DIRECTOR’S WELCOME
This year we bring you ‘Bedtime Stories & Magical Monsters.’ Our Grand Marshal is The Famous New Year’s Eve Shoe! Look for them in the Deep Eddy Vodka Fantasy Fest Parade featuring Christopher Peterson as Dorothy alongside the Bourbon Street Complex crew as characters straight out of The Wizard of Oz!
This year’s theme, ‘ Bedtime Stories and Magical Monsters ’ celebrates the full spectrum of imagination – those tales that tucked us in at night and the monsters that lurked in the dark.
Fantasy Fest 2025 invites revelers to celebrate and co-create Key West’s annual 10-day costuming festival in Paradise; that means from October 17-26 festival-goers can adorn themselves in their most creative themed attire, and immerse in an extravaganza of exciting and diverse events occurring island wide. Celebrate Fantasy Fest 2025! There is no place on earth like Key West … especially this week!
In true Key West style and Fantasy Fest tradition our One Human Family Vibes welcome everyone deserving of a great time this week. Supporting our communities’ nonprofits takes center stage throughout the week’s events. Please grab your ticket for Coronation Ball on the 17th as we crown our King and Queen of Fantasy Fest . This year we benefit The Florida Keys SPCA! The King & Queen Campaign has raised over $5.5 million in its 33 year history! Support our Bahama Village Community Coalition during Goombay and join The Florida Keys Council of the Arts at our Official Poster Signing event on Tuesday, 10/21 at La Concha newly renovated Tropicado Restaurant! – we will have 2025 posters and t-shirts on hand for signing! You will find events benefiting Breast Cancer, Monroe County Sheriff’s Animal Farm, The Key West Business Guild, The Hellings Curry Museum, The Oldest House and many more!
ABOUT FANTASY FEST
Fantasy Fest is an annual 10-day costumed party in paradise. Started in 1979 by a small group of Key West locals, the party was created to bring visitors to the island in what was a typically quiet, but beautiful season.
It worked. Fantasy Fest has grown every year since its inception and is now the wildest extravaganza around! Fun-loving revelers from around the globe bring their creativity and imaginations as they descend upon Key West each year in October for 10 days of costuming, libations and excitement.
VISIT FANTASYFEST.COM
A huge thank you to sponsor Two Oceans Digital, which creates our dazzling website, featuring an extensive photo gallery, a complete schedule of events and links to the generous partners who help make Fantasy Fest possible. Be sure to log on and see what’s new. And don’t forget to check back and see what we have planned for 2026.
FANTASY FEST BOARD OF DIRECTORS
KEY WEST TOURIST DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION:
Steve Robbins, PRESIDENT | Jeff Smead, TREASURER
Nadene Grossman Orr, FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
MEMBERS: Fred Bushey, Matt Trahan, John Spottswood III, Sara Nolan, Dani Fossum, Bob Spoto. IN MEMORIUM: Christopher Elwell
MEMBERS EMERITUS: Tony Falcone, Hugh Morgan
ART DIRECTOR: Marky Pierson | PARADE DIRECTOR: Elizabeth Love
WE TAKE ‘GOING GREEN’ SERIOUSLY – PLEASE DO YOUR PART THIS WEEK AND HELP US TO BE EVEN GREENER!
➊ Participate in our Festival-wide to-go cup program! You get a great price on 16 oz. beverages all week. We challenge you to use only ONE CUP for the entire week!
➋ Put your recyclables in the RECYCLE BINS, trash in the TRASH BINS!
➌ Ride your bike!
➍ Take the DUVAL LOOP! Car-Free Key West’s shuttle takes you all around Old Town Key West.
➎ GIVE US YOUR BEADS! We recycle Fantasy Fest beads for MARC House (Monroe Association for Remarkable Citizens).
Please bring your beads to the collection bin at your resort front desk or MARC Plant Store, 1401 Seminary St.
CONTACT US
922 Caroline St. | Key West, FL 33040 | 305-295-9112 info@fantasyfest.net | www.fantasyfest.com
NADENE GROSSMAN ORR Festival Director nadene@fantasyfest.com
By Mandy Miles
STREET FAIR
THE FANTASY FEST STREET FAIR IS BACK — SO DON’T SAVE ALL THE FUN FOR AFTER DARK
Some folks didn’t know what they were missing, but perennial festival veterans and loyal locals were thrilled to hear that the Fantasy Fest Street Fair is returning this year for the final weekend along the magic mile of Duval Street.
