KEY WEST, Fla. – There will be no Red Shoe Drop this year in Key West. The takeoff on New York City’s Times Square “ball drop,” featuring celebrity drag queen Sushi, has been an annual event since 1996 in front of the Bourbon St. Pub at the stroke of midnight each Dec. 31.
But this year, the party atmosphere of New Year’s Eve in Key West will be cut short, and the shoe drop hangs in the balance, as the city has decided to impose a curfew.
The City of Key West posted on Facebook that the curfew will begin at 10 p.m., Dec. 31, and will end on Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021 at 6 a.m.
Decided after an extensive discussion at Thursday’s City Commission meeting, Key West Mayor Teri Johnston enacted the emergency directive “in order to avoid a public health emergency during the New Year’s holiday.”
- All non-essential businesses will close on or before 10 p.m. each night.
- Persons shall be in their residences or lodging establishments no later than 10:30 p.m. each night.
- The curfew will be effective from 10 p.m. each night through 6 a.m. the next morning.
- During the period of such curfew, no person shall make use of any street or sidewalk for any purpose, except police, fire rescue, first responder, medical, health care, media, and utility repair service personnel.
Key West Mayor Teri Johnston, after an extensive discussion at Thursday’s City Commission meeting, has enacted an...
Posted by City of Key West -- Government on Friday, December 4, 2020
The mayor’s issued statement said the curfew will not apply to people returning directly to their homes from work at essential establishments or going directly to work at essential establishments from their homes; people making deliveries from essential establishments; people walking their dogs within 250 feet of their residences; and those traveling to or from any religious service.
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