Beards, berets and wooden bulls rolled through Old Town Key West Saturday afternoon during the 45th Annual ‘Running’ of the Bulls event…one of Hemingway Days’ most recognizable traditions.
Calling it a “run” may be a bit of a stretch. While the ‘Papas’, as Hemingway was often called, sauntered down the one block route, the crowd erupted in cheers just like it was the real deal in Pamplona, Spain.
Dressed in crisp, white clothing with bright, red berets and bandanas, past winners of the Hemingway Look Alike Contest joined hundreds of “Papas,” for the signature stroll down some of Key West’s most famous streets. They set out from Greene Street, just outside Sloppy Joe’s Bar, crossed Duval Street, looped through Old Town and returned to the bar where Hemingway often hung out.
Five bulls joined in on the makeshift run adding a bit of levity to the day. Wooden sawhorse replicas mounted on wheels and built for considerably less danger than their Spanish counterparts.
The procession spoofs the famed “running of the bulls” in Pamplona, Spain, and is a notable nod to Hemingway’s fascination with Spain and its bullfighting traditions. The Key West version borrows the white clothes and red accents but leaves the live animals back in Spain.
While the afternoon belonged to the bulls, Saturday night belonged to the beards.
Twenty-four finalists selected during preliminary rounds Thursday and Friday are competing at 6:30 p.m. in the final round of Sloppy Joe’s 45th Annual Hemingway Look-Alike Contest. Past winners will narrow the field to five before one contestant is crowned “Papa 2026.”
The six-day Hemingway Days, which marks the 127th anniversary of Hemingway’s July 21st birthday, continues through Sunday with several signature events. Highlights include the Papa Birthday Bash at Sloppy Joe’s, Museum Day featuring the Hemingway Collection at the Custom House, and the “Papa’s Tales” Storytelling Competition at the Hemingway Social Club.
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