Following a five-year hiatus, the shopping, eating and artistic adventure features Caribbean feasts, food trucks and other delicacies, along with dozens of booths offering Caribbean-themed crafts, fine art, clothing, handmade jewelry, one-of-a-kind treasures and the missing accessories to top off your costume. (Remember the cowboy hat you couldn’t find when you were packing for Key West? Find it at the street fair. And remember that extravagantly feathered mask you adored and procured during your very first Fantasy Fest adventure? The one that got wet and then lost in the hotel room that year? It’s time to replace it.
Event sponsors like Deep Eddy vodka and Monster energy drinks will have interactive booths set up to ensure the crowd is well hydrated.
Explore all the street fair offerings from noon to 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24, although the food vendors will be open until 1 a.m.
On Saturday, the street fair moves to the side streets to make way for the night’s parade. All the food trucks will be lined up on the side lanes to satisfy whatever craving you have from noon until 1 a.m.
The last Fantasy Fest Street Fair took place in 2019, said festival director Nadene Grossman Orr, so it’s exciting to welcome back a familiar feature.
“For this year, Key West Mayor Dee Dee Henriquez wanted to be sure the street fair returned for the benefit of downtown businesses and all the vendors, who come from all over the Florida Keys and far beyond.”
Grossman Orr was also excited to announce that this year’s booths will include nationally renowned artists who recently completed their annual appearances at Burning Man, the week-long desert festival of artistic expression, generosity and “radical inclusion” in the Nevada desert.
“The Burning Man vendors are going to be offering some interactive art demonstrations and expressions that get the crowd involved,” Grossman Orr said. “We’re thrilled to welcome them to what is the very first Fantasy Fest for some of them.”
As festival director, Grossman Orr has been heavily recruiting street fair vendors from throughout the Florida Keys and places well beyond.
“Now that the street fair is back and here to stay, we’re glad to be back in the rotation for many of these vendors who plan their events and travels based on a circuit,” she said, adding that festival organizers are thrilled for the Fantasy Fest Street Fair to once again be an integral stop on that circuit after a five-year hiatus.
“I’m delighted to hear the street fair is back after five years,” said Amber Debevec, a longtime Key West local and owner of Key West’s Finest. “It definitely adds something extra to the festival. The mix of local artists and familiar out-of-towners makes for a great afternoon stroll. Plus, it’s always a great chance to run into local friends downtown.”
Resident Kalo Pederson, an unabashed Halloween enthusiast, also celebrated the street fair’s return.
“It’s the perfect opportunity for spooky spending — what more could wicked hearts ask for?” she said laughing.
On Friday, the food trucks will be arrayed in the lower blocks of Duval Street, between Front and Eaton streets, while the craft, costume, clothing and cocktail vendors will stretch up to the 800 block or so with plenty of snacking stations in between.
On Saturday, the mobile vendors move to the side streets that intersect Duval so the main drag is ready when the nighttime masses descend in the darkness for the final piece of the Fantasy Fest puzzle — the Deep Eddy Vodka Fantasy Fest Parade, which steps off from Truman Waterfront at 7 p.m.
The parade marches out of Truman Annex, turns left onto Thomas Street, then snakes its way down Whitehead, turning right onto Front Street, before making the rousing turn onto Duval Street and descending into the colorful chaos that is Fantasy Fest.
MORE THAN MEMORIES
FANTASY ZONE/COSTUME PROMENADE
ENTER THE FANTASY ZONE/COSTUME PROMENADE
On Friday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct. 25, portions of Duval Street and the adjoining side streets will be designated as the official Fantasy Zone/ Costume Promenade. The city of Key West will temporarily suspend the open container law within the Fantasy Zone/ Costume Promenade for these two days ONLY. Revelers can stroll, march, rumble, rumba or merengue while enjoying cocktails along Duval Street from Front Street to Truman Avenue, as well as intersecting cross streets from Simonton to Whitehead Street.
