Key West, USA
- CAB
- Oct 20, 2019
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 22, 2023
This year Fantasy Fest turns 40 and I had to go see what was the hype about this crazy wild party-week that I heard so much about. First of all if you never heard about it, Fantasy Fest is a 10-day adult party in Key West that ends with a beautiful carnival. Oh yes, I said 10 days. Imagine that !
Since I already leave in Florida, I decided to drive there. Diva helped me pack a few stuff (including costumes) . I grabbed my cameras and made sure the cooler was full. We hopped on the truck on our way to the new adventure. A little after 4 hours, we were entering Key West. I did not know exactly what to expect but I knew that it would be like something I never seen before. The streets were crowded with bicycles moped and pedestrians. We went straight to the hotel. We had reservation at the Parrot Key Hotel & Villas. The place was very nice. The spacious room had a beautiful view and everything you would expect to have. I was so exited and I had a good feeling about the weekend ahead. Later on I took a walk by the bar and there, I had a conversation with a couple of the locals to learn more about what was happening in town. They explained to me the origin of Fantasy Fest.
In 1979 a small group of Key West residents who wanted to bring visitors to the island started this tradition. I am not sure they ever believed the party would get that big. If you ask me, it is the wildest party in the US. During 10 days, people from all over come to Key West. It is a time where age, color, sexual orientation or background do not matter. Everybody mingles and have a good time. It is however not a good time to bring the kids. This party is for adults. I have been to the Keys before but this time other than the traffic, what caught my attention, is how little clothing did the people wore. I saw some beautiful costumes but also some amazing body painting.
Airbrush artists from all over the country go to Key West for the week to show case their talent but more importantly make some cash as some of those paintings can go from $100 all the way to thousands of dollars depending on what the client wants. More and more people are wearing less and less so the paintings needs to be attractive. Ultimately, Fantasy fest is open-minded or judgement free celebration.
"Clients will pay from $100 to close to $1k for their body painting. Some want to be a super hero but others want something more reveling and daring. Some of these clients are career men and women who just want to have a good time knowing that no one is going to judge them."
Keep in Mind
Now that you have requested your days off at work and you got everything planned for the week (or weekend) depending on your budget, there are a few things you need to know.
Where to stay. It goes without saying that the closer you are to the activities the more you will have to pay for your stay. Oh yes I agree that the prices are ridiculous but what are the other options? When I asked around, the answers I got were about the same. Hotels rooms that are usually $85-$115 are easily over $500. The trick is to do on-line reservations. There will be coupons available. Another option is to get a place outside of Key West like Marathon or Isla Morada that are other islands on the Florida Keys. It will be cheaper but still more expensive than the rest of the year. The only issue is that it will require some driving back and forth and we are talking about one hour ! In microeconomics we learn about the law of supply and demand but damn !
Where and what to eat. Everyone is different but when I went to Fantasy Fest, I wanted to enjoy the full experience. It included eating from the food truck and trust me when I tell you: you will have options ... Then again $15 to $16 is what you are going to need if you want to get lunch. For that price you will be full until the next meal.
Parking is an issue. We were there for a short while , we already knew it would not be wise to drive around town. Imagine over 60,000 people visiting the island during the week. In term of revenue, it is a big boost for the economy: No doubt. To find a parking space can be a headache. Many rent bicycles or scooters to get around. Remember, the island is not that big so bring a good pair of walking shoes and walk. Burn calories, have fun, meet people.
Check out the weather. It did rain while we were there, but the reason while you should check the. weather is because, not only it is hot but also the humidity makes it even worse. It is a good idea to drink plenty of water not to get dehydrated.
Costume or not ?
The first question should be costume or body paint ? If you choose to go with a costume, you can let your imagination go wild or you can play safe. The choice is yours but have no worries. No matter what you decide to do, rest assure that no one will judge you. I have met people that brought more than one costume for the various events and parties but if you only have one costume that's fine too. Don't forget that a sexy attire is always welcomed ! Wild and playful are some good options too. During the week you may be planning on going to at least one masquerade ball, so you'll need to have a masquerade ball mask. (not that it is a must but most people will have the mask)
Don't miss the fun
There are tons of events leading up to the parade on Saturday evening. Some of those events are dance parties, bikini contest, pajama parties, ’80s parties, pool parties. There are karaoke bashes, galas. There is even an athletic events (a 5K run). The Zombies bike ride is a must see. Some of these activities are free. One good piece of advice is: know what party you plan to attend.... Some of them really have no barriers and can turn out to be pretty wild !!! One of them in particular is the Kinky carnival where wearing a kinky attire is a must in order to get in. The perimeter is blocked off from street view to encourage participants to get naughty or even strip down if they like. If your curiosity gets the best of you and if you want to have fun like never before, get in line because it is one of those parties where a lot of people want to be part of .
In 10 days, there are so many activities going on at the same time that it is almost sure that without a good plan you will miss some. The best thing to do is to log on www.fantasyfest.com for a complete listing of all the activities going on during the week.
"Fantasy Fest brings over $30 millions in revenue to the island" says Florida Keys tourism officials
Bud Light Fantasy Fest Parade
All good things must come to an end. For Fantasy Fest participants, that means : Bud Light Fantasy Fest Parade. The parade is the last event of the week. Spectacular costumes, dazzling dancing groups and over 40 floats are featured every year. Over 50.000 party goers attend the event so get ready early and head out to Duval St. The floats come in around 8:00 pm but there is so much activities and music going on all afternoon. It is also a good idea to come in early just to avoid the traffic and to find a parking. If you are lucky (like we were) you may find a free parking space, but plan to spend some money for a parking. Before the parade starts, you won't be able to be on the streets therefore you may want to find a good spot where you can watch the parade.
So you think you want to go next year?, Fantasy Fest will be from Oct. 16th to the 25th next year. Start making plans, work on a budget and maybe we will see you there !!!
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