KEY WEST, Fla. — High heels instead of high octane powered the 11 contestants in Key West’s annual Conch (pronounced KONK) Republic Drag Race, a madcap challenge for female impersonators that took place Saturday afternoon.
The playful parody of auto racing featured men in drag — complete with wigs, dresses, makeup and high heels — dashing along Duval Street, Key West’s aptly nicknamed “main drag.”
While attempting to outpace their rivals, they navigated an obstacle course of tires, “walked the plank” and competed in a heat with shopping-cart “hot rods.”
The most notable entrants included a diva in a pink skirt, matching pink wig and gauze wings; a blonde mini-skirted “sailor” in high red boots; and a charmer in a sequined frock and full beard — who carried a doll throughout the race.
Spectators lined the street to watch the “girls” sprint and stagger along the course despite dramatic falls, broken heels and other upsets caused by “road hazards.”
The wacky race was part of Key West’s 42nd annual Conch Republic Independence Celebration. The 10-day festival commemorates the Florida Keys’ 1982 mock secession from the United States and formation of the republic — in protest to the installation of a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint at the head of the Florida Keys Overseas Highway.
The 2024 celebration runs through Sunday, April 28, with other events including a lighthearted sea battle featuring tall ships, a race of decorated beds and a Duval Street parade billed as “the world’s longest.”
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