2026 Hemingway Look-Alike Entry Form (Friday July 24, 2026)

2026 Hemingway Look-Alike Entry Form (Friday July 24, 2026)

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$50.00
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2026 Hemingway Look-Alike Entry Form (Friday July 24, 2026)
  • 2026 Hemingway Look-Alike Entry Form (Friday July 24, 2026)
  • 2026 Hemingway Look-Alike Entry Form (Friday July 24, 2026)
2026 Hemingway Look-Alike Entry Form (Friday July 24, 2026)

2026 Hemingway Look-Alike Entry Form (Friday July 24, 2026)

$50.00
$50.00 $50.00
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Sloppy Joe’s Bar’s 45th Annual Hemingway Look-Alike Contest Entry Form for Friday, July 24, 2026.

**By registering, you agree to and consent to the Model Release/Talent Consent/Testimonial Release, located below, and will be available as a downloadable file after registration.

Sloppy Joe's Bar's 45th Annual Hemingway Look-Alike Contest Entry Form for Friday, July 24, 2026

Please fill in all required fields during checkout.

Look-Alike Contest Guidelines:

The contest is limited to 80 contestants each night. Contestants may only sign up for one night. If a contestant has competed in the Thursday night round and does not advance to the final round, they may not sign up for Friday. Confirmation will be emailed to contestants. The contestant will be notified if entry forms arrive and the contest is already full.

Each preliminary round of the Sloppy Joe’s Bar's Hemingway® Look-Alike Contest will begin at 6:30 pm and finals at 6:30 pm in Sloppy Joe’s Bar (201 Duval Street) on three consecutive evenings, July 23-25, 2026.

Contestants scheduled for Thursday night/round one should check in at the registration tent outside of the bar on Greene Street between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Look-alike contestants will be assigned a number and given a Hemingway® Look-Alike event t-shirt.

Contestants scheduled for Friday night/round two should check in at the registration tent outside of the bar on Greene Street between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Look-alike contestants will be assigned a number and given a Hemingway® Look-Alike event t-shirt.

If you have not pre-registered, you may sign up before either preliminary round at Sloppy Joe’s Bar if space is available.

Although the contest doesn’t begin until 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, spectators and some contestants arrive early in the afternoon. Remember that this is summer in Key West. The temperature on stage under the lights can get pretty hot. There will be hundreds of folks in and around the bar; there’s no reserved seating, and television crews will be jostling for the best camera angle. Basically, it’s chaos, so please be patient.

Contestants will be given a number when checking in at the registration table. Contestants will line up by number.

Contestants will be called on stage in groups of six, in order of assigned number, and introduced to the audience. Contestants will have 15 seconds to address the judges and the audience. If wearing a hat, the contestants will be asked to remove it so the judges can see their faces. We are looking for mature, heavy-set men with a full beard. However, several young Look-Alikes have participated, and some have actually made it to the finals. Contestants participating in the contest agree to allow their image to be used by Sloppy Joe’s Bar and the media and grant photo release (must sign the talent release form).

Approximately twelve finalists will be chosen on Thursday and twelve on Friday to advance to the final round on Saturday. Finalists will be announced each night, and contestants will be asked to come on stage.

On Saturday, finalists will be called up on stage in groups of five and given one minute to present themselves to the judges.

The group will be narrowed down to five finalists. The five finalists will be called back to the stage and have two minutes to speak. Papa 2026 will be named from this group.

Papa 2026 will become a Judge for future contests and will no longer be able to compete in future contests.

Judging is handled by former Look-Alike winners, whom we call Papas.

Know your competition. The Look-Alikes arrive in ‘Hemingway Garb.’ Some even wear safari outfits, khakis, and even the excruciatingly hot wool fisherman's turtleneck sweater. Many entrants have been competing for years. Some bring their own cheering squad. Most contestants admit (confidentially) that they may never win but return year after year for the fellowship. Contestants need to plan their own clothing.

The judges are looking for someone who looks like Ernest Hemingway, someone who will return each year to judge the contest, and someone who will work on the scholarship program. They are also seeking an individual of good moral character to represent the Hemingway Look-Alike Society.

Faithfully, the wives, known as the ‘Mamas,’ spend their time and vacations promoting their Papas and return to Key West each July for the event.

The Hemingway Look-Alike Society (HLAS) is highly dedicated to its scholarship program and is the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys' most significant contributor.

Note: Please do not bring any balloons; they will not be allowed in the bar. Dogs, animals, or birds will not be allowed in the bar. Contestants may not bring other people on stage.

Cancellations: Contestants who have pre-registered and do not participate in the contest will not have their entry fee refunded, and the event t-shirt will not be mailed.

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Model Release/Talent Consent/Testimonial Release
For good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged,
I hereby agree as follows:
1. I hereby consent to and authorize the use by Sloppy Joe’s Enterprises, Inc., its respective licensees, successors, assigns, and all persons acting with its permission (the "Licensed Parties"), the right to use, publish and copyright my name, voice, testimonial statement, picture and likeness in all media and types of advertising and promotion for Sloppy Joe’s Bar (“Sloppy Joe’s").
2. I hereby consent to and authorize the use by Monroe County Tourist Development Council, its respective licensees, successors, assigns, and all persons acting with its permission, the right to use, publish, and copyright my name, voice, testimonial statement, picture and likeness in all media and types of advertising and promotion for Key West and the Florida Keys.
3. I agree that all photographs of me used and taken by the Licensed Parties are owned by them and that they may copyright the photographs. If I should receive any print, negative, or other copy thereof, I will not authorize its use by anyone else.
4. I agree that no advertisement or other material need be submitted to me for any further approval, and the Licensed Parties will not be liable to me for any distortion or illusory effect resulting from the publication of my picture or likeness.
5. I warrant and represent that I have not previously authorized (which authority is still in effect), nor will I authorize or permit, the use of my name, voice, testimonial statement, picture, and likeness in connection with the advertising or promotion of any business that is competitive to Sloppy Joe’s Bar.
6. I further agree that the Licensed Parties will have the right to attribute my testimonial statement (or edited or paraphrased statements that have substantially the same meaning) to me, which is an expression of my personal experience and belief.
7. Nothing herein will constitute any obligation on the Licensed Parties to make any use of any of the rights set forth herein.
8. I understand that the Licensed Parties will act in reliance on this consent and release, and accordingly, I hereby declare it to be irrevocable; and I hereby release and discharge the Licensed Parties from any and all claims whatsoever in connection with their lawful use of my name, voice, testimonial statement, picture, and likeness described herein.

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