Meeting of the Minds
KEY WEST, FL – “Has anyone seen Jimmy?” That’s the inevitable question that will be on everyone’s lips as the annual Parrot Head Meeting of the Minds convenes in Key West. Known for their loud tropical shirts, raucous parties and massive fundraisers, the Parrot Heads – fans of Mr. Margaritaville himself, Jimmy Buffett -- somehow manages to make Key West even more colorful.
While Jimmy Buffett rarely makes an appearance himself, 3,500 of his fans still descend on the small island the first week of November each year. It’s a four-day party full of live “trop rock” music, beach parties and fundraisers.
The list of bands that have performed at Meeting of the Minds reads like a who’s-who of trop rock. Topping the list, of course, is Jimmy Buffett himself, whose performances are quite rare. But rabid fans can also catch several spin-off bands including members of his Coral Reefer Band like Mac McAnally, The Peter Mayer Group, Nadirah Shakoor, Tina Gullickson and Doyle Grisham. Other popular bands include Conch Republic, A1A, Sunny Jim White, The Calypso Nuts, Tropical Soul, PHINS, The Landsharks, Boat Drunks and Latitude. A highlight of the event is the TropRock Music Awards – the GRAMMYs of beach music – when many of the performers will awards for their original tropical music.
In keeping with the Parrot Head tradition of partying with a purpose, Meeting of the Minds always includes several philanthropy events such as a toy drive for the Salvation Army of Monroe County, a blood drive for the Community Blood Center of South Florida (wisely scheduled for the beginning of the four-day event), and a cash collection for the Wesley House, which provides childcare services for needy Keys families. There’s also an annual Team Parrot Head Zonta Walk, which raises funds for breast cancer prevention and testing in Monroe County.
The 2011 Meeting of the Minds takes place Nov. 3-6. Make reservations early, because the flights and hotels get booked quickly and registration typically closes about six weeks before the event. But if you’re not a fan of Buffett, it’s best to avoid Key West this week.
Hey, has anyone seen Jimmy yet?
Posted on May 8, 2011 by Jenn McGuire
