We (my wife Ruth and i) flew to Fort Lauderdale on January 28, 2019. Then drove down to Key West the following morning in a silver Mustang convertible, listening to many of the bands we'd see perform at Mile 0 Fest in Key West .... sunset cruise that early evening, then dinner at Blue Heaven, a Keys icon created by a chef who began his career, allegedly, at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill.
Makes a good story, and that's one of the themes in Key West in my view ....a story is a good story not so much that it is true, but that its telling keeps one's interest.
When you mix Hemingway with Buffett, vast throngs of cruise ship types with crusty locals, as well as codger travelers who have come south and west for music, food and yee hah ... it's a fine line between Saturday night and Sunday morning.
This was the second Mile O Fest. Program states 60 bands were on the island, performing on 13 stages scattered about, with the prime focus on the new Truman Waterfront Park Amphitheater.
Was told 3,500 tickets were sold to Mile O Fest, but I doubt that many ever congregated at the same time at Truman Park.
Music began each afternoon at 3 p.m. at Truman Park, while the other 12 stages had earlier start times and much, much later end times. One can listen to music almost non-stop, if one chooses.
We took a cab from our hotel at 1:45, to get in line as the gates opened at 2 p.m.
We'd purchased folding chairs at a Dick's in Miami, and they served us well.
This was the second Mile O Fest.
Less than 2,200 attended last year. This year 3.500. Festival organizer now considering two weeks of Mile 0 Fest 3.
For folks like me who love the music of the late 60s/70s, this genre is it right now.
The better bands I saw read the energy of the crowd perfectly with well-timed fast songs, morphing into a pithy number to let us all catch our breath.
I happened to stumble on information for this festival by accident in late September as I was trying to find a release date for Flatland Cavalry's second record, and I noticed the date on their tour link.
If you enjoy warm weather in winter ...
If you have been to Key West and had a terrific time, or if you have never been to Key West, and sense that it might be appealing..
If you enjoy walking in essentially an outdoor mall down Duval Street, tracing the past, the future and the now at the same time ...
If you like meeting people from all over the world, some of them who dont give a shit about all of the entries above, but give a damn about at least one ...
Then, Mile O Fest is for you.
Eager to return next year. In a big way.
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