On New Year's Eve, those in New York frolic with Dick Clark, and bundle themselves up from the cold. While in the southernmost city, dressed in island casual, those in Key West frolic at Sloppy Joe's Bar for the dropping of the Conch Shell.

This year the Conch Shell will drop for the 11th time at the corner of Duval and Green streets.

The first two years (1993/94 & 1994/94), the Conch Shell only stood two feet high. The Conch Shell, as well as the gathering to watch the annual event has grown considerably.

Now the Conch Shell is a six-foot Queen Conch, proudly standing twenty feet atop the roof of Sloppy Joe's Bar.

The idea and implementation of the Conch Shell is that of local artist Tobias McGregor. In 1993, McGregor approach Sloppy Joe's management about the New Year's Eve plan.

"Before the dropping of the Conch Shell, everyone would just wonder around Duval Street, celebrating New Year when their watches read midnight. The crowd was just not in sync," said McGregor.

The initial Conch Shell was rigged on a frame, the shell was lowered manually, and timed by watch, or by looking across the street into a window and watching the count down in Times Square on someone's TV.

The shell has grown into a Queen Conch that runs on a motorized track, and is synchronized with the clock and lights. A rooftop host entertains the crowd as everyone waits for the count down clock to begin. As midnight strikes two bottles of champagne that stand 6 feet in height, pop and spray confetti onto those gathered below. In addition, beads, streamers, bubbles, and strobe lights fill the sky.

New Year's Eve inside Sloppy Joes...

Join us New Year's Eve at Sloppy Joe's as we ring in the New Year with dancing, party favors, beads, on stage Juice sponsored by Budweiser will perform, and of course Sloppy Joe's 12th Annual Dropping of the Conch Shell at Midnight. For those in the bar the dropping of the Conch Shell can be viewed on closed circuit TV.

Sorry no reservations. Door Charge.

For more information call (305) 296-2388, ext. 21.

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SLOPPY JOE'S 201 DUVAL ST, KEY WEST, FL 33040

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