Photos By Natasha Mc.

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The anticipated Fantasy Fest celebration was finally here!! I was waiting for this, couldn’t eat or sleep for a week prior to this event.

Well ah had two options, it was either to take a bus ride down to Key West or drive down with friends for the entire weekend. Now de bus ride going down to the Keys goes something like this - the bus leaves Miami on the event day, Sat morning around 11am, and arrives in the Keys about 3pm. After the event, the bus leaves around 1am and goes back up to Miami. And I hear real jamishiness does go on de bus too!! Most of these bus rides are also all inclusive, so by the time you reach, you already done juiced up!! I opted for the entire weekend because I wanted to take in some of the early festivities, and also enjoy the beach.

So from Friday, me and de girlfriends (we left all de men at home ... no sense taking sand to the beach ), drove down to Key West. The ride wasn’t too bad, in about 3 and half hours we were there. We checked into the Casa Marina Hotel which was located right in the middle of the festivities, so everywhere was within walking distance from the hotel.

Friday night is the Fantasy Fest Street Fair, which is on the entire mile-long Duval Street. The Fantasy Fest Fair consists of activities like body airbrush painting, music, entertainment, food, drinks and the night clubs. That night we went to Sloppy Joe’s on Duval Street, where we met up with