Tampa lawyer Chris Dutton becomes youngest Hemingway look‑alike champion

Chris Dutton, a 39‑year‑old attorney from Tampa, won the 45th annual Ernest Hemingway Look‑Alike Contest in Key West, becoming the first "young Hemingway" without a white beard to claim the title. The competition, held at Sloppy Joe's Bar, attracted 134 contestants; Dutton advanced through two preliminary rounds and a final field of 24, ultimately defeating 23 finalists. Judges, former winners known as "Papás," evaluated resemblance, stage presence, character and the ability to represent the Hemingway Look‑Alike Society. Dutton wore a sweater passed down from 2009 winner Papa David Douglas, a detail he cited as helping secure the victory. His win marks the first time in the contest's 45‑year history that a younger contestant has taken the top honor, echoing Hemingway’s own age when he left Key West in 1939. The event celebrates the legacy of Ernest Hemingway and the camaraderie among participants, who often travel together and maintain ties to the society.