Have you ever wanted to run with the bulls?
How about doing it without an actual bull chasing you?
Welcome to Hemingway Days, where Key West puts its own wonderfully unconventional spin on one of Ernest Hemingway's favorite Spanish traditions.Every July, the island celebrates the author who lived, wrote, fished and found inspiration here during one of the most productive periods of his career. For several days, Hemingway's literary legacy mixes with fishing, look-alikes, history and the kind of quirky traditions that could probably happen only in Key West.
And yes, there are bulls.
Just not the kind with horns, hooves and bad intentions.
Hemingway Days returns July 21–25, 2027, giving visitors another reason to plan a summer escape to the island.
Why Does Key West Celebrate Ernest Hemingway?
Ernest Hemingway arrived in Key West in the late 1920s and made the island his home during much of the 1930s.
It became far more than another tropical stop in the writer's adventurous life.
Hemingway fished the waters surrounding the Florida Keys, spent time with the colorful personalities who inhabited the island and completed important works during his Key West years. His former home at 907 Whitehead Street is now the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, where visitors can explore his writing studio, gardens and the famous colony of six-toed cats.
His friendship with Joe Russell also connected Hemingway to another Key West institution: Sloppy Joe's Bar.
Decades later, Hemingway remains woven into the identity of the island—and Hemingway Days turns that history into one of Key West's most entertaining annual celebrations.
The Running of the Bulls — Key West Style
Let's get one thing straight.
These bulls aren't real.
Key West's Running of the Bulls borrows the spirit of the famous event in Pamplona, Spain, but replaces the dangerous animals with man-made bulls pushed and carried through the streets.
That makes this version considerably easier to explain to your travel insurance company.
The spectacle traditionally features Hemingway look-alikes dressed in their signature white, surrounded by spectators as the mock bulls make their way through Old Town.
It's silly. It's theatrical. It's unmistakably Key West.
And that's exactly the point.
Rather than trying to recreate Spain, Key West takes a tradition associated with Hemingway's life and turns it into something uniquely its own.
The Hemingway Look-Alike Contest
You may notice something unusual during Hemingway Days.
There are suddenly a lot of Ernest Hemingways walking around Key West.
White beards. Safari shirts. Sweaters. Papa poses.
The annual Hemingway Look-Alike Contest at Sloppy Joe's is one of the festival's signature traditions. Competitors gather at the famous Duval Street bar hoping to convince judges—and an enthusiastic crowd—that they most closely capture the appearance and spirit of the author in his later years.
Past winners help judge the competition, creating a tradition that carries from one generation of "Papas" to the next.
Even if you aren't competing, the contest is worth experiencing simply for the atmosphere.
And where better to hold it than Sloppy Joe's, a bar forever connected to Hemingway's Key West story?
More Than Bulls and Beards
The Running of the Bulls and Look-Alike Contest get plenty of attention, but Hemingway Days has traditionally celebrated many different parts of the author's life and legacy.
Depending on the year's schedule, festivities can include literary presentations, readings, book signings and discussions about Hemingway's writing and years in Key West.
The celebration has also incorporated events inspired by Hemingway's love of fishing and outdoor adventure.
That's what makes Hemingway Days more interesting than a simple street festival.
Literature fans can explore the author's work. History lovers can visit the places associated with his Key West years. Fishing enthusiasts can appreciate another side of his life. And visitors who simply enjoy Key West's wonderfully eccentric personality can watch a crowd of white-bearded Hemingways run down the street with fake bulls.
There really is something for everybody.
Visit the Hemingway Home While You're Here
Hemingway Days is the perfect excuse to see the place where much of the Key West story actually happened.
The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum at 907 Whitehead Street preserves the Spanish Colonial house where Hemingway lived during the 1930s.
Visitors can tour the home, see his writing studio, wander through the tropical gardens and meet the famous six-toed cats that have become attractions in their own right.
Even if you've never read A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls or The Old Man and the Sea, the property offers a fascinating look at Old Key West and one of the island's most famous residents.
Read our complete Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum visitor guide before you go.
Follow Hemingway to Sloppy Joe's
No Hemingway-themed visit to Key West feels quite complete without stopping at Sloppy Joe's Bar.
Hemingway was a friend, customer and fishing companion of owner Joe Russell, and that relationship helped establish the bar's lasting connection to the author.
Today, Sloppy Joe's remains one of Duval Street's most recognizable landmarks and plays a central role in Hemingway Days.
It's also easy to incorporate into an Old Town itinerary. Sloppy Joe's sits at 201 Duval Street, near Mallory Square, the Historic Seaport and many other attractions.
Discover the full story in our Sloppy Joe's Key West visitor guide.
Planning for Hemingway Days 2027
Hemingway Days 2027 is scheduled for July 21–25.
If the Running of the Bulls or Look-Alike Contest is a must-see part of your trip, don't rely on a previous year's schedule when deciding when to travel. Individual event times and locations can change.
Check the official Hemingway Days and Sloppy Joe's schedules as the festival approaches.
July is also hot in Key West, so plan accordingly. Lightweight clothing, sunscreen and plenty of water go a long way when you're spending the afternoon outdoors.
And if you're staying overnight, booking accommodations early is a smart move when a popular festival is taking place.
Make a Hemingway Day of It
One of the best things about Hemingway Days is that the celebration doesn't have to end when an individual event does.
Turn it into a self-guided Hemingway adventure.
Start at the Hemingway Home on Whitehead Street. Walk through Old Town. Stop at Sloppy Joe's. Explore the Historic Seaport and imagine the Key West Hemingway knew when fishing boats and working waterfronts were central to daily island life.
Our Key West Walking Tour Guide can help connect many of these Old Town landmarks on foot.
By the end of the day, you'll understand why Hemingway's relationship with Key West remains such an enduring part of the island's story.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hemingway Days
-
Hemingway Days is scheduled for July 21–25, 2027 in Key West. Individual event schedules should be confirmed closer to the festival.
-
The Running of the Bulls is a playful Key West tradition held as part of Hemingway Days. Instead of live bulls, participants use man-made mock bulls while Hemingway look-alikes and spectators join the fun.
-
No. There are no live bulls involved. The Key West version is a humorous tribute to the Spanish tradition associated with Hemingway.
-
The annual Hemingway Look-Alike Contest is traditionally held at Sloppy Joe's Bar at 201 Duval Street in Old Town Key West.
-
Hemingway lived in Key West during much of the 1930s, wrote during his years on the island, fished extensively in the surrounding waters and became part of the local social scene. His former Whitehead Street home is now the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum.
-
Yes. The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum is a year-round Key West attraction. Festival periods can be busy, so check current museum information when planning your visit.
-
Many of the major Hemingway-related locations and festival activities take place in Old Town. Key West Express arrives at 100 Grinnell Street near the Historic Seaport, making much of Old Town accessible on foot.
-
An overnight stay gives you considerably more flexibility to enjoy festival activities, nightlife and Hemingway-related attractions without building your entire day around the return ferry schedule.
Run With the Bulls—Then Make Your Own Key West Story
You don't need to travel to Spain—or outrun an actual bull—to say you've experienced a Running of the Bulls.
In Key West, all you need is a sense of humor and an appreciation for an island that has never been afraid to do things a little differently.
Hemingway Days brings together literature, history, fishing, Old Town traditions and some wonderfully strange Key West fun in a celebration worthy of Papa himself.
And Key West Express makes getting to the island part of the adventure. Leave the long drive behind, cruise across the Gulf from Fort Myers Beach and arrive near the Historic Seaport and Old Town.
Plan your trip aboard Key West Express for Hemingway Days 2027, and come see how Key West runs with the bulls.