For your safety, glass bottles are not allowed. Please use the Festival To-Go Cup available at local bars. Of course, thanks to our thoughtful city staff, all festivalgoers may properly dispose of drink containers in the many recycle bins available at Fantasy Zone exits.
PORT-O-LETS SPELL RELIEF
Port-o-lets are just about everywhere you may need to go during Captain Morgan Masquerade March and the Deep Eddy Vodka Fantasy Fest Parade. Fantasy Fest sponsor, Waste Management , is providing safe and clean relief stations bordering the Duval Street festival activities.
A MINOR REMINDER
All festival attendees must have been born on or before the current date in 2004 to purchase or consume alcohol. Please make sure you have appropriate identification in order to purchase alcoholic beverages. Any person who purchases alcohol for a minor will be cited and arrested. We want you to enjoy the festival so please be mindful of this law.
HERE TO SAVE THE DAY
Key West Fire Department personnel will provide first aid treatment through the use of emergency gators during the festival on Friday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct. 25. In case of emergency, please call 911 with your location and the emergency vehicles will arrive as quickly as possible. Rescue trucks will be strategically stationed at various locations around the Fantasy Zone / Costume Promenade. Have fun and be safe!
PARTY ALL NIGHT LONG
The Key West Tourist Development Association and the Key West Police Department welcome you to Florida’s premier masking and costuming celebration and encourage you to participate in all of the many exciting events that make up Fantasy Fest. We want you to have a fantastic time but following a few simple rules will make Fantasy Fest a safe and enjoyable time.
CODE OF CONDUCT
THE KEY WEST POLICE DEPARTMENT
SUMMARIZES THE FOLLOWING RULES AND LAWS BY WHICH YOU MUST ABIDE:
• No glass containers are allowed. Drink from our FESTIVAL TO-GO CUP, or paper or plastic cups provided by bars and vendors.
• Open containers of alcohol are not allowed outside the FANTASY ZONE / COSTUME PROMENADE. Please stay inside the party area while you are carrying open alcoholic beverages.
• Nudity is ILLEGAL and is NOT allowed on public property or in public view at any time.
• Lewd acts on public property or in public view are strictly ILLEGAL and will NOT be tolerated.
• Body-painting is allowed, but must be done in enclosed or screened-in areas, entirely out of public view. Painted breasts are permitted, but ONLY ALLOWED within the designated FANTASY ZONE / COSTUME PROMENADE.
• Please wear a cover-up to avoid ILLEGAL exposure on public property and on all city streets outside the FANTASY ZONE / COSTUME PROMENADE.
• No backpacks, coolers, packages, water guns, weapons or replica weapons are allowed.
• Please be courteous and respectful towards law enforcement officers and each other.
THE TERMS AND LOGOS, “FANTASY FEST,” “FANTASY FESTIVAL,” “FANTASY WEEK” AND THE THEME, “BEDTIME STORIES & MAGICAL MONSTERS” ARE THE SOLE PROPERTIES OF THE KEY WEST TOURIST DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION, INC. AND ARE PROTECTED BY LAW. ANYONE USING THE LOGO OR TERMS MENTIONED WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT FROM THE KEY WEST TOURIST DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION, INC. WILL BE PROSECUTED TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW.
FANTASY FEST PARADE
EACH YEAR, THE DEEP EDDY VODKA FANTASY FEST PARADE winds through the world-famous Duval Street from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. Lavishly decorated floats and costumed revelers entertain tens of thousands of spectators in the premier Fantasy Fest event. With this year’s “Bedtime Stories & Magical Monsters” theme, expect the 2025 Deep Eddy Vodka Fantasy Fest Parade to celebrate the full spectrum of tales that tucked us in at night and the monsters that lurked under the bed!
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS
A special area for wheelchair-accessible viewing of the 2025 Deep Eddy Vodka Fantasy Fest Parade will be available on Duval Street at Truman Avenue. Accessible parking and port-o-lets will be available near the Gato Building at the corner of Virginia and Simonton Streets.
