Tutu Pre Parade

October 22, 2019

 

Beach, Chris and Liz

Lisa and Kathy

with Smokey

Tutu Pre Parade

Tuesday of Fantasy Fest week in Key West is when I think the week of events really hits its stride. I love the vibe of the early part of the week as many of those tourists who show up just for the main weekend have not yet arrived and locals, many who will be busy working in the service industry later in the week to accommodate all those tourists have a chance to get out and enjoy some Fantasy Fest fun.

Jenn

Q-Mitch

 

Liz

That is why I thought that the creation of Tutu Tuesday some 11 years ago was a stroke of genius and it has now wholly encompassed the island community, become an official part of Fantasy Fest and grown by leaps and bounds where almost everyone, even if they are attending something other than the Tutu party itself seems to be wearing a tutu. Even some of the local mail carriers can be seen delivering their routes wearing tutus.

 

I started out my Tutu Tuesday by attending the annual Beach Bash at the Southernmost Café at South Beach. This is a fun beach party that features entertainment by one of the most popular live bands in Key West, Patrick and the Swayzes.  This band is a high energy jolt of fun and while they do not play as often here in their homw base as they once did, they return during Fantasy Fest each year to provide a rockin soundtrack to any number of Fantasy Fest parties.

 

Les Greene is one of the most fun and dynamic performers you will ever see and the band is solid and tight as they play a mix of originals and surf covers, 60s standards and more. I must have seen them play 100 times and it still never gets old and the crowds during Fantasy Fest really respond, making them a highly sought after band for numerous parties and the perfect choice for the Beach Bash.

Les 

Liam

Tutu Tuesday is dominated by the ubiquitous tutu, a truly underappreciated clothing option and thousands of people donning the tutu is truly a sight to behold. The official Tutu festivities begin in the early evening in what has become a wonderful annual addition to the Tutu party, the Tutu Pre-parade. In the beginning of Tutu madness there was a sort of disorganized march from the old Porch bar to the location of the Tutus for those pre-gaming the party, and that tradition was made official a few years ago.

Bethany, Jeremy and Kathy

 

Beau

This year the official organized march started as you might expect at the wonderful new addition to the Key West bar scene, 2-2 and Company. Located next to Side Bar behind the Aqua nightclub, the bar celebrates the Tutu year round and is the perfect starting location for the more than 300 people who purchased a special pass that includes both the parade and entrance to the official tutu party at General Horseplay.

James and Carol

More of a bar stroll than a true parade, the mass marches from 2-2 to MaryEllen’s Bar, then to First Flight, then to the Tiki Hut, Shots and Giggles before making its way to the official party. Free drinks at each location for those participating, the crowd becomes basically a moving party as they move towards the final destination.  The crowd swells as people who are not official participants join in or just gather to witness the mayhem and a police escort keeps everyone safe and moving along the route. It takes about ninety minutes and is a fun way to kick things off. While it used to be almost exclusively locals participating, now it is mostly visitors, fun and well informed visitors but I still miss some of my favorite locals.

 

Arrival at General Horseplay where the official Tutu party was held for the second straight year, basically having outgrown every previous location, was the end of the line for the pre-paraders, but really just the start of what is always one of the best parties in Key West annually and one of the highlights of Fantasy Fest week.

https://www.patrickandtheswayzees.com/

Manic Monday

October 22, 2019

Belle

 

Manic Monday

You might think that after the night of craziness that is the Zombie Bike Ride that Monday might bring a bit of respite or a gradual easing into the Fantasy Fest week, you would be wrong. Monday kicked the Fantasy Fest activities into high gear and we had a full schedule of fun events and activities to get the week started on the right foot.

 

My first stop was at the Perry Hotel which was hosting an all-afternoon Duck, Duck Booze themed pool party at the hotel pool. I must say the people at the Perry are awesome and they throw a great party. The Duck themed party was fantastic as they went all out with cool floats, decorations and libations. Sponsored in part by the yummy BSB (Brown Sugar Bourbon), the event was way more crowded than the first incarnation that was held last year and faced all sorts of road construction issues that kept some away.

 

This year was a terrific success as the weather was hot and perfect for the event and the festive mood and excellent DJ kept the party atmosphere going throughout the day. This is a great early week party and a fun way to start a busy Monday. The next major event that we attended was the annual Heroes and Villains 5K run that is put on each year by our friends at Theme Runs.

This is yet another awesome family friendly event that has become a staple of Fantasy Fest week. The event starts and finishes at the Southernmost Resort and the course runs through Key West streets including a stretch down Whitehead and Duval Streets as well as heading out White Street Pier.

 

 

 

Literally hundreds of costumed runners participate all dressed as their favorite superhero or villain. Both serious runners as well as those more interested in just wearing a costume and enjoying a cold beverage and some food at the awards ceremony luau that is held on South Beach at the conclusion of the run are on hand in force.

 

It was another good turnout on what was a warm and very humid night making conditions a little tougher for the runners and walkers than usual. It did not seem to dampen the spirits of the hundreds of costumed participants. I think the breakdown between locals and out of town visitors is pretty equal, theme runs has a loyal local following of runners and walkers and that base is expanded by those who just want another reason to dress up, which seems to be a pretty much daily experience here in Key West.

Virginia

It takes about an hour before the last walkers stagger across the finish, the winners come across in about eighteen minutes, but I was not able to stay around and watch the victory celebrations because Kathy and I had tickets to what is the hottest ticket in town this week, the completely sold out run of the Rocky Horror Show at the Waterfront Playhouse. 

I had seen a sneak preview of the show when the cast performed a medley of songs at the Coronation Ball and was very excited and feeling very lucky to have scored tickets to the show that everyone in town seemed to be talking about, especially those scrambling to get tickets after the terrific word of mouth that the show generated. We were not to be disappointed as the production was truly awesome and the most fun we have had at a Key West Theater in ages. Kudos to everyone involved in this amazing show