Goombay 2018

October 19, 2018









Goombay 2018

Goombay Festival in Key West always lasts for two days, all day and night on both the Friday and Saturday prior to the beginning of Fantasy Fest week and I almost always attend both days. I love it so much that I try to attend Friday night as well as part of the day on Saturday and then again on Saturday night. One night of Goombay is enough for Kathy and we went together on Friday night, but I like to be there as much as possible. I just love everything about it, the positive vibe, the sense of community as well as the food and entertainment.



Trevor and Nadene





It is the people that really make the event though and Key West turns out in all its glorious wonderful diversity during Goombay as residents, tourists and just about every aspect of Key West is well represented. Goombay is a different world during the day, I think a lot of people are there just to get lunch or to shop at some of the many vendors on hand as the entertainment really does not kick in to gear until the evening, but it always seems to be crowded even in the heat of the day.





Landon



The setting sun turns Goombay in to a real Caribbean party. The Key West Junkanoos parade down Petronia Street which is the heart of the festival and music pours out of every establishment as the best local and regional musicians are on hand to perform. This year I had the pleasure of watching two local favorites as Billy the Squid played the stage at Andy’s Cabana and Skank played the main stage at Blue Heaven. Both venues were packed as was the main stage that was set up for the event at the end of Petronia.



Veronica

Skank





Zydeco, Reggae, Soca, Salsa, Rap, Hippie Grove, Rock and more can be heard as you wonder down the street and impromptu dance parties seem to spring to life at certain intersections. Festival attendees savored the flavors of vendors’ ethnic dishes from the Caribbean and other locales, discovered African and island arts and crafts, and enjoyed the culture and camaraderie of historic Bahama Village.









Nonstop live music and dancing in the streets are major draws for the thousands who flock to the festival each year. As well as traditional Goombay music similar to calypso, featured musical genres range from gospel to reggae, soca to hip-hop and more and I seem to enjoy each one. Just wondering around being exposed to so many different styles is awesome.











The food is good as well, my friend Louie has been selling his falafels, gyros and jerry rolls in the same location on the corner next to Blue Heaven for the entire twenty-eight years I have been going to Goombay and it is an annual tradition to have at least one of his yummy offerings each year. For years, he was one of the main food purveyors at the big Reef Relief benefit that I helped organize each year, Cayo Carnival and even since moving away from Key West some years ago, he is always back for Goombay.



Gary and Colleen





Zack

Seeing old friends is another highlight of going to Goombay, there are some people who live on this small island yet somehow I only seem to see them once a year, at Goombay. Catching up with old friends and hanging out with new ones is one of the best things about the festival. How many countless hours standing on the corner between Johnson’s Grocery and Blue Heaven Restaurant talking to friends, I can even begin to calculate, but I can pretty much guarantee that I will be there again next year at Goombay talking to many of the same people that have been there for years.

Louie

Lea, Cricket and Effie







It was a great way to kick off what is always one of the busiest, craziest weeks of the year and no matter what, Goombay always puts me in the mood to enjoy Fantasy Fest. Sometimes the anticipation of what is coming is almost as good as the very thing that you are looking forward to. Here’s to a fantastic Goombay and hopefully a great Fantasy Fest as well.