KEY WEST, Fla. – The coronavirus pandemic has forced the cancellation of the 40th annual Ernest Hemingway Look-Alike Contest in Key West, organizers announced Thursday.
The three-night competition, which had been scheduled for July 23-25, typically attracts more than 100 burly, bearded contestants from U.S.
and international locales to Sloppy Joe’s Bar, but organizers were concerned about staging the contest amid packed crowds. Besides the throngs of spectators, most contestants are between 60 and 80 years old, presenting a potentially risky situation since that age group is especially susceptible to COVID-19, organizers said.