As the City of Key West prepares for Fantasy Fest, some bike racks along Duval Street will be temporarily removed to ensure public safety during the upcoming events. Beginning on October 10th the U-shaped rack will be removed. The racks have already been posted with No Parking signs. The racks will be put back in place after Fantasy Fest.

Bikes left of the racks will be removed and stored by Community Services. Owners of bicycles that must be removed will be required to show proof of ownership and may be charged a storage fee.
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Find nearby bike parking here: https://bit.ly/kwrack

Key West Fantasy Fest, with its scores of parties, parades and events and the 2025 theme “Bedtime Stories & Magical Monsters,” kicks off October 17, but for “makers” like Kristyn LaMoia, the annual extravaganza starts weeks in advance as she begins to conceptualize and craft her magic. Kristyn recently shared a glimpse into her Fantasy Fest world:

Where were you born, and what brought you to the Keys?
Kristyn: I was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida! Work is what brought me here—specifically, a random email to Wonderdog Studios seeking graphic design work. My family had visited the Keys a few times, I enjoyed it and figured, why not see if there were any design jobs to be had. Sure enough, there was. I came down in May of 2017 and fell in love.
 
Can you tell us a bit about your artistic background and how you developed your creative chops?
Kristyn: I’ve always felt pulled to create things. I went to college for graphic design because, to me, it blended psychology and art together perfectly. In 2020, I started selling my original artwork professionally in some Key West galleries. I didn’t really dive into three-dimensional art or costume work until I discovered Fantasy Fest!
 
What year did you first bring your talents to Fantasy Fest costume creation?
Kristyn: I was fortunate to be part of the creative team involved with rebranding Fantasy Fest in 2017, designing the new logo and poster artwork. That experience laid the mental groundwork for me to start contributing more personally to the event. At first, costumes just felt like a fun side project—a way to join in on the celebration creatively.

I think my first “big-ish” costume was a Venus Fly Trap head I made for the 2018 Zombie Bike Ride. “Brains… it’s what plants crave!” (A spoof on a line from the movie “Idiocracy”).
 
What did you make for 2024?
Kristyn: Too many costumes! I was very inspired by the '90s theme, so went all out.
·       "Smiley Rave Baby" was a Lisa Frank/acid rave/Rainbow Brite-inspired smiley face head, made by painstakingly paper mâché-ing many layers over an exercise ball.
·       "Dead Tech" was a resurrected vintage iMac I got off eBay. I gutted it, cut a hole in the bottom, and wore it on my head. I also spent many hours creating a matching corset and skirt using my dad’s collection of old computer cords.
·       I also made an "Unbirthday Girl" outfit for Tutu Tuesday, tying into the “Alice in Wonderland” theme. I learned how to "frost" my outfit and headdress using spackling and caulking to make it all look like cake.
All of this happened inside my 9'x12' bedroom, by the way.
 
Will you share what you’re cooking up for 2025?
Kristyn: After years of partying for multiple days in a row with my head fully enclosed in headdresses, I vowed that 2025 would be all about comfort and ease. I decided I wouldn’t make anything too crazy or plan too far ahead—usually I start in August. So, you and I will both be surprised by whatever I end up wearing this year—if anything at all, haha!
 
Any must-have items on your costume creation checklist?
Kristyn: Hot glue, cardboard, and a bicycle helmet—the foundation of pretty much all my big headdresses.
 
Any particular challenges or memorable mishaps from past years?
Kristyn: Oh, plenty! I’ve lost count of hot glue burns and minor blood sacrifices. But when the Dremel blade came flying off while I was cutting a hole in the bottom of the iMac is when I took a profound moment to appreciate the miracle of not losing an eye.
 
Once I was creating a big anglerfish head out of cardboard, but had to pause while my house got tented for termites (so Key West). When I came back, the base had completely collapsed—probably from the moisture in the air.
 
My favorite recurring challenge is getting myself and my costumes to and from parties! Most of my costumes aren’t exactly bike friendly, so I end up transporting them in a little cart attached to the back of my bike – kind of like a minimalist, quirky parade float.
 
Favorite thing about Fantasy Fest?
Kristyn: The camaraderie among locals. Even though the city gets flooded with visitors, I feel more connected to the friends who work hard to produce these events and/or contribute creatively—photographers, bartenders, costume creators. It’s a week of celebration, shared challenges, and overflowing appreciation for this special community.
 
