, sunset cruises, and more.
Proceeds raised by the various festival activities will go toward supporting local charities.
To purchase tickets and find out more information about the festival, visit JustaFewFriendsKeyWest.com.
(Photo by Ralph DePalma)
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