What is Fantasy Fest?
What is Fantasy Fest?
As Justice Cardozo said, "let the timid stay home".
In a nutshell, Fantasy Fest is a 10-day Halloween celebration for adults. Each year more and more visitors come to Key West to see what everyone is talking about. Fantasy Fest also has a very large following of regulars who have been traveling down to Key West since its inception in 1978 to partake in the zany events, outlandish dress-up parties and exotic parade.
While a new theme is suggested for each year's festival, the costuming and events are anything but predictable. Both 'official' planned and private parties dominate Key West during the end of October.
As this is a public function, it is opened to anyone with the desire to attend. There are no age limitations, but like most events where drinking and partial nudity are the norm, it is not recommended for children.
More:Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
How did Fantasy Fest get started?
This 10-day festival was created to market Key West during one of the slowest times for the keys. It was on Halloween day 1978, that Joe Liszka and Frank Romano, a board member of the Tourist Development Association of Monroe County, looked around at the boarded up shops and restaurants and vacant hotels that he decided something needed to be done to bring visitors to the keys during this time of year.
The weather in other parts of the country was starting to change and cool off for the fall, but October in Key West offered some of the most comfortable temperatures of the year.
The two men decided that a festival, carnival or some sort of celebration was needed to spice-up and revitalize this traditional 'slack' period of Key West. It had to be unique - something that would bring in visitors from all over the United States... hence the creation of Fantasy Fest, a Halloween Celebration for adults.
Over the years the event has gown to surpass all expectations, turning October and the 10 days of Fantasy Fest into the busiest and most profitable time for Key West.
More:Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
Where do you stay when attending Fantasy Fest?
Key West is loaded with bed and breakfasts, a few chain hotels and a handful of upscale hotels.
When booking your reservations for Fantasy Fest in Key West your options are everything from low-end chain hotels to high-end luxury condos and resorts. Be sure to book in advance, because space is at a premium. During the festival be prepared to pay a premium and be subject to 5 night minimum stay.
An alternative to the high priced lodging would be to find lodging in one of the outlying keys such as Looe Key at mile marker 19 (19 miles from the most southern point of US1 in Key West).
The disadvantage here is that you would need to commute into Key West each day and then return to your hotel in the evening. The city does provide a fair amount of public parking for the event that is within walking distance to Duval Street.
More:Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
What really goes on for the 10 days of Fantasy Fest?
Regardless of scheduled activities, the main attraction during Fantasy Fest is the people. There is "elbow to eyeball" ambiance at every turn. What other celebration can you eat a chicken skewers curbside for lunch then dine at a high-end, white table-clothed French restaurant in the evening - with nothing on but body paint?
Every night there are parties to be found throughout Key West. Some parties are official Key West sponsored events, others benefit area social clubs and some are fund raisers for local or national organizations.
Hotels, bars and pubs offer themed private parties with costume contests, live entertainment and plenty of excitement.
Each year the event brings new and diverse events to Fantasy Fest such as pet parades and body painting contests. The annual election of the Fantasy Fest King and Queen (which is usually gender reversed) raises money for charities such as aids awareness with ballots that can purchased for a donation.
There are even a few attending Fantasy Fest who take the time to visit some of the cultural venues that Key West has to offer, including the Mel Fisher Museum, Museum of Art and History at the Custom House and the famed Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum.
More:Live WebCams from Key West
What are the Themes at Fantasy Fest?
Each year a new theme is introduced - often with a few variations. For example, 2007's theme is Gnomes, Toads and White Rabbit Tea Parties.
The majority that do dress-up for the events follow a theme, or some loose interpretation of it. The recurring theme of the pirate and other Key West icons are favored along with traditional Halloween costumes.
At Fantasy Fest you will find everything from nautical to naughty.
If nudity offends you - Fantasy Fest is not the place for you. Complete and partial body paint is what the majority of the costumes consist of. Groups that come to party together will often coordinate a common theme amongst themselves - creating their own 'portable party'.
Past Fantasy Fest Themes
More:Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
See and Be Seen on Duval Street in Key West
Fantasy Fest has become an outlet for many to assert their creative side - a safe and accepted way to experience public nudity, either as a voyeur or exhibitionist. Wigs, hats and masks allow participants to be free and festive.
One of the highlights of Fantasy Fest is the prancing, strutting and posing that takes place up and down Duval Street. See and be seen, photograph and be photographed - it's all part of the fun of Fantasy Fest.
Even though it officially illegal to be naked in Key West (with or without body paint) arrests are virtually non-existent.
More:Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
Is it Real or is it Body Paint?
