“Dragsters” sporting high-heeled shoes instead of monster wheels sprinted along a challenging course Saturday afternoon at Key West Great Conch Republic Drag Race.
Female impersonators, sometimes called drag queens, participated in the wacky competition wearing full makeup, wigs and startlingly high heels. They attempted to dash down Duval Street — Key West’s aptly nicknamed “main drag” — faster than their rivals while avoiding spills and broken heels.
Contestants were required to navigate an obstacle course of tires, “walk the plank” and be pushed in shopping carts in front of a crowd of spectators. Crashes and falls occurred as the “divas” tried to outpace each other.
Notable entrants included a flashy blonde wearing a leopard-print mini-dress and a red-garbed “cowgirl” in a bikini top and matching wide-brimmed hat.
Presented by the Bourbon St. Pub Complex, the drag racw was part of the 35th annual Conch Republic Independence Celebration commemorating the Florida Keys’ symbolic 1982 secession from the United States, prompted by an unexpected installation of a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint at the top of the Florida Keys Overseas Highway.
The celebration continues through Sunday.