Key West Fantasy Fest 2025 presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and We’ve Got the Keys. For a full calendar of events, contests, schedule updates, and a downloadable mobile APP, visit http://www.fantasyfest.com.

Dreamers, night creatures and storybook stars are invited to adorn themselves in their most inspired themed attire and immerse in 10 days and nights of stellar revelry for Key West Fantasy Fest 2025, set to run October 17-26.
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. Here’s a sampling of just some of this year’s highlights. Complete information for events, times, locations, and contest entry links can be found at http://www.fantasyfest.com:

• Fantasy Façades Contest: Transform your home or business in to a storybook scene or monster’s lair for a chance to win cash prizes ranging from $100-$1000. Reflect this year’s theme or channel traditional Halloween ghoulishness! Entry form available Sept. 1; deadline to enter Oct 13.
• Oct. 17: The Royal Coronation event to crown Fantasy Fest’s 2025 King and Queen is a dazzling 2-hour stage show at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater that features performances by the intrepid competitors along with local celebrities. Proceeds benefit the Florida Keys SPCA.
• Oct. 17 and 18: The Bahama Village Goombay Festival is a two-day, family friendly celebration of island arts and crafts, culture, music and food held throughout Key West’s historic Bahama Village neighborhood.
• Oct. 19: The annual Zombie Bike Ride invites undead of all ages to immerse in ghoulish revelry. Zombies descend on Fort East Martello in the afternoon for fun and entertainment including body painting, refreshment vendors and a kids’ zone. Come evening, thousands of zombies on wheels take to the streets of Key West.
• Oct. 20: Sloppy Joe’s Comic Book Cape-ers Party: Suit up as your favorite caped superhero or villain, groove on the dance floor to live music, and compete in a costume contest with prizes for 1st-3rd place winners.
• Oct. 20: Mrs. Roper’s Romp: Break out your colorful caftan and signature curly red wig for a groovy “Three’s Company” inspired party at Sunset Pier filled with music, photo ops, dancing, games, and prizes.
• Oct. 21: Florida Keys Council of the Arts Fantasy Fest poster-signing party at the La Concha Hotel: Meet the artist, get your poster signed, and stock up on other collectable Fantasy Fest 2025 t-shirts and swag.
• Oct. 21: Tutu Tuesday with its annual epic dance party featuring a plethora of dynamic DJ’s happens across multiple Caroline St. district area venues. Tutu’s required!
• Oct. 22: Pet Masquerade, presented by Florida Keys Media at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater: Costume up with your favorite critter friends at this over the top competition or cheer them on from the audience. Prizes in multiple categories; registration fees benefit the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Animal Farm.
• Oct. 23: The 42nd Annual Key West Headdress Ball, presented by the Key West Business Guild at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater reveals a dreamscape of out-of-this-world headdresses modeled by their creators along with high energy entertainment by some of the island’s best talent.
• Oct. 24: Paparazzi Row is the place to get warmed up and strut your stuff for the camera’s ahead of the Captain Morgan Masquerade March. Dance music will play and local paparazzi, photo booths and selfie stations will be set up to record epic costumed crews.
• Oct. 24: The Captain Morgan Masquerade March (aka “Local’s Parade”) brings all creative hands on deck as costumed revelers parade through Old Town Key West, stopping along the route for adult beverage samples provided by selected guest houses.
• Oct. 24 and 25: The magnificent mile-long Fantasy Fest Street Fair and Costume Promenade returns to Duval Street this year, offering a mile-long party of arts, eats, and island beats. Shop whimsical crafts, feast on Caribbean flavors, sip tropical drinks, and strut your costume down Key West’s most magical mile. Friday brings arts, crafts, and food; Saturday is all about the food — served up late into the night. Arts and Crafts: Noon – 10:00pm | Food: Noon – 1:00am.
• Oct. 25: The world famous Deep Eddy Vodka Fantasy Fest Parade in Old Town Key West presents a dazzling array of fabulous floats, magnificent marching groups, and cool kinetic contraptions to bring this year’s “Bedtime Stories and Magical Monsters” theme to life. An awesome island tradition since 1979!
•  Oct. 26: Children’s Day at Bayview Park offers a daytime fest from noon to 5:00pm with games, food, rides, entertainment, arts & crafts, and a costume contest for the kids.
• Oct. 26: Don your fabulous feathers for “The Fat Lady Sings” Tea Dance at La Te Da on Duval Street—the final official Fantasy Fest celebration.
• Oct 27: The 2026 Fantasy Fest theme will be announced.

