Key West Cancels All Sanctioned Events For 2020 Including Fantasy Fest

Conch Republic Also Cancels Hemingway Days & Meeting Of The Minds

By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Blogger

The Conch Republic is conked out from the coronavirus, as the remainder of all the sanctioned events for 2020 in Key West have been canceled.

That includes the biggest of them all, Fantasy Fest, the week-long series of parties, a parade, costumes and cocktails. Other events that have been canceled include Hemingway Days the end of July and Meeting of the Minds, tho several TropRock artists are still planning to perform at various locations in Key West in early November.

“For the first time in 41 years we will be unable to welcome our beloved Fantasy Fest merrymakers, glitter goddesses, leather clad lads, and costumed cohorts to our zany island for the most epic ten days of the year,” Festival Director Nadene Grossman Orr posted on the event’s website, Fantasy Fest.com.

Taking place the last week of October each year (around Halloween), the organizers set the date for the 2021 festival for Oct 22-31. They also set up the a Fantasy Fest Fund to help the island’s waitstaff, bellhops, taxi drivers, musicians, artists, photographers, all of whom will miss a lot of work because of the cancelation.

“Together we can harness this amazing Fantasy Fest love & energy to rise up and create brighter days for our community!,” Orr wrote. “We have our sights set on the future and Fantasy Fest 2021 and we can’t wait to celebrate!!!”

Hemingway Days, a Ernest Hemingway look-alike week with a contest at Sloppy Joe’s bar serving as the centerpiece event, was supposed to tape place July 21-26. he 2010 dates are July 22-24.

For details on the TropRock unofficial festival, check out  TropRockStrong.com, and to hear some of the musicians who will be performing, listen to RadioTropRock.com. This is scheduled for the October 26-Nov. 1.