Who we are...

The term “Parrot Head” originated in 1985 at a Jimmy Buffett concert at the Timberwolf Amphitheater in Cincinnati, OH. At the show, Jimmy commented about everyone wearing bright Hawaiian shirts and how they kept coming back to see his shows, just like Deadheads. Timothy B. Schmit, then a member of the Coral Reefer Band, coined the term “Parrot Head” to describe these fans.

In early 1989 Scott Nickerson of Atlanta, Georgia decided he had met so many great people “tailgating” before Buffett concerts that he should do something to get those people together more than once a year. His idea was to create something different than a typical social club or fan club, by forming a group that would not only enjoy a wide variety of social activities but also provide volunteer support for local (and beyond) community and environmental concerns. After all, Jimmy had set the example with Save the Manatees Club, Friends of Florida, etc., so it seemed a good bet that this concept would appeal to most parrot heads.

After 3 months of brainstorming, and receiving blessings from Margaritaville Key West, Scott put an ad in a free weekly entertainment newspaper in hopes of starting the first organized parrot head club. Scott figured it was hit or miss, but inquiries came pouring in. Within a month, a core consisting of Scott and two other parrot heads had organized the first group meeting. On April 1, 1989 approximately 15 parrot heads met at Chastain Park (the site of many previous Buffett concerts in Atlanta), for the first official parrot head club meeting, then headed to a local patio bar for margaritas.

Parrot Head clubs began forming in other areas, and in 1994 the international network of Parrot Head clubs, Parrot Heads in Paradise, was formed. There are currently over 200 Parrot Head clubs in existence throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Belize.