BARRICADES
Barricades will be placed in congested areas along the parade route to keep spectators safe and to allow the parade entrants room to perform. These simple yet vital pieces of equipment can keep revelers from ending up under the wheels of a magnificent float. They’re put up with safety in mind, so please be a good sport when city employees begin setting them in place before the parade.
The parade needs extra leeway from the crowd at intersections where the procession makes turns. Please cooperate with parade ambassadors and law enforcement personnel to provide a safe turning radius for the parade vehicles.
Please be cautious around the barricades and step out of the way when city workers disassemble them after the parade. It’s a challenging job, at the end of a busy day, so please be appreciative when you see them hard at work.
PARADE AMBASSADORS
More than 100 Parade Ambassadors will be stationed along the parade route to help keep the spectators out of harm’s way and from under the wheels of the rolling festivities. These very special people stay sober on party night to be the responsible shepherds of the Deep Eddy Vodka Fantasy Fest Parade.
You will recognize these noble, fun-loving people by their distinctive T-shirts. They each have undergone extensive training sessions for this very important job and they are in radio contact with the parade director and law enforcement personnel. Please let them know we appreciate them. Smile, thank them, and cooperate with their directions.
FANTASY FEST PARADE
IT’S POLITE TO ASK FIRST
Please ask permission before snapping photos of other party-goers and practice positive festival etiquette by treating other people’s costumes as works of art. Look and admire, but don’t touch!
REAL-TIME FESTIVAL UPDATES
DOWNLOAD OUR FESTIVAL APP: ‘Key West Fantasy Fest 2025’ for the full schedule of events, GPS map, Hot Spots and more. THE BEST TOOL FOR FANTASY FEST! You can also visit FantasyFest.com for the full schedule of events. Follow our Facebook and Instagram pages where we will have most current information and updates.
STREET CLOSURES & PARKING
STREET CLOSURES
TO ACCOMMODATE THE MANY STREET ACTIVITIES DURING FANTASY FEST 2025, PORTIONS OF SEVERAL STREETS WILL BE CLOSED ON THE FOLLOWING DATES AND TIMES:
• Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, from 9am on Duval Street expect closures from Front Street to Truman Avenue.
• Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, from 4pm until parade end (~10pm)
- All of Duval Street from Front Street to United Street.
- Whitehead Street from Front Street to Truman Avenue.
- Southard Street from Truman Waterfront to Simonton Street.
• The following parking lots will be closed from 8am Friday, Oct. 24 until noon Sunday, Oct. 26 500 block of Thomas Street, 300 block Fleming Street and 500 block of Angela Street.
PARKING ETIQUETTE
IF YOU ARE ABLE TO FIND IN-TOWN PARKING, PLEASE REMEMBER:
• Be courteous and do not block private driveways, entrances, etc.
• Watch carefully for “No Parking,” including “Resident only,” areas. As the festival progresses, there will be additional no parking areas blocked off.
• Parking restrictions are strictly enforced. Towing may occur to keep traffic and festival activities moving smoothly. If your vehicle is towed, please call the Police non-emergency number 305-809-1000. Parking tickets may be paid in person, online or mailed in-details are on the ticket.
• Plan your exit route carefully to avoid being blocked by Fantasy Fest Parade activities or heavy congestion.
• Please watch for emergency vehicles attempting to access the very crowded side streets.
MITCHELL “QMITCH” JONES
By Erin Stover
EXPLORE A Q-RATED EXHIBITION
At its best, Key West is an amalgamation of its colorful characters. Some bring a pirate edge, while others drop rainbows wherever they go. None sparkle quite as brightly though, or have shone their light as consistently long as Qmitch. This much is apparent on sight, as Qmitch leads with sparkle, sporting a billowing white beard to compliment his oversized Chanel sunglasses – a signature accessory that he deems his greatest extravagance.
What truly sets him apart from the sea of personalities on the island though is his commitment to compassion. Qmitch has spent the past 15 years leading a weekly Drag Bingo game that has brought in piles of money for charities, including the Florida Keys SPCA, Samuel’s House women’s shelter, Literacy Volunteers of America, Anchors Aweigh Club Key West, Wesley House Family Services, Cooking with Love, Queer Keys, the American Legion, the Xena Fund, and the Sister Season Fund. In October, Key West finally has the chance to give back to him, with an exhibition at The Studios of Key West. Q-Rated (on view in the Sanger Gallery through Oct. 30) showcases 20 years of fearless fashion, show-stopping costumes and the big heart of a community supporter. The result is a reflection of one of Key West’s greatest imports of all time.
Mitchell “Qmitch” Jones was born in North Carolina, where he developed his unquenchable taste for sweet tea, an enduring and endearing accent and his start in the field of travel and aviation. Drawn to a place that “matched how he feels inside,” he moved to Key West in 2006 and made a home with his husband, Terry. Qmitch worked for 20 years at Key West International Airport, retiring just a few months ago from a role that served his love for travel and interaction with the public. Anyone flying Delta over the past two decades was most likely treated, at some point, to an out-of-place warm welcome and hilarious commentary as they were called to board.
What many travelers would not realize though is that the larger, unedited version of this bawdy but loveable personality was on display across town every Sunday. In 2010, Qmitch adopted Drag Queen Bingo
at 801 Bourbon Bar, making it his own. Raising funds for local nonprofits, he put his comedic persona on full display – as well as his many costuming creations. Over the years, Qmitch estimates that he’s raised about $1 million barking at players and stirring up a good time. He’s quick to point out that the spirit of giving back can take any size and doesn’t require much. “I wish I could write a million-dollar check. I can’t. But I can give you a million dollars of my heart. I can take a $9 mumu, a little effort and my love for this community and turn it into something.” And he has, raising $2,000 to $3,000 every week over the years, all while showing people a helluva good time. The weekly bingo game has since moved to 22&Co, but the outlandish ballgowns and wigs remain ever-present.
Hosting a game or working in an airport, Qmitch Jones is a true showman, embodying equal parts drag queen, southern gentleman and philanthropist. Citing influences ranging from Dolly Parton to Carol Burnett to Bob Mackie to the comedy variety shows of the 1970s, he explains what it means to him to be able to slip into a different costume every week, prompting people to “tune in” and see what he’s come up with next. In his bid to keep people entertained, while spreading positivity in his community, he has run for Fantasy Fest King three times – 2007, 2008, and 2013. In each iteration, he returns to his tagline, “It’s for charity, bitches.”
For his new artistic exhibition, Q-Rated, he has done what he does best – gathered. An instinctual curator (or Q-rater as the case may be), Qmitch is a natural at bringing together materials, designs — and people. From bold textiles to whimsical sketches, the collection serves as a tribute to his role as a drag icon, visionary designer and community cheerleader with unmatched enthusiasm. At once an intimate glimpse into a very special life, and a broad public piece of nostalgia, the show illustrates how one man perfectly embodies the festive spirit of Key West.
By Mandy Miles
PET MASQUERADE
FREE & FAMILY-FRIENDLY, THE PET MASQUERADE IS A PEOPLE PLEASER
There’s a reason animal videos circulate wildly online. Who won’t pause their hectic lives to watch a bulldog in a tuxedo and top hat? Who doesn’t love the video compilations of cats-and-Christmas-tree calamities, of pirate-clad Jack Russell terriers or literal lipstick on a pig? All are internet mainstays and harmless distractions from our everyday lives.
But in Key West, those viral videos come to life on stage at the annual Fantasy Fest Pet Masquerade, taking place this year at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 22 at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater.
While much of Fantasy Fest is geared toward adult activities, the Pet Masquerade is decidedly different. It’s free, family-friendly and for many, a Fantasy Fest highlight.
And the tradition has continued unabated despite the 2023 retirement of longtime event owner and producer Nancy D’Amato, who passed the reins (and the leashes) last year to Florida Keys Media, which signed on as producer and sponsor and then chose the Sheriff’s Animal Farm as the beneficiary of the money raised at the annual show.
“As Fantasy Fest’s premier family event, none of us at Florida Keys Media wanted to see the Pet Masquerade go away,” general manager Rick Lopez said last year when his crew took over. “So our team made the decision to pick up the producer torch. Everyone involved agreed the Sheriff’s Office Animal Farm was the perfect match for this event.”