Trompe-l'oeil - Trick of the Eye
Detailed, creative, often times unbelievable - true works of art in their own right. Fantasy Fest summons some of the best body paint artists from all over the world to create their masterpieces on the bodies - faces, breasts, backs, abdomens, derrières and legs of Key West's party goers.
Body paint can range from whimsical designs to parodies of the great masters. Often it is difficult to tell whether someone is painted or in a costume.
The detail of this artwork is amazing. An elaborate Chinese tunic with intricate brocade flowers or a football jersey complete with shaded shoulder pads from a distance can look like an actual garment, but closer examination reveals that there is nothing more on the skin than a layer of colorful paint.
This temporary medium can run anywhere from $50 up to several hundred dollars and generally lasts only one day. Body Painters can be found all along Duval Street, ready to create a masterpiece uniquely for you. Come with a picture, idea or partial costume and they will take care of the rest. The price and time required depend on the amount of detail of the artwork.
More:Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
How Safe is Fantasy Fest?
The annual event of Fantasy Fest is organized and planned by the city of Key West. With the large number of people attending Fantasy Fest, the city brings in extra police for the event. Police are trained to provide security and crowd control without being oppressive. The idea here is to have fun - but not at the expense of others.
The best advice is to stay on Duval Street and adjacent side streets in Key West.
Above all, Don't Drink and Drive. If you are not within walking distance of your hotel, have a designated driver to escort you safely to your hotel.
More:Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
The official Fantasy Fest organized parade begins around sunset on the final Saturday evening of the 10 day event. Extravagant floats, bands, civic organizations in elaborate costumes cascade down Duval Street for approximately three hours. In a Mardi Gras style, beads and trinkets are thrown from the parade marchers to the crowd and then back again from the crowd into the parade.
The final evening of Fantasy Fest is when the largest crowd gathers in Key West.
Thousands upon thousands of photos are taken by the crowd as the colorful parade passes by. In addition to national advertisers, the parade also consists of area civic organizations, social groups and even the local Boy Scouts.
More...Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
More...Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
As Justice Cardozo said, "let the timid stay home".
In a nutshell, Fantasy Fest is a 10-day Halloween celebration for adults. Each year more and more visitors come to Key West to see what everyone is talking about. Fantasy Fest also has a very large following of regulars who have been traveling down to Key West since its inception in 1978 to partake in the zany events, outlandish dress-up parties and exotic parade.
While a new theme is suggested for each year's festival, the costuming and events are anything but predictable. Both 'official' planned and private parties dominate Key West during the end of October.
As this is a public function, it is opened to anyone with the desire to attend. There are no age limitations, but like most events where drinking and partial nudity are the norm, it is not recommended for children.
More:Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
How did Fantasy Fest get started?
This 10-day festival was created to market Key West during one of the slowest times for the keys. It was on Halloween day 1978, that Joe Liszka and Frank Romano, a board member of the Tourist Development Association of Monroe County, looked around at the boarded up shops and restaurants and vacant hotels that he decided something needed to be done to bring visitors to the keys during this time of year.
The weather in other parts of the country was starting to change and cool off for the fall, but October in Key West offered some of the most comfortable temperatures of the year.
The two men decided that a festival, carnival or some sort of celebration was needed to spice-up and revitalize this traditional 'slack' period of Key West. It had to be unique - something that would bring in visitors from all over the United States... hence the creation of Fantasy Fest, a Halloween Celebration for adults.
Over the years the event has gown to surpass all expectations, turning October and the 10 days of Fantasy Fest into the busiest and most profitable time for Key West.
More:Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
Where do you stay when attending Fantasy Fest?
Key West is loaded with bed and breakfasts, a few chain hotels and a handful of upscale hotels.
When booking your reservations for Fantasy Fest in Key West your options are everything from low-end chain hotels to high-end luxury condos and resorts. Be sure to book in advance, because space is at a premium. During the festival be prepared to pay a premium and be subject to 5 night minimum stay.
An alternative to the high priced lodging would be to find lodging in one of the outlying keys such as Looe Key at mile marker 19 (19 miles from the most southern point of US1 in Key West).
The disadvantage here is that you would need to commute into Key West each day and then return to your hotel in the evening. The city does provide a fair amount of public parking for the event that is within walking distance to Duval Street.
More:Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
What really goes on for the 10 days of Fantasy Fest?
Regardless of scheduled activities, the main attraction during Fantasy Fest is the people. There is "elbow to eyeball" ambiance at every turn. What other celebration can you eat a chicken skewers curbside for lunch then dine at a high-end, white table-clothed French restaurant in the evening - with nothing on but body paint?
