Underwater Music Festival
Key West, FL -While many symphonies perform under the stars, only one can claim to perform under the sea. The Submerged Symphony will be at its very best during the anniversary of the Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival.
The unique event showcases the colorful diversity of marine life that characterizes North America's only living coral barrier reef. As many as 600 divers and snorkelers gather each year for the sub-sea songfest at Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary, an area of the reef located approximately six miles south of Big Pine Key.
The quirky anniversary concert is scheduled for Saturday, July 12, 2008. Most of the music is broadcast underwater via Lubell Laboratory speakers suspended beneath boats…and that makes for a very fine sound! If you don't have your own boat, Dive shops and private charters are available throughout the Lower Keys to provide transportation to the reef. This event is unique to the Florida Keys and its success is a testament the many wonders of the reef and of course, music!
As well as being a one-of-a-kind event for divers and snorkelers, the Underwater Music Festival carries a serious message of coral reef preservation. The musical broadcast incorporates diver awareness announcements, written and recorded by Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary officials, offering tips on how people can enjoy the ocean while minimizing the impact on the coral reef ecosystem and overall marine environment.
Past events have included appearances by
a troupe of snorkeling Elvis look-alikes playing underwater guitar,
a long-haired mermaid with a harp, a trio of divas of the deep, and
marchers in a submerged patriotic parade. Divers and snorkelers interested
in participating in the Underwater Music Festival can charter space
aboard boats run by Lower Keys dive operators. Visitors and residents
with their own boats can launch from public ramps throughout the area.
Going down? 
For the most recent info on this event and others,
check our Key West Special Event Calendar.
