Key West was home to many famous American writers, but the most well known is Ernest Hemingway.
More than 50 years after his death, hundreds flock to the writer's old hometown near the end of July for the annual Hemingway Days festival. It begins Tuesday, July 21, on the 116th anniversary of his birthday.
Hemingway and Key West have influenced one another in many surprising ways. See for yourself: Take the How Well Do You Know Hemingway? quiz.
Festival events include the popular “Papa” Hemingway Look-Alike Contest taking place at the author’s old hangout, Sloppy Joe’s on Duval Street; a marlin fishing tournament; and presentations about Key West’s literary legacy.
Hemingway arrived in Key West in 1928 and moved into his now-famously cat-friendly home in 1931. He stayed in Key West until 1939, when he left to live in Cuba.
He wrote four of his novels in Key West. These include the bulk of “A Farewell to Arms,” “Death in the Afternoon,” “Green Hills in Africa,” and “To Have and Have Not,” which is set in Key West during the Great Depression.
Let us know what you like most about Hemingway. What’s your favorite novel or short story? Join the conversation using #PapaDays2015.
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