‘“Bedtime Stories & Magical Monsters” invites everyone to tap into the dreams and whimsy of childhood, and yes, even the wild things that once lived under our beds,” said Fantasy Fest Director Nadene Grossman Orr. “It’s a playground for the imagination and all of us behind the Fest can’t wait to see how this year’s celebrators bring it to life.”
Fantasy Fest 2025 is presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and We’ve Got the Keys. For a full calendar of events, schedule updates, contest details, and a downloadable mobile APP, visit http://www.fantasyfest.com.

​When it comes to over-the-top costuming extravaganzas, nothing compares to Key West Fantasy Fest, a legendary mashup of parades, outrageous themed parties, and jaw-dropping pageantry that turns the island into one big, fantasy playground for 10 days and nights each year. Not bad for a festival that started more than four decades ago just to spice up the sleepy fall season at the end of US1.

In 2017, Fantasy Fest experienced a vibrant resurgence when Nadene Grossman Orr, winner of the 2003 Fantasy Fest Queen title and head of the production company “We’ve Got the Keys” – known for producing large-scale, city-wide events - seized an opportunity to present her vision to the Monroe County Tourist Development Association’s Board of Directors. Her pitch hit the mark, winning her the contract to produce the Fest. With a vision that celebrated both community ownership and bold creativity, she and her team have since reimagined Fantasy Fest for a new era – without losing sight of its rich and irreverent roots.

Q: What inspired you to pursue the Fantasy Fest production contract?

Nadene: I arrived in Key West two weeks before Fantasy Fest in 1991 – it was my induction! With that timing and my wiring, it was pretty inevitable that I would go full immersion, and for years I was an enthusiastic costumed participant with my friends. Working as a hotel concierge back then, I also had to be well informed about the festival for our guests. I began volunteering with AIDS Help – now A.H. Monroe, helping them run the King and Queen campaigns. The pre-festival, behind-the-scenes community effort, raising funds, lifting each other up, was so inspiring to me. That was my Fantasy Fest path, and the foundation for my passion to become its director.
 
Q: What were some of your original goals?

Nadene: Fantasy Fest really has an enormous financial and emotional impact here. It supports multiple local non-profits along with businesses, hotels and guesthouses, and most importantly, the hundreds of individuals who rely on this annual celebration to pull their finances out of the summer doldrums. Knowing first hand the importance of this to so many, my goals included reigniting our sense of local ownership, ramping up creative, super imaginative costuming, and making it culturally relevant for future generations while still embracing its glittery legacy. 
 
Q: How is Fantasy Fest funded?

Nadene: Sponsorships and event grants from the Monroe County Tourist Development Council! Sponsorships mostly come from Florida Keys hotel partners, businesses, and brand partners who are featured throughout the festival and who get to host the official Fantasy Fest events.
 
Q: How many events does Key West Fantasy Fest typically encompass? 

Nadene: More than 100! So friends, please support the sponsors—where you stay, party, and even what you sip—because that helps keep so many Fantasy Fest events free and thriving. Our team-produced events like the Fantasy Fest Street Fair, Captain Morgan Masquerade March, and the Deep Eddy Vodka Fantasy Fest Parade are all made possible thanks to that support.
 
Q: What kind of team does it take to pull this off? 

Nadene: I have a full-time team of five at We’ve Got the Keys, and Fantasy Fest is our biggest project of the year. Some of our other events include the annual Key Lime Festival, Key West Songwriters Festival, and Taste of Key West. We start planning each Fantasy Fest before the previous year’s festival ends—that’s when we choose the next year’s theme!

As we get closer to October, we bring in more staffers to help with logistics like the Street Fair, parades, and retail operations. And we couldn't do it without around 150 volunteers who help us get the Masquerade March and Fantasy Fest Parade smoothly and safely through the streets. It’s a true team effort powered by passion.

Q: What makes your team tick? 

Nadene: Creativity, camaraderie, and an unshakable sense of purpose. We thrive on energy, pride, patience, and mutual support—plus coffee, chocolate, and cheese! Seriously though, we love what we do, and we love this community.
 
Q: What have been some of your greatest challenges?

