Rock legends. Disco divas. Broadway showstoppers. And a whole lotta Margaritaville.
Key West cranked up the volume Saturday night when its legendary Fantasy Fest Parade transformed Duval Street into a full-on spectacle of music, costumes and larger-than-life creativity.
Tens of thousands of spectators lined the streets and rooftops for the Deep Eddy Vodka Fantasy Fest Parade, the grand finale of the island’s 10-day costuming celebration.
This year’s theme? “Musical Icons and Iconic Musicals.” And the performances were every bit as spectacular as the costumes themselves.
“The Greatest Showman” brought the circus to town, with a giant elephant, towering 12-foot puppets and 125 performers.
“Les Misérables” met rapper Pitbull in an unlikely pairing of barricades, fireball cannons and Latin rhythms.
“Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” made a grand entrance atop an enormous silver stiletto. “Grease” got a tropical twist. “Moulin Rouge!” delivered feathers, corsets and cabaret glamour. And “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” added its own outrageous flair.
Then came the music legends.
A Village People tribute brought the disco swagger. Meanwhile, revelers dressed as Diana Ross, Cher, Donna Summer and the Bee Gees turned back the clock to Studio 54, pedaling through the streets in a rolling tribute to disco’s golden era. And 41 years after Jimmy Buffett served as the parade’s co-grand marshal, a smoking volcano rolled down Duval Street as revelers sang along to “Margaritaville.”
Rock royalty joined the parade, too. The crowd went wild for an Ozzy Osbourne tribute atop a smoke-blowing forklift, with a Dolly Parton double and Key West’s famously haunted Robert the Doll along for the ride.
Even Ernest Hemingway’s celebrated six-toed cats got their moment in the spotlight when the Hemingway Home traded the running of the bulls for a whimsical running of the cats.
Thirty parade entries competed for $21,000 in prize money across eight categories, including a $6,000 Grand Prize for Best Overall.
And beyond the glitter and glamour, the celebration gave back. Fantasy Fest’s royal court raised more than $200,000 for the Florida Keys SPCA.
The 10-day festival wraps up Sunday, October 25. But the next act is already on the calendar.
Fantasy Fest returns October 22–31, 2027, with the theme “Summer Camp Couture.”
To learn more, visit fantasyfest.com.
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