Jimmy Buffett has fun on stage during his San Diego concert. Photo: PubClub.com

By Kevin Wilkerson, Music Editor

Turn on the tropical tunes, make a boat drink or get wasted away in Margaritaville.

Aug. 29 is Jimmy Buffett Day, officially designated by the Florida State Legislature. It is “a day to celebrate the life, music, and philanthropic spirit of Jimmy Buffett” according to the state.

It is also a time for fans – Parrotheads is the term – like myself to reflect on Jimmy Buffett’s music, how it helped shape our lifestyle and how it continues to affect us. So from a Parrothead, here’s a few tips on how to spend Jimmy Buffett Day.

• Play Jimmy Buffett music. Here are some of my favorite songs:
– Banana Republic
– Changes in Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes
– Creola
– If It All Falls Down
– Boat Drinks
– Gypsies In The Palace
– Cuban Crimer of Passion
– Volcano
– Why Don’t We Get Drunk (And Screw, live version)
– Fruitcakes
– You’ll Never Work Dis Business Again (live version)
– Quietly Making Noise

Note that some of his most popular songs – Margaritaville, Come Monday and Cheeseburger in Paradise most notably – are missing from this list. That’s because I prefer ones that are not known by the masses. You can watch videos of these and other Jimmy Buffett songs on YouTube or tune into Radio Margaritaville and let it play all day.

• Get together with some of your closest friends.

• Sit in the sunshine, ideally on a beach or in a boat.

• Have boat drinks or margaritas. What is a boat drink, you ask? It’s a cocktail, heavy on the rum, mixed with juices. I like mine with orange juice and guava nectar, with a floater of rum for good measure. Margaritas work just fine, too.

• After a couple of those drinks, turn up the volume on the Jimmy Buffett music.

• See if there’s a Jimmy Buffett Day event in your neighborhood. Margaritaville Resorts has them as fundraisers for various causes that were close to Buffett. If not, then go to a local bar and see if they will acknowlege the occasion by playing a few Buffett songs and offer specials on boat drinks and margaritas.

And, finally, do what Buffett said just before his death:

• Keep the party going!