Nadene: Taking over in 2017 came with big dreams and the vision to rebrand and take the legacy event in a new creative direction. Then, just weeks before the festival was to begin, Category 4 Hurricane Irma hit. All hands were on deck to help with community support and clean up – and of course Fantasy Fest was put on hold while City and County leadership determined if infrastructure could even be restored in time to welcome so many visitors back to the island after such a devastating storm. But we got the official “GO”, and while it was a challenge to pull off, being able to help restart the local economy and bring joy to the community after the devastation made it so worth it.
 
Then came March of 2020. Navigating through COVID-19 forced us to reimagine everything. We canceled the parade and street fair. We held a “Community Wins” campaign online to raise funds for locals in need. Then 2021 brought a new variant and again no full-on festival – but we modified and adapted. Fantasy Fest has always been about creativity, reinvention and resilience.
 
Q: Did you get to keep your 2003 Fantasy Fest Queen crown?
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Nadene: YES!
 
Q: Do you wear it shopping? To special events?

Nadene: Ha! Its heavy! It’s been a while since I’ve worn it … very special royal engagements, and the occasional coronation! I do love to see my fellow royals in the Holiday Parade each year donning their royal attire! 
 
Q: Words of wisdom to Fantasy Fest-ers?

Nadene: We always say: pace yourself! Download the app, map your plan, and prepare for a wild ride.
Fantasy Fest 2025 takes place from Friday, Oct. 17 through Sunday, Oct. 26 and is presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and We’ve Got the Keys. For a full calendar of events, contests, schedule updates, a downloadable mobile APP and fun ideas on how to get involved, visit http://www.fantasyfest.com.

Question: What dazzling ruby-hued object best captures the essence of one of the world’s most celebrated stories and Key West, Florida’s passion for self-discovery, transformation and flamboyant self-expression?

If this were “Jeopardy!” the correct response would be: What is the sparkling, larger-than life, world-renowned red high-heeled shoe that descends from the upper balcony of the Bourbon St. Pub each Dec. 31, with a glamorous drag queen onboard?

Today, in a nod to the crimson cultural symbol and its capacity to spark excitement and joy, organizers for Fantasy Fest have announced that Key West’s red high-heeled shoe has been selected as this year’s Fantasy Fest Parade Grand Marshal.

Accompanying the sensational sculpture – which was partly inspired by the famous ruby slippers of “Wizard of Oz” story fame - will be drag queen Christopher Peterson outfitted as “Oz” heroine Dorothy, along with a costumed cast of characters from the book and subsequent film starring Judy Garland.

The red shoe has figured large in Key West’s mystique for decades, having made its first appearance back in 1997, brainchild of Bourbon St. Pub owner Joey Schroeder and drag queen Sushi, who was the descending pump’s sole occupant for 25 years.

“This shoe is more than a symbol – it’s a glittering tribute to Key West’s unapologetic spirit, inspiring awe and celebration from Duval St. to across the globe” said Schroeder.

The 2025 Fantasy Fest Parade, centerpiece of the annual 10-day festival, is set to march down Duval St. on Saturday, Oct. 25, conjuring this year’s theme of “Bedtime Stories and Magical Monsters.”

 “Like Dorothy’s ruby slippers, bedtime stories transport us into Technicolor dreams – where wonder reigns and the impossible comes to life,” said Fantasy Fest Director Nadene Grossman Orr. “But of course in Key West, we don’t consider anything really impossible.”
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Fantasy Fest 2025 is presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and We’ve Got the Keys. For a full calendar of events, a parade entry form, a downloadable mobile APP and other information including ways to get involved, visit http://www.fantasyfest.com.

Dreamers, night creatures and storybook stars are invited to adorn themselves in their most inspired themed attire and immerse in 10 days and nights of stellar revelry for Key West Fantasy Fest 2025, set to run October 17-26.
​
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. Here’s a sampling of just some of this year’s highlights. Complete information for events, times, locations, and contest entry links can be found at http://www.fantasyfest.com:

