KEY WEST, Fla. — Two Key West men and a dozen volunteers prepared for PrideFest in this island city by painting a massive rainbow flag on the grass-covered “Mount Trashmore,” a dormant landfill that is the highest and most visible landmass in the Florida Keys.

Completed Friday afternoon, the internationally recognized gay and lesbian pride symbol measures approximately 125 feet by 60 feet. Its creation was spearheaded by local landscaper John Mumford and artist Rick Worth.

“I thought this would be a great way to get people into the spirit of PrideFest and promote the PrideFest events,” said Mumford, who serves on the board of the Key West Business Guild that is organizing the festival.

Mumford estimated the painting project required 87 gallons of paint in the rainbow flag’s traditional colors of red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple. The cost of paint and supplies was underwritten by a group of local businesses and individuals.

PrideFest events in Key West, set for June 9-13, include a “Broadway Cares” concert, champagne sunset sailing excursions, dances, parties and a grand parade.

The rainbow flag is not Mumford and Worth’s first large-scale art project at the Stock Island landfill. Following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, they painted a 160-by-60-foot American flag on the summit, which rises 91 feet above sea level.

Since 1987, a $15 million incinerator installed next to the landfill has burned Key West’s garbage to EPA standards, converting it to electricity and preventing the landfill from increasing in size.

###