Photo Recap: Island House celebrates 50 years with Golden Anniversary Weekend in Key West!
A recap of Island House’s 50th Anniversary Golden Weekend in Key West, check out the details and view the photos here!
Glittering in gold and overflowing with nostalgia, laughter, performances, and community, Island House officially celebrated its 50th Anniversary Golden Weekend May 15–17, 2026, marking five decades as one of the most iconic LGBTQ+ destinations in the world.
Hosted by longtime friend of Island House, Patrik Gallineaux, the three-day celebration welcomed generations of guests, entertainers, staff, media personalities, and supporters who helped shape Island House into what it is today: a global symbol of queer hospitality, freedom, and chosen family.
The Golden Weekend kicked off on Friday, May 15, with an extended Golden Happy Hour around the legendary Island House pool. Guests enjoyed poolside performances by beloved entertainer Randy Roberts, while longtime community favorite QMitch hosted one of the resort’s famous raffles, a tradition that has entertained guests at Island House for many, many years.
On Saturday, May 16, the celebration continued with another extended happy hour and special poolside performances by Sushi and Kylie Jean Lucille. During the festivities, the two entertainers recreated one of the most iconic photographs in Island House history, a playful tribute to the installation of the resort’s original spiral metal staircase, an image that still lives today in the property’s famed legacy hallway.
Saturday evening also featured the inaugural Island House Awards, honoring the countless individuals who helped shape the resort over the past 50 years. Awards recognized former pool boys, longtime staff members, drag entertainers, media personalities, community advocates, and Island House founder Jim Camp, who purchased what was then known as Paul’s Apartments in 1976 and transformed it into the Island House known around the globe today.
The celebration culminated on Sunday, May 17, with the official Gold Party, one of the largest pool celebrations of the anniversary weekend. Guests gathered poolside for performances by the legendary Aquanettes, an expanded anniversary raffle, cocktails under the Key West sun, and a massive birthday cake celebration complete with candles honoring 50 extraordinary years.
Throughout the weekend, Island House embraced its “Golden Birthday” theme with gold décor, specialty cocktails, and pool boys dressed in locally designed gold outfits, part of the resort’s ongoing year-long Gold Party series, which has quickly become one of the most talked-about event experiences in Gay Key West.
For many attendees, the weekend represented more than just an anniversary party. It was a celebration of five decades of memories, milestones, friendships, and the freedom to authentically be oneself in a safe and welcoming space.
“For 50 years, Island House has been more than a resort — it has been a home, a sanctuary, and a stronghold in the story of Gay Key West,” said Jeff Smead, General Manager of Island House. “This celebration honored not only our history, but every guest, performer, staff member, and friend who made these walls come alive.”
Island House continues its year-long 50th Anniversary Celebration throughout 2026 with monthly Gold Pool Parties, legacy storytelling campaigns, and community collaborations honoring the past while looking boldly toward the next 50 years.
Check out some of the photos from the fun filled weekend below!
About Island House
Founded in 1976 in Key West, Florida, Island House has become internationally recognized as one of the world’s premier gay guesthouses and was first awarded Best Gay Resort in the World in 2007 by the PlanetOut Travel Awards. The property has remained a cultural icon for LGBTQ+ travelers for five decades and continues to set the standard for gay hospitality worldwide.
