Gadgets, Glitter and Hot Glue: Key West Fantasy Fest offers a creative costuming playground for Kristyn LaMoia

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.