Key West Fantasy Fest survival advice
October 24, 2006 7:17 PM   Subscribe

A few friends and I are going to head down to Key West for Fantasy Fest this weekend (We don't have a room, it'll just be a day trip from Miami on Saturday). Anyone have experience, advice or tips for a few Fantasy Fest virgins?

We've all visited Key West before just not at Fantasy Fest time. So any tips on where to go, where to park, what to see, what to do (or not do) during this unique time of year in the Keys would be greatly appreciated. (Also, yes, we do have a DD.) Thanks!
posted by jkl345 to Travel & Transportation around Key West, FL (4 answers total)
 
Key West is a long damn drive from Miami. Pack a lunch, unless you're flyin'.
posted by paulsc at 7:30 PM on October 24, 2006


Response by poster: Yea, it's going to be a LONG day trip...
posted by jkl345 at 7:46 PM on October 24, 2006


Consider grabbing a motel room in one of the middle keys so that you can crash on the way back.
posted by oddman at 10:24 PM on October 24, 2006


In no particular order:

Find out what the clothing laws are this year (I won't be home for this weekend, so I haven't bothered to check).

Don't carry any illegal substances. If you are carrying illegal substances, don't carry more than you can eat. And certainly don't carry anything that's not yours.

Don't buy drinks for minors. Don't buy drinks for yourself, or talk others into buying for you, if you are a minor. Don't leave your drink anywhere. There will be DUI checkpoints throughout the Keys, so make sure that your DD is in fact sober by the recommendations of official authorities, not according to how "ok" they feel, or seem. Be aware that even though there will be checkpoints, there will still be some shitfaced stupid people on the road. Do you want to compete for space with them, or wait it out?

Don't call women who show you their goods nasty names.

Even in the Upper Keys, many hotels will have blocked out this week (if not sold out altogether) to prevent single night bookings, as there are lots of people who will spend the money to stay all weekend, or even longer, as the partying began last Friday. The one night folks have earned a reputation for being wild, dirty and inconsiderate. If you are a one nighter and stay someplace, be on your best behavior, make your grandmother proud.

Water is your friend. There will likely be wildly large crowds for the parade, and rowdy/vulgar in parts. There are areas of the parade route that will be tamer, but I can't think of where off the top of my head. Duval Street is the part that will be crazy all night. It may not be safe to sleep in your car, and the police are likely to discourage it if they find you.

If you are offended by explicit gay activity/content Duval Street South of Olivia is probably not your bag, but the tone will be pretty sexual throughout the event and gay people are not excluded from any venue that I'm aware of. Remember also that FF is a major fundraiser for AIDS Help, which serves the keys community in many ways. Making a donation is important. The Fantasy Fest King and Queen are the people who had the best fundraising campaigns.

The following are all common sense things that I'm sure you don't need to be told, but let's keep this in mind for anyone else who stumbles in here with no common sense. Tip your bartenders and waitresses well, say please and thank you, don't throw bottles of any kind, don't beat up homeless people. In fact, don't beat up anybody. Don't scare the police horses. Pull over to the side of the road and stop for police cars, ambulances and fire trucks.
posted by bilabial at 9:24 PM on October 26, 2006


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