Treasure Abounds with Celebration of Mel Fisher Days Festival to Benefit Wesley House Family Services

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Mel Fisher Days in Key West celebrates the famed late treasure hunter (1922-1998), whose life and motto, “Today’s the Day,” inspired people world-wide to follow their dreams. This year the Key West Art & Historical Society joins Mel Fishers Treasures in presenting the annual festival, to benefit Wesley House Family Services.
Mel Fisher Days in Key West celebrates the famed late treasure hunter (1922-1998), whose life and motto, “Today’s the Day,” inspired people world-wide to follow their dreams. This year the Key West Art & Historical Society joins Mel Fishers Treasures in presenting the annual festival, to benefit Wesley House Family Services.

Mel Fisher, the man remembered as the world’s greatest treasure hunter, and the thrill of treasure discovery will be celebrated on Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16 with the annual Mel Fisher Days celebration to benefit Wesley House Family Services. This year, Key West Art & Historical Society joins the Mel Fisher’s Treasures team in presenting day two of the festival, with a historic shipwreck lecture followed by a ‘Party Like a Local’ block party at the Custom House Museum.

Saturday, at 5 p.m., treasure hunters and aficionados will delight in “Lost Galleon Treasures” a presentation on 1622 Fleet shipwrecks by historic shipwreck professional Carol Tedesco that will cover where the galleons Atocha and Santa Margarita were coming from, where they were going, and why they were carrying so much treasure, along with an “everything you wanted to know” elucidation on the legendary “pieces of eight” treasure coins. Those who own Spanish Colonial coins who wish to know more about them are welcome to bring them to the lecture, which will take place in the Helmerich Learning Center on the third floor of the Custom House Museum.

Internationally recognized treasure coin expert Carol Tedesco will give a presentation titled "Lost Galleon Treasures" at 5p.m. at the Custom House Museum on Saturday, July 16, followed by the Mel Fisher Days "Party Like a Local" block party, which kicks off at 6pm with live music, and a 'mother-lode' sized silent-auction.
Internationally recognized treasure coin expert Carol Tedesco will give a presentation titled “Lost Galleon Treasures” at 5p.m. at the Custom House Museum on Saturday, July 16, followed by the Mel Fisher Days “Party Like a Local” block party, which kicks off at 6pm with live music, and a ‘mother-lode’ sized silent-auction.

The ‘Party Like a Local’ block party kicks off at 6 p.m. on Saturday, with rock n’ roll, reggae, and hip-hop music dished up by the Con Leche Band, featuring Miguel Perez with Tony Baltimore, Lee Venters and Will Kinsey; a spectacular silent auction spread out on the Custom House veranda and the first-ever “Mel Fisher Days T-Shirt Lottery,” where a lucky winner will take home a true “motherlode”— a treasure chest filled with $2,500 in silver dollars. Food and libations presented by popular Keys vendors will be available until 10 p.m.

The celebration itself kicks off on Friday with Mel Fisher’s Treasures conservation lab tours, tours on board a 90’ MFT search-and-recovery vessel, and a party at Schooner Wharf Bar, which will feature a ‘cupcake contest’ and chance to win an authentic treasure coin recovered from the 1622 Fleet Atocha shipwreck, a 50/50 raffle, live auction, live music, book signings and presentation of the Mel Fisher Lifetime Achievement Award.

Entire festival proceeds benefit Wesley House Family Services, a not-for-profit organization whose programs provide crucial support to child welfare and family preservation throughout the Florida Keys.

In this photo, pirate princess Eva, daughter of Michelle and Chris Norwood, discovers a treasure chest of booty. Believing that all children should have the opportunity to pursue their dreams, this year Key West Art & Historical Society joins Mel Fisher’s Treasures in staging a party with a purpose to benefit Wesley House Family Services, during Mel Fisher Days, July 15 and 16.
In this photo, pirate princess Eva, daughter of Michelle and Chris Norwood, discovers a treasure chest of booty. Believing that all children should have the opportunity to pursue their dreams, this year Key West Art & Historical Society joins Mel Fisher’s Treasures in staging a party with a purpose to benefit Wesley House Family Services, during Mel Fisher Days, July 15 and 16.
(Counter-clockwise) Jack Reynolds, Ryan Rea, Niko Sulak, Alex Boutier and Ty Woods get into the spirit of Mel Fisher Days, set for July 15 and 16 in Key West, with a treasure-chest themed creation crafted during last week's Key West Art & Historical Society ArtCamp! sand sculpting class, taught by Marianne van den Broek.
(Counter-clockwise) Jack Reynolds, Ryan Rea, Niko Sulak, Alex Boutier and Ty Woods get into the spirit of Mel Fisher Days, set for July 15 and 16 in Key West, with a treasure-chest themed creation crafted during last week’s Key West Art & Historical Society ArtCamp! sand sculpting class, taught by Marianne van den Broek.

Advance registration for Friday’s lab tours is recommended; maximum eight guests per tour. $12 advance tickets at MelFisherDays.com; $15 at the door if any spaces are still available. Advance registration for Saturday’s “Lost Galleon Treasures” presentation is also recommended. $5 advance tickets at kwahs.org; $10 at the door. For a full festival schedule visit MelFisherDays.com, for more information on Tedesco’s treasure talk, visit KWAHS.ORG/Learn.

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