Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square Reviews and Photos, Key West

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A Uniquely Key West Attraction

August 28, 2008
Rated 5 of 5 by notso62 from Boston, Massachusetts

Interestingly enough I had visited Key West two times prior to ever making it to Mallory Square. Of course I know this is listed as a main tourist attraction and I should have done it the first time there, but I never seemed to make it past the shops on Duval Street during my free-time in the evenings; one of the perils of business travel to vacation destinations I suppose.

On my third trip I made a point to go down to the square one evening and I certainly did not regret it. There was quite the scene; street performers, food carts, souvenir stands, and tourists everywhere. Everyone comes here in eager anticipation of seeing the best view of the sunset from the land that lays claim to having the most beautiful ones in the world.

Mallory Square gets so jam-packed with people about an hour before the sunset that it is difficult to maneuver around the crowds. I went during Spring Break which I suppose is a popular time, but the density of the crowd reminded me of something I had only experienced at South Boston’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade. The sobriety of the crowd in Mallory Square might have been likened to the St. Pat’s Day Parade as well; many rowdy folks, but mostly well-behaved.

The street performers that perform acts in Mallory Square are indeed sights to see themselves. There’s a fire-eater, a juggler, one that performs with domestic house cats, one that performs with dogs, and several magicians of various types. At any given time one or two acts are occurring, and usually one starts right up after another finishes. It is encouraged that you tip the performers at the end of their act- my favorite thing was when one of the performer’s dogs went around collecting the tips from the crowd by taking cash out of people’s hands and putting it in his bucket around his neck. I have never seen anything like it.

Food venders and several restaurants dot Mallory Square and make this an ideal place for tourists to grab dinner and take in the scene. It looked to me that all the restaurants in the area required some sort of reservation, but the vendors and stands were readily available to sell ice cream, hot dogs, fried dough, and various other snacking or dinner items.

Everyday is a party in Mallory Square centered around the greatest performance of all- the sunset. Around twenty or thirty minutes before the sun dips below the horizon it starts displaying fantastic color changes that light up the entire sky. The horizon beyond Mallory Square is just beautiful. Several islands dot the endless expanse of Gulf water and this makes for a beautiful backdrop for the ethereal colors of the sky. I really didn’t get why everybody made such a big deal about a Key West sunset until I saw it for myself firsthand. Pictures could never do this light show justice.

From journal Key West Revisited

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Nightly Festivities as the Sun Sets

August 17, 2008
Rated 4 of 5 by mikro from Liverpool, New York

Mallory Square comes to life each evening as the sunset approaches. There are street performers, vendors and lots of tourists at this daily event. Bring your camera and be prepared to move through the crowds to get a good view as the sun sets over the western-most point of the Florida Keys.
Once the sun goes down, everyone heads for Duval Street with it's many bars, restaurants and night spots. Sloppy Joe's the most popular but you have your pick of music, menus and hangouts along Duval.

From journal Weekend Wedding in Key West

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Sunset Celebration Mallory Square

February 16, 2006
Rated 5 of 5 by Dutchnatasja from Etten-Leur, Netherlands

In the evening, everybody comes to Mallory Square to watch the sunset. I always love to watch the entertainers at Mallory Square. Some of the artists performing for many years now. Everybody loves them, and they love the applaus (and money).

Take your favourite drink, sit down, make sure that you have your camera ready, and watch the sun goes down. If you want to sit, you have to come early. I like to stand and walk around, watch the people, and enjoy the artists.

There are vendors selling their handmade crafts, like paintings, pictures, jewelry, and much more. There are also vendors selling food and drinks. It's always crowded, but that makes the sunset-celebration special. This is something you cannot miss!!

It's a nice way to begin your evening.

From journal The Key to my Heart - Key West, Florida

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