Fantasy Fest 2018: Thursday, October 25, 2018
Just another day at Fantasy Fest: A Naughty Bike Ride (you figure it out) down Duval Street; Karaoke at Two Friends Bar; Dante’s 12th annual Halos & Horns Pool Party; local musicians playing at the Customs House; The History, Culture, and Politics of Bondage/Domination/Sadomasochism at the Customs House; Annual Headdress Ball at the new Key West Amphitheater at Truman Waterfront Park; Rockabily “Shake, Rattle & Roll Party at Sunset Pier; 3rd Annual White Party; Sandbar Sports Grill Annual Body Paint Competition; Sloppy Joe’s Annual Toga Party; Fat Tuesday Pink Party; Cowboy Bill’s annual wet T shirt contest; Pajama and Lingerie Party at the Bottle Cap Lounge; Irish Kevin’s 80s Party; plus all the fun you can have strolling up and down Duval Street.
These goings on began on and around Duval Street after 8 PM, but trust me, dahling, the fun has been going on since Friday October 19. The grand finale will be the Grand Parade on Saturday October 27, attended by tens of thousands of your BFFs.
Oh, and Sunday October 28, for those who want to squeeze the very last drop out of this juicy piece of low hanging fruit, an 8 AM tailgate party to watch the Philadelphia Eagles play Jacksonville Jaguars in England (yes), dress in your best team pajamas, and a Children's Day at Bayview Park from 12 Noon to 5 PM and then.... TA DAAAA... "The Fat Lady Sings" Tea Dance at La Te Da Hotel,Restaurant, Cabaret and Bars way out on 1125 Duval Street from Noon to 5 PM.
Then start planning for next year. But I digress.
Three of a kind?
Poker? A pair of queens? A Royal flush? All kinds of costumes and participants of every inclination... spectators, revelers, plus a whole bunch of people who just got off the cruise ship in the harbor ("We aren't in Kansas anymore!). You are about to see the most incongruous collection of people you'll see until this time next year. People in t shirts and flip flops mingle with people in body paint, sequins, pasties and elaborate and inspired "Games People Play" costumes. Honest to goodness, it's sort of like a zoo without bars, spectators and participants checking each other out with curiously and a smile. Cameras and iPhones click and flash away, including mine.
Counter-intuitive? You betcha. What would be your normal reaction when a perfect stranger takes a picture of you in your birthday suit. Toss that out the window. Here, you flash a smile to go along with an acre of your exposed flesh - and pose. You got someone's attention! You certainly didn't come here to hide your light under a basket. You came ready for kleig lights. Flash away! Everybody is clicking photos of everybody else. The chances that someone back home in the plumbing, education, dentistry etc businesses back home will see you playing like a kid in a sandbox before you were taught that being nearly naked in public is inappropriate are slim to none.
Time to promenade...this couple packed real light for this stroll.
Silent slow rolling by golf cart on part of Duval Street above Caroline where the street is still open to vehicles...
where you can pose with Beetle...or Amazon Prime....
Here's the theme...the grand theme is to have a good time whether in costume or not.
And the TWAT Team is on patrol...dispensing verification stickers.
Kings, queens, clowns, emperors...
Way cool body paint and paraphernalia...
Indian Princesses and Key West Muff Divers!
Pretty much captures the jovial vibe on Duval Street.
Duval Street between Caroline and Front Street is one moveable fantastical feast. The stretch of Duval from Caroline Street to Front Street is closed to vehicular traffic.
Caroline's on Duval Street, great place to join the party, fellow celebrants, good service, good food, good prices. How often can you dine while sitting with body painted, festively dressed and undressed other diners.
A much photographed pair of divers, probably hauled the equipment from their boat or rented from the local dive shop...big points for creativity!
Smile for the camera...
Finish the night with a shot at Kelly's and a scoop from Mattheessen's
Photos by Paul A. Tamburello, Jr.
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