ROAD TRIP: Key West Honors Jimmy Buffett with Labor Day Tribute Festival

Four days of music, parades and island experiences where the stories began.

KEY WEST, Fla., July 31, 2025 -- On the third anniversary of Jimmy Buffett's passing, fans from around the country will return to the island that shaped his music for Just a Few Friends, Key West, a four-day tribute over Labor Day Weekend honoring the singer-songwriter's legacy in the place that loved him the most.

From August 29 through September 1, Key West—the backdrop for so many of Buffett's stories—becomes a living celebration. The festival blends remembrance with revelry, inviting visitors to walk the same streets and bars he immortalized in song, watch the sun sink into the Gulf, and hear the musicians who knew him best perform in the intimate settings where his sound was born.

"This is about more than music," said co-organizer Paul Menta. "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."

At its heart is Sunday's Second Line Memorial Parade, a vibrant procession down Duval Street that ends at Truman Waterfront Park for a free "Party in the Park" concert featuring Coral Reefer Band vocalist Nadirah Shakoor and a stage full of Buffett's musical friends. Evening concerts throughout the weekend include performances by former Coral Reefer guitarist Roger Bartlett & the Nautical Wheelers and Buffett's "Bubbles Up" co-writer Will Kimbrough.

Beyond the music, the weekend offers a chance to experience Key West itself: historic watering holes, sunset sails, walking tours of the places that defined Buffett's tropical storytelling style, lively food and cocktail events, and author panels that dig into the stories behind the songs. Proceeds from festival activities support local charities, giving back to the island community that inspired Buffett's music.

For fans and travelers alike, Just a Few Friends is both a tribute and an invitation—a chance to experience the island that gave birth to a state of mind, and the perfect reason for a last-minute escape. Details and tickets: www.justafewfriendskeywest.com.

"All events not affiliated with or endorsed by Jimmy Buffett's Estate or Margaritaville Enterprises"

SOURCE Just a Few Friends, Key West LLC