Santa Baby

December 14, 2018

 

Santa Baby

The holiday spirit continued unabated this week in Key West as things continued to ramp up as Christmas draws ever closer. It seems that every night there seems to be one or more activities or events related to the holiday and there is no way to really keep up with everything that is happening, though I must say I am doing my best this season. 

 

The first event that I went to this week was the annual holiday show put on by my friends at Key West Burlesque. I had a table for their opening show in their new home, Sidebar and invited my friends Tom, Greta and Caitlin to see the new show, “Chief Peachy-Poo’s Holiday Revue!”  The show hosted by a festive Chief Peach featured some of Key West Burlesque’s favorite performers and special guest for a night of variety and burlesque performed to a packed sold-out venue.

 

Key West Burlesque founder and star, Tatah DuJour made a triumphant return to performing and the show featured an amazing aerialist who performed acrobatics on a hoop hanging from the ceiling. Perhaps the best part of the show were the songs performed by Chief Peach, who it turns out is a very good singer in addition to being an excellent host of the show.

It was a fun night out and I certainly wish Key West Burlesque nothing but success in their new home, it will be nice to have regularly scheduled burlesque performances in town again, just like the old days of the Red Rooster Review at Kelly’s.  The morning following the burlesque show, I was at another holiday favorite event. This one sponsored by the SPCA and held at the Higgs Beach Dog Park.

 

The fifth annual Parade of Paws and Holiday Bazaar was a fundraising event for the SPCA and featured all manner of vendors and food and the opportunity to have your pet’s photo taken with Santa, which is the main reason that I came out. I actually got Jack to sit briefly with Santa for a photo which turned out pretty good.

 

One of the coolest things about the event is the appearance of Farmer Jeanne from the Monroe County Sheriff’s animal farm and her sidekick Mo the Sloth who were there to promote the animal farm. Mo is pretty cool and patient as he even allowed Jack and other dogs on hand to get a good sniff. I am not sure what Jack could have thought seeing a sloth, but he remained curious but well-behaved.

Probably the biggest and most fun holiday event that I went to this week was the annual Santacon. This gathering of literally hundreds of people all dressed as Santa or in some sort of holiday outfit is a spectacular bar stroll through downtown Key West. It starts at the Conch Republic Seafood Company and this year happened to coincide with the lighted boat parade, making it a holiday themed chaotic mess downtown,

I caught up with the Santa-clad revelers at the Conch Farm and was able to take in the mass of red outfit wearing Santas before they really got underway on their bar stroll. I had tickets to a concert at Coast the same night, so I could not participate in the full event, but was really glad that I went downtown to check it out.

 

I had a bunch of friends who were participating and it looked like it was going to be an amazing night of fun and frivolity. I stayed as long as I could, mingling with the santas and getting photos of those involved. I think next year I am going to commit to doing the entire thing as I hated to have to take off, just as they were on their way to the second stop.