Every night there are parties to be found throughout Key West. Some parties are official Key West sponsored events, others benefit area social clubs and some are fund raisers for local or national organizations.
Hotels, bars and pubs offer themed private parties with costume contests, live entertainment and plenty of excitement.
Each year the event brings new and diverse events to Fantasy Fest such as pet parades and body painting contests. The annual election of the Fantasy Fest King and Queen (which is usually gender reversed) raises money for charities such as aids awareness with ballots that can purchased for a donation.
There are even a few attending Fantasy Fest who take the time to visit some of the cultural venues that Key West has to offer, including the Mel Fisher Museum, Museum of Art and History at the Custom House and the famed Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum.
More:Live WebCams from Key West
What are the Themes at Fantasy Fest?
Each year a new theme is introduced - often with a few variations. For example, 2007's theme is Gnomes, Toads and White Rabbit Tea Parties.
The majority that do dress-up for the events follow a theme, or some loose interpretation of it. The recurring theme of the pirate and other Key West icons are favored along with traditional Halloween costumes.
At Fantasy Fest you will find everything from nautical to naughty.
If nudity offends you - Fantasy Fest is not the place for you. Complete and partial body paint is what the majority of the costumes consist of. Groups that come to party together will often coordinate a common theme amongst themselves - creating their own 'portable party'.
Past Fantasy Fest Themes
- 2009 - Villains, Vixens and Vampires
- 2008 - Pirates, Pundits and Political Party Animals
- 2007 - Gnomes, Toads and White Rabbit Tea Parties
- 2006 - Key Weird on the Dis-Oriented Express
- 2005 - Freaks, Geeks and Goddesses
- 2004 - Delirious Dreams and Hilarious Screams
- 2003 - The Daze of Futures Past
- 2002 - Mystical Mornings and Monstrous Nights
- 2001 - Secrets of the Zodiac Revealed
More:Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
See and Be Seen on Duval Street in Key West
Fantasy Fest has become an outlet for many to assert their creative side - a safe and accepted way to experience public nudity, either as a voyeur or exhibitionist. Wigs, hats and masks allow participants to be free and festive.
One of the highlights of Fantasy Fest is the prancing, strutting and posing that takes place up and down Duval Street. See and be seen, photograph and be photographed - it's all part of the fun of Fantasy Fest.
Even though it officially illegal to be naked in Key West (with or without body paint) arrests are virtually non-existent.
More:Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
Is it Real or is it Body Paint?
Trompe-l'oeil - Trick of the Eye
Detailed, creative, often times unbelievable - true works of art in their own right. Fantasy Fest summons some of the best body paint artists from all over the world to create their masterpieces on the bodies - faces, breasts, backs, abdomens, derrières and legs of Key West's party goers.
Body paint can range from whimsical designs to parodies of the great masters. Often it is difficult to tell whether someone is painted or in a costume.
The detail of this artwork is amazing. An elaborate Chinese tunic with intricate brocade flowers or a football jersey complete with shaded shoulder pads from a distance can look like an actual garment, but closer examination reveals that there is nothing more on the skin than a layer of colorful paint.
This temporary medium can run anywhere from $50 up to several hundred dollars and generally lasts only one day. Body Painters can be found all along Duval Street, ready to create a masterpiece uniquely for you. Come with a picture, idea or partial costume and they will take care of the rest. The price and time required depend on the amount of detail of the artwork.
More:Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
How Safe is Fantasy Fest?
The annual event of Fantasy Fest is organized and planned by the city of Key West. With the large number of people attending Fantasy Fest, the city brings in extra police for the event. Police are trained to provide security and crowd control without being oppressive. The idea here is to have fun - but not at the expense of others.
The best advice is to stay on Duval Street and adjacent side streets in Key West.
Above all, Don't Drink and Drive. If you are not within walking distance of your hotel, have a designated driver to escort you safely to your hotel.
More:Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
The official Fantasy Fest organized parade begins around sunset on the final Saturday evening of the 10 day event. Extravagant floats, bands, civic organizations in elaborate costumes cascade down Duval Street for approximately three hours. In a Mardi Gras style, beads and trinkets are thrown from the parade marchers to the crowd and then back again from the crowd into the parade.
The final evening of Fantasy Fest is when the largest crowd gathers in Key West.
Thousands upon thousands of photos are taken by the crowd as the colorful parade passes by. In addition to national advertisers, the parade also consists of area civic organizations, social groups and even the local Boy Scouts.
More...Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
More...Live WebCams from Key West
Have you ever visited Fantasy Fest? Share your comments or read what others have to say.
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