• Fantasy Façades Contest: Transform your home or business in to a storybook scene or monster’s lair for a chance to win cash prizes ranging from $100-$1000. Reflect this year’s theme or channel traditional Halloween ghoulishness! Entry form available Sept. 1; deadline to enter Oct 13.
• Oct. 17: The Royal Coronation event to crown Fantasy Fest’s 2025 King and Queen is a dazzling 2-hour stage show at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater that features performances by the intrepid competitors along with local celebrities. Proceeds benefit the Florida Keys SPCA.
• Oct. 17 and 18: The Bahama Village Goombay Festival is a two-day, family friendly celebration of island arts and crafts, culture, music and food held throughout Key West’s historic Bahama Village neighborhood.
• Oct. 19: The annual Zombie Bike Ride invites undead of all ages to immerse in ghoulish revelry. Zombies descend on Fort East Martello in the afternoon for fun and entertainment including body painting, refreshment vendors and a kids’ zone. Come evening, thousands of zombies on wheels take to the streets of Key West.
• Oct. 20: Sloppy Joe’s Comic Book Cape-ers Party: Suit up as your favorite caped superhero or villain, groove on the dance floor to live music, and compete in a costume contest with prizes for 1st-3rd place winners.
• Oct. 20: Mrs. Roper’s Romp: Break out your colorful caftan and signature curly red wig for a groovy “Three’s Company” inspired party at Sunset Pier filled with music, photo ops, dancing, games, and prizes.
• Oct. 21: Florida Keys Council of the Arts Fantasy Fest poster-signing party at the La Concha Hotel: Meet the artist, get your poster signed, and stock up on other collectable Fantasy Fest 2025 t-shirts and swag.
• Oct. 21: Tutu Tuesday with its annual epic dance party featuring a plethora of dynamic DJ’s happens across multiple Caroline St. district area venues. Tutu’s required!
• Oct. 22: Pet Masquerade, presented by Florida Keys Media at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater: Costume up with your favorite critter friends at this over the top competition or cheer them on from the audience. Prizes in multiple categories; registration fees benefit the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Animal Farm.
• Oct. 23: The 42nd Annual Key West Headdress Ball, presented by the Key West Business Guild at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater reveals a dreamscape of out-of-this-world headdresses modeled by their creators along with high energy entertainment by some of the island’s best talent.
• Oct. 24: Paparazzi Row is the place to get warmed up and strut your stuff for the camera’s ahead of the Captain Morgan Masquerade March. Dance music will play and local paparazzi, photo booths and selfie stations will be set up to record epic costumed crews.
• Oct. 24: The Captain Morgan Masquerade March (aka “Local’s Parade”) brings all creative hands on deck as costumed revelers parade through Old Town Key West, stopping along the route for adult beverage samples provided by selected guest houses.
• Oct. 24: The magnificent mile-long Fantasy Fest Street Fair returns to Duval Street this year, offering revelers an extravaganza of fabulous food, lively libations, arts, crafts and costumes starting at high noon and going into the night.
• Oct. 25: The world famous Key West Fantasy Fest Parade in Old Town Key West presents a dazzling array of fabulous floats, magnificent marching groups, and cool kinetic contraptions to bring this year’s “Bedtime Stories and Magical Monsters” theme to life. An awesome island tradition since 1979!
•  Oct. 26: Children’s Day at Bayview Park offers a daytime fest from noon to 5:00pm with games, food, rides, entertainment, arts & crafts, and a costume contest for the kids.
• Oct. 26: Don your fabulous feathers for “The Fat Lady Sings” Tea Dance at La Te Da on Duval Street—the final official Fantasy Fest celebration.
• Oct 27: The 2026 Fantasy Fest theme will be announced.

‘“Bedtime Stories & Magical Monsters” invites everyone to tap into the dreams and whimsy of childhood, and yes, even the wild things that once lived under our beds,” said Fantasy Fest Director Nadene Grossman Orr. “It’s a playground for the imagination and all of us behind the Fest can’t wait to see how this year’s celebrators bring it to life.”

Fantasy Fest 2025 is presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and We’ve Got the Keys. For a full calendar of events, schedule updates, contest details, and a downloadable mobile APP, visit http://www.fantasyfest.com.

Fantasy Fest 2025 invites businesses, organizations and brands to join the 2025 “Bedtime Stories & Magical Monsters” themed magic and become part of the fantasy. There’s a level for everyone to get in on the dream and be seen by tens of thousands of revelers leading up to and through the Oct. 17-26 revelry.

Sign on for a customizable partnership, or select from a ready-made sponsorship menu for these perks and more:

• Revelers ($1000): Includes free Parade float entry, business listing on Fantasy Fest website and app, 2 official t-shirts and posters, 2 social media posts, and one e-newsletter ad.
• Merrymakers ($2000): Includes all Reveler perks plus use of the Fantasy Fest logo, your logo on listings, more merch, more posts, and two e-newsletter ads.
• Life of the Party ($3500): Host an official Fantasy Fest event with social media and graphics support; plus top tier digital features including a rotating banner ad and special listings in the Fantasy Fest app, plus everything listed above.
• Fantasy Visionary ($5500): Go big with all the above, but with two official events, premium website/app placement, Street Fair space, and radio spotlight love.

