Elevate your local knowledge

Sign up for the iNFOnews newsletter today!

Select Region

Selecting your primary region ensures you get the stories that matter to you first.

White-bearded Florida man wins annual Ernest Hemingway look-alike contest in Key West

KEY WEST, Fla. – A white-bearded Florida man has won the “Papa” Hemingway Look-Alike Contest on his 15th attempt.

Retired air traffic controller Charlie Boice of Palm Beach Gardens prevailed Saturday night at Sloppy Joe’s Bar, a hangout of Ernest Hemingway during his Key West residency in the 1930s.

A panel of former contest winners chose Boice, 56, who said he shares Hemingway’s passion for marlin fishing.

Celebrity cook Paula Deen’s husband, Michael Groover of Savannah, Georgia, finished in the top five.

The contest attracted 122 entrants. It’s a highlight of the annual Hemingway Days festival honouring the author’s literary legacy.

During his Key West years, Hemingway wrote the novel “To Have and Have Not.”

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles