Junkanoo Band

Whew.  Goombay Weekend this year seemed to be  one of the most heavily-attended in recent memory! Honoring Key West’s earliest settlers, Bahamian residents who migrated across the water in the early 1800s to help colonize the fledgling American seaport, the annual Goombay street festival is a celebration of the cultural connection between Key West and the Bahamas. Highlights  included a Junkanoo band leading costumed marchers in a parade down Duval Street, a 2-day street fair, and nonstop entertainment by popular Bahamian, South Florida and Keys musicians and bands.

Goombay’s high energy level was a fitting kick-off to Key West’s 31^st. annual Fantasy Fest, the Southernmost City’s 10-day masking and costuming gala, running now through next Sunday, Oct. 31.   What began as a rag-tag and humble respite from the doldrums of the tourism “off season” is now a highly-organized,  internationally-known event representing a $30-million annual infusion to the Keys economy.

Fantasy Fest 2010 King Chris and Queen Anne

Concurrent with Goombay, the Coronation Ball on Friday night saw Key Westers, Chris Elwell and Anne O’Shea, crowned king and queen of Fantasy Fest 2010.  They earned their crowns by raising the greatest share of more than $207,000 for the Keys’ AIDS Help organization.   That sum was accrued through a series of non-stop parties and fundraising events spanning the past couple of months, staged by a field of royal contestants.

Not for the timid, Key West’s annual blow-out – this year’s theme is “Habitat for Insanity” — will entertain an anticipated 70,000 visitors with over 40 masquerade balls, parties and costume competitions for the adventurous and creative, bold and bawdy.  The excitement builds each day, leading up to the festival’s two peak events:  the masquerade march through the streets of Old Town on Friday and Saturday night’s grand parade down Duval Street, the island’s main drag.

Read more about it online at http://www.fantasyfest.net — then start making plans to join us for next year’s festivities.  The Tropical Inn is strategically positioned right at the mid-point of Duval Street, so it’s the perfect base for all that is Fantasy Fest, and a “ringside seat” for the parade.  Reservations for FF 2011 open on November 1, so be sure to reserve early for the best room selection!

Tags: Duval Street, Fantasy Fest, Goombay, Key West bed and breakfast, Tropical Inn

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 24th, 2010 at 3:37 pm and is filed under Key West events, What to Do in Key West. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.