Fantasy Fest in Key West
bthorn
I don't know if this is the right group or not but here goes. Can
anyone tell me whether Fantasy Fest is still on for this year?
I heard that they canceled it rather than going along with all
the proposed restrictions. Its just as well, since I heard that 1993 was
the worst and it wouldn't be worth going all the way to Key West for a
replay of that.
--ben
--
Ben Thornton Amateur call: WD5HLS
Internet: bth...@bga.com
CAUTION: Clothing has been shown to cause extreme psychological
dependence upon textiles. Wear them at your own risk.
Al Kelley
bthorn wrote:
>
> I don't know if this is the right group or not but here goes. Can
> anyone tell me whether Fantasy Fest is still on for this year?
>
> I heard that they canceled it rather than going along with all
> the proposed restrictions. Its just as well, since I heard that 1993 was
> the worst and it wouldn't be worth going all the way to Key West for a
> replay of that.
>
> --ben
>
>
As I'vre posted previously in this gtoup, Yes, Fantasy Fest is still
scheduled. The new restrictions will not be a replay of 1993. The
problems that year were many. They had barracades preventing people from
getting in the street, police every three feet, a police helicopter in
the sky, etc. This year promises not to be as bad. At a rcent city
commission meeting, they did agree to outlaw bodypainting, but I don't
think it will be enforced very strongly. As to drinking, the drinking
zones include almost all of Duval, Simonton and Whitehead Streets, and
all connecting streets between them.
Our city commission learned their lesson in 1993. Hailed as the
worst Fantasy Fest ever, the commission does not want a repeat. Our city
lives on tourism, and Fantasy Fest is the second largest fundraiser (Next
to Mike Horne's Poker Run).
Al Kelley
Karen Maleske
Good response--problem is: libidos and booze-- love them both--indulge
in both--however; lots of "kids" have no damm sense or discretion about
where or when displaying their carnal desires are appropriate nor do they
care less; ergo, lock their asses up "fine" them big time. Then maybe
Fantesy Fest will survive!
John Meaker
Al Kelley (kwes...@key.net) wrote:
> As I'vre posted previously in this gtoup, Yes, Fantasy Fest is still
> scheduled. The new restrictions will not be a replay of 1993.
They sound about the same to me. A dress code has been instituted by
the City Commission. The visitors to Key West will have to wonder whether
the costumes that they planned to wear will get them arrested or not, so
most people will be conservative rather than risk arrest. Why arrive on
vacation only to leave on probation?
And like 1993 they will be upset that they spent their hard earned
vacation money and time to visit the Keys. They will leave with a bitter
taste in their mouths. This time it will take more than one "Make or
Break" year before the tourists will return. Many people will accept one
"mistake" but if you folks start changing the rules every couple of years
or so, the tourists will just stop going to Fantasy Fest.
> The
> problems that year were many. They had barracades preventing people from
> getting in the street, police every three feet, a police helicopter in
> the sky, etc. This year promises not to be as bad.
I thought all those little extra touches were designed by the Fantasy
Fest Committee to help create the true ambiance of the 60s. I'm really
disappointed to hear the truth ;)
(Police every three feet hmm . . . 2 miles is 10,000 + feet . . .
divided by three . . . Yikes over 3,000 cops . . . at $35 per hour . . .
Yikes, thats over 3/4 million bucks just for cops for the parade alone.
No wonder it's so durned expensive in the Keys)
> At a rcent city
> commission meeting, they did agree to outlaw bodypainting, but I don't
> think it will be enforced very strongly.
From the tourists perspective, why risk it? Just put up with the
extra rules this year and go to the Caymans for Pirate Week next year.
> As to drinking, the drinking
> zones include almost all of Duval, Simonton and Whitehead Streets, and
> all connecting streets between them.
Thats nice. If you can't have fun, at least you can get sloshed.
Sounds like its worth the cost ;-)
> Our city commission learned their lesson in 1993. Hailed as the
> worst Fantasy Fest ever, the commission does not want a repeat.
Anyone who says that the Key West City Commission is capable of
learning anything is either lying or extremely naive. Isn't Jimmy Weekly
the only one who was on the commission in 1993 who voted on the dress
code? Wasn't he the *only* vote against it? OK maybe Jimmy is capable of
learning, but the rest of the commission? Give me a break.
Just a minor correction. I'd say that the worst Fantasy Fest ever was
'82 (or '84) when the police tried to start a riot on Duval Street. Back
then the crowds were small and pretty laid back and nothing really big
came from it though. Didn't the police chief say later that the crowds
were much better behaved than the police force was? The police *did*
learn their lesson from that one and I'm sure that we won't see a repeat
of that.
> Our city
> lives on tourism, and Fantasy Fest is the second largest fundraiser (Next
> to Mike Horne's Poker Run).
If you folks down there don't stop messing with it, Fantasy Fest will
rank right behind "Old Island Days" for generating tourist dollars for the
Keys.
--
Clothes make the man. Naked people | "I am not responsible"
have little or no influence on society. | John Meaker -=- kr4ah
-- Mark Twain | Austin, Texas.
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