The 30-year-old farm is an animal sanctuary and petting zoo located at the Stock Island jail, which houses people awaiting trial or serving sentences of less than a year. The farm is supervised and lovingly cultivated by “Farmer Jeanne” Selander and Farmer Aja Ferretti, with “low-risk” inmates helping tend to the animals and their habitats.
About 100 inmates per year are involved with the animals’ care and it’s such meaningful work for them that many continue to check in on some of their favorite animals even after they’ve been released, Selander said.
Farm residents include many exotic animals, including a 90-yearold tortoise, an emu, an ostrich, a kinkajou, peacocks, horses, bunnies, reptiles, pigs and a capybara. But they’re not the stars at the annual Pet Masquerade, where the spotlight is on local pets and their people.
Last year’s masquerade featured dogs, cats, cockatoos, hamsters and even sugar gliders (nocturnal marsupials native to Australia). But it wasn’t just the pets that impressed the crowd — their humans joined in, decked out in matching themed outfits, complete with choreographed entrances. Participants compete in five categories: junior division, most exotic, pet-owner look-alike, best theme adaptation and the highly coveted best in show.
Each year, people and their pets dress in matching or coordinated costumes, then strut, waddle, prance and trot across a stage before an audience and judges, competing for fame, fortune and prizes.
Along with the costumes, the event features food and drink stands for the audience, plus bounce houses for the kids. Last year’s show featured a family of five in “Men-in-Black” inspired outfits. A tiny and ever-patient chihuahua was decked out as a space alien. A pug named Samson wore a Baywatch-style bathing suit and a trio of basset hounds were cleverly disguised as cows.
This is a show that has to be seen to be believed — and then it’s never forgotten.
The 2025 Fantasy Fest Pet Masquerade is set for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22 at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater. Registration begins at 5 p.m. and the $25 entry fee benefits the Sheriff’s Animal Farm.
FANTASY FACADE COMPETITION
ONCE UPON
A FAÇADE…
Presented by Haunted Key West
Calling all dreamers, decorators, and monster-makers! It’s time to turn Key West into a living storybook of “Bedtime Stories & Magical Monsters.”
Every year, guesthouses, businesses, and homes across the island go above and beyond to transform their facades into zany, spooky, and spectacular works of art. Cruise through town and marvel at the creativity — from eerie elegance to full-blown fright fests!
Think your haunt has what it takes? Enter for a chance to win cash prizes and magical rewards, including a $1,000 grand prize for the Spooktacular Showstopper! Additional prizes will be awarded for Creepiest Concept, Bloodiest Horror Scene, Best Fantasy Fest Theme Integration, and the coveted Great Pumpkin Award. Prizes are awarded based on creativity, representation of theme, and WOW Factor!
Participating entries will be listed on the official Fantasy Fest app map — so everyone can join the haunted sightseeing fun!
Judging: Monday, October 20 (weather permitting)
Winners Announced: Monday, October 28
WE NEED YOUR BEADS
By Erin Stover
RECYCLE YOUR FESTIVAL BEADS AT MARC
Anyone who’s stood on the sidelines of Fantasy Fest or Mardi Gras knows about the infectious need to throw, or lunge for, beads. The evening starts, the floats roll by and you’re just excited to be there, absorbing it all. Then someone in a risqué costume tosses you some red beads. Around your neck they go. Now you’re feeling festive. You add a blue strand, a gold. Suddenly, you’re overcome with the desire to complete the whole rainbow. Once the full spectrum rings your neck, you realize you need some signature pieces – a medallion, a shot glass, a shamrock. Before you know it, you’re whooping and waving at each passing float. When you finally drag yourself away at the end of the night, your chest is heavy, anchored with an impressive collection of shiny plastic bits.
Once the cocktails have been metabolized and the light filters into your hotel room, though, your recent acquisition becomes less a source of pride and more a source of frustration. Some other version of you decided it would be a good idea to clutter your space with disposable, questionably-clean, low-value trinkets, which now are tangled on your nightstand and looking for a new home. You could bag them up and check them in your bag, or simply toss the whole mess in the trash, along with a shred of dignity.
