Tennessee Williams Key West Festival

In celebration of Tennessee Williams, the Pulitzer Prize winning literary icon that moved to Key West in 1949 and remained a resident for 34 years, the Tennessee Williams Museum and Key West Art & Historical Society host an annual Tennessee Williams Key West Festival, a month-long series of arts and cultural events that takes place each March.

This yearly festival of events includes a themed fundraiser, plein air painting contest, poetry and short story writing contests, lectures, museum tours, film screenings, live theater events and a birthday party complete with cake and bubbly. This is done to honor the life and accomplishments of Williams, whose rise to stardom began with The Glass Menagerie and continued with A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and other dramatic masterpieces.

Join Us for the Tennessee Williams Festival

Garden Party Fundraiser

This party is the kick-off event for the March 2025 Tennessee Williams Key West Festival being organized by the Key West Art and Historical Society. All proceeds support the Tennessee Williams Museum.

Poetry & Short Story Contests

Attendees can enjoy live holiday music from the Bahama Village Music Program’s Joyful Voices Choir and House of Pan Steel Pan Drums ensemble, the Key West Saxophone Quartet, the End of the World Ukulele Gang, and more.

Outdoor Movie Screening

Celebrating Tennessee Williams Festival with a FREE Outdoor Movie Night featuring A Streetcar Named Desire, one of Williams’ most popular works. Bring your chair to sit and watch the movie on Eaton Street in front of the big screen!

Birthday Party & Award Ceremony

Tennessee Williams turns 114 this March! Join us at the Tennessee Williams Museum for champagne and cake on March 26. First and second place winners of the short story and poetry contests will also be revealed at the party.

View our Dedicated Tennessee Williams Festival Website

Since 2011, the Tennessee Williams Museum in Key West has staged an annual festival to celebrate America’s greatest playwright. In 2017, the museum partnered with the Key West Art & Historical Society to increase the number and variety of programs that focus on Williams and his three decades on the island.

Visit Tennessee William Festival Website Email The Festival Organizer

Annual Tennessee Williams Short Story & Poetry Contests

The Key West Art & Historical Society invites poets and writers to submit original works to the annual Tennessee Williams Poetry and Short Story Writing Contests which open on January 6, 2025. Submissions must be received by midnight on March 9, 2025.

Drawing from the 2025 Festival theme, writing contest entries must in some way reference Tennessee Williams’ seminal work A Streetcar Named Desire. Poets and authors should loosely make reference to the play whether it be Williams during the play’s writing process, one of the play’s characters, or one of the actors/actresses who played a role in the film. First-place winners will be awarded a $300 prize while second-place winners will receive a $150 prize.

ENTRY FEE $10.00

READ FULL POETRY & SHORT STORY CONTEST PROSPECTUS

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