What is a Parrot Head? And what is the Central Illinois Parrot Head Club?

What is a Parrot Head?

Timothy Schmidt (the Eagles' bass player) was in the band and we were playing a venue outside of Cincinnati called King's Island. It was an afternoon show. People had already started wearing Hawaiian shirts to our shows, but we looked out at this Cincinnati crowd, and they were glaringly brilliant to the point where it got our attention immediately. I said, "Look at that!" then Schmidt says to me, "They look like Deadheads in tropical shirts. They're Parrot Heads!" He yelled that to me in the middle of a song. So I immediately took the term and threw it out over the microphone -- the people identified themselves with the term from the get-go.
Jimmy Buffett

The fans of Jimmy Buffett (Parrot Heads) are a dedicated bunch of people joined together by the tropical spirit expressed in his music. They believe in preserving our environment, conserving our natural resources and supporting both national and local causes which benefit the community. Last but not least, these wildly attired tropical do-gooders believe in having fun while supporting these worthwhile charities.

Where do you find Parrot Heads?

Parrot Heads can be found in every neighborhood. From the beaches to the boardrooms, Parrot Heads exist in every level of society, in every occupation, ages one to 100+. Lots of folks are Parrot Heads. Ask around. Your boss may surprise you!

Do I have to join something to be a Parrot Head?

Nope. Any individual who knows a Buffett song, or dreams of the beach (whether that person has been to a concert or not) can be a Parrot Head. Of course, most Parrot Heads have more fun when they travel in Phlocks!

How do I meet other Parrot Heads? Is there some kind of national group I can belong to?

Since the first club was started in Atlanta, Georgia in 1989, over 130 active Parrot Head Clubs have been established, located all over the United States, Canada, and even Australia.  This growing coalition of clubs is recognized by Margaritaville, Jimmy’s restaurant, bar and store with locations in Key West, New Orleans, Orlando, Charleston and Negril Montego Bay, Jamaica.  The easiest way to meet other Parrot Heads is to join one of these clubs.

Is there a Parrot Head Club in Central Illinois?

There certainly is!  The Central Illinois Parrot Head Club was formed in early 1994 and covers most of Central Illinois.  The majority of our members are from Bloomington/Normal and the Peoria area.

We’ve been involved with various charity organizations throughout Central Illinois, including:

And we’re constantly looking for other charities needing our time and effort.

The club also sponsors many social events for our members.  For example, each summer we organize trips to Jimmy Buffett concerts in our area.  Our major fundraiser occurs in June when we host a party to raise funds for the Easter Seals/UCP.

How do club members find out about upcoming events?

The club holds monthly happy hours on the first Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at Windjammer. Be sure to check the current news page for information on upcoming events!

Quietly Making News, our monthly club newsletter, also has details on upcoming charity and social events, as well as trivia, tidbits, regional news and national club news.

So now that you've got my attention, how do I join the club?

That's easy! Just click here for a membership form and send it to us along with your dues payment as described on that page. Theses dues are used to cover the cost of publishing and mailing our newsletter and national dues. Please note: This contribution is not deductible as a charitable contribution for federal income tax purposes.