Your brand. Center stage. In a dreamscape of monsters and magic.
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For all the details and to download the partnership form visit www.fantasyfest.com/pdf/FF2025-Partnership-Opportunities.pdf. Questions? E-mail [email protected]. 

“Bedtime Stories & Magical Monsters” is the official theme for Fantasy Fest 2025 –Key West, Florida’s annual multi-day costuming extravaganza in Paradise. From October 17-26, those who embrace the whimsical and the wild can costume up and step into a realm of storybook visions and otherworldly creatures —released from their hidden places under the bed.

Ten days and nights of fearless creativity include events like the world-famous Fantasy Fest parade, the all-hands-on-deck Captain Morgan Masquerade March (aka “Locals Parade”) and Paparazzi Row, the exuberant Goombay Festival in the streets, Royal Coronation of the 2025 Fantasy Fest King, Queen, and royal court, plus concerts, pool parties, theater productions, the ever-enchanting Key West Pet Masquerade, the dazzling annual Headdress Ball, a magnificent mile-long Duval St. street fair, and much more. Fantasy Fest 2025 is presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and We’ve Got the Keys. For a full calendar of events, visit http://www.fantasyfest.com.

The Florida Keys wildly creative cosmic character was on full display in an out-of-this-universe moving pageant Saturday night as the world famous Key West Fantasy Fest parade made its way down Duval Street, celebrating its 45th year and the 2024 theme, “It’s a 90s NEON Cosmic Carnival!”

Each year, following the parade, prizes are awarded by a panel of judges to multiple “Best Of” entries in a variety of categories, followed by announcement of the following year’s Fantasy Fest theme.

This year, nearly 50 entries competed for $20,000 in prizes, and the winners are:  

• $3000 Best in Entertainment: “Cosmic Neon Lambada—90s and Forever!” by Pamela Stephenson Connolly’s Key West International Dance Company.
• $3000 Best in Costume: “Cosmic Vortex” by Daniel Bitnar.
• $2500 Best Interpretation of Theme: “Fantasy Quest” by the Lower Keys Fluffers.
• $2000 Best Walking Group: “DJ Time Warp and the Power Ravers” by Guy Hermelin.
• $1500 The Green Parrot’s Best Live Music Award: “Space Force X” by Stan Shaw.
• $1000 Best Bicycle Award: “Cosmic Carnival” by Southernmost Slow Riders.
• $1000 Directors Choice Award: “Grand Marshal” by David Sloan.

​The $6000 Key West Fantasy Fest Parade Grand Prize for Best Overall, presented by The Lodging Association of the Florida Keys & Key West, is awarded to Jaimie Gwidt’s Key West Kreatives with their entry “Flagler’s 1890s Fantasy.”

The winning theme for Key West Fantasy Fest 2025, which is scheduled for Oct. 17-26, is “Bedtime Stories & Magical Monsters.” Ellen LaMoia of Key West, Fla., has scored Fantasy Fest Parade Grand Stand seats where she will enjoy the 2025 spectacle seated among the parade’s judges and organizers for her contribution to the theme.
“The Monroe County Tourist Development Association Board of Directors all agreed that “Bedtime Stories & Magical Monsters” elicits wonderfully enchanting and deliciously scary imaginings—from fresh twists on historic fables to new takes on mythical beasts—such as the ones that might be found hiding under beds,” said Nadene Grossman Orr, Fantasy Fest Director and President/CEO of We’ve Got the Keys.

Fantasy Fest events and happenings wrap up on Sunday with a slate of happenings, including Children’s Day at Bayview Park, a “Fantasy Pickleball Tournament” at Higgs Beach Courts, “The Fat Lady Sings” Tea Dance at La Te Da Hotel, Restaurant, Cabaret and Bars, Fest finale’ pool parties held at Island House Resort, the Southernmost Beach Resort, and a pool party/concert at The Marker. 

Fantasy Fest 2024 featured more than 100 events citywide and was presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and We’ve Got the Keys. Visit http://www.fantasyfest.com for photo galleries of 2024 highlights and advance 2025 festival news and information.