‘Out of the Box: The Art of the Cigar Label’ Exhibit Opening

Join the Key West Art & Historical Society’s latest exhibition “Out of the Box: The Art of the Cigar Label.” The exhibition offers a compelling sampling and interpretation of 19th- and early 20th-century inner and outer cigar labels, showcasing more than 40 lithographs related to Key West and Cuba cigar manufacturers.

With Cuba’s cigar economy booming in the 19th century, people sought similar tobacco-based opportunities off the island in order for financial gain. Key West’s neighboring proximity to Cuba and tobacco plantations a mere 90 miles away, made it the ideal place to establish cigar factories. By using Cuban laborers to roll Cuban-grown tobacco, entrepreneurs pioneered the idea of making authentic Cuban cigars in America. Within a few years, Cuban immigrants arrived by the thousands to seek employment in Key West’s burgeoning cigar industry.

Event details subject to change. Click source links for latest information.