Might we suggest a better alternative? Monroe County Association of Remarkable Citizens (MARC) is a local nonprofit that assists clients with developmental disabilities in learning life and job skills. In recent years, the organization has instituted a bead recycling program as a way to raise funds for their programs. Partygoers are first introduced to the initiative during the parade when the MARC float rolls by with hoops and targets, designed to tempt viewers into throwing their beads back at the parade. Immediately following the festivities, clients and staff from MARC reinforce the idea, showing up at parade exits with giant barrels for the collection. Staff members share the mission of MARC with parade attendees, which often prompts people to remove their full regalia on the spot. Those who miss the first collection site, or who may still be attached to their treasure just mere minutes after the parade, have plenty of chances to soften over the coming days. MARC places collection barrels and boxes at numerous locations around town - ready for when the existential weight of those beads becomes inevitably unbearable.
Collecting beads is just the first step. Once the beads arrive at MARC, the clients wash and sanitize the baubles in industrial washers. The clean beads are then ready to serve yet another purpose – teaching clients counting and sorting skills. Strands are sorted into groups of ten that will be sold, along with giant 30lb bags, to parade planners the following year. Last year alone, the group cleaned, sorted, and resold nearly 2,000lbs of beads.
In addition to creating a revenue stream for a worthy non-profit, the bead recycling program also creates a greener, cleaner Fantasy Fest. Louisiana State University, an academic institution perfectly situated to study the environmental effects of Mardi Gras beads, estimates that petroleum-based plastic beads (the inexpensive kind most typically lobbed from floats) take hundreds of years to break down. In that time, they also leach microplastics, heavy metals, and toxins into the soil and water. While disheartening, that statistic does not need to be the death knell to beads. The plastic has already been created, so our best choices lie in what we do with that product from this point forward. So, go ahead and scream for beads.
Cover every inch of your throat and chest in colorful, shining orbs. Have fun. But, when you tire of your treasure, please consider passing it on to a group that will double the impact of those otherwise useless souvenirs. Each strand helps the environment and helps individuals living with developmental disabilities. We promise you’ll feel better knowing you’ve made an impact, and knowing that you won’t have to pack a box of beads every time you move in your life. Of course, no one will judge you if you pick a favorite strand to hang on to – there are some impressive strands at Fantasy Fest!
No room in your suitcase to take your beads home with you? Check your hotel for a collection box or donate your beads at any of the following locations:
MARC: 1401 Seminary Street
Key West Business Guild: 808 Duval Street
Key West Chamber of Commerce: 510 Greene Street
We’ve Got The Keys: 922 Caroline Street
Hemingway Social Club: 201 Simonton Street
Key West Womans Club: 319 Duval Street
Eco Discovery Center: 35 Quay Road
Questions? Contact Becki Balcer at 305.294.9526 xt 25
FOR THE KIDS
Happy Childrens Day & Happy Halloween!
BAYVIEW PARK
TRUMAN AVE. AND EISENHOWER DR.
SUNDAY OCT. 26 • NOON TO 5 PM
Bring the family out for some Halloween antics with your friends and neighbors. The final day of Fantasy Fest is all about the kids. It’s Children’s Day at Bayview Park, a family event featuring food, rides, games, arts and crafts and a costume contest for children.
Along with vendor booths run by local non-profits and youth organizations, supporting their year-round work in the community, there will be a variety of rides and activities. Let the kids wear their Halloween costumes and take part in the costume contest, and cheer for young stars showing off their talents on the gazebo stage. Food and activity prices vary – many items will be less than $5.
HELP KEEP FANTASY FEST® CLEAN AND GREEN
Putting together a waste management and recycling program for an event of this magnitude requires lots of people working together – including all of you fantastic visitors to our island paradise. Thank you for taking a few extra seconds to find a trash can or recycling bin.
Thanks to the efforts of our sponsors: the City of Key West and its Public Works and Community Relations Departments and Waste Management . Thank you to all the volunteers who help with the Captain Morgan Masquerade March and the Deep Eddy Vodka Fantasy Fest Parade. Recycling is a priority and there are hundreds of trash cans and recycling bins available during Fantasy Fest.
Public Works will extend their pickup hours during the heaviest days of the festival. Please help when you see cleanup service vehicles. Let them through so they can continue the trash collection and cleanup efforts that make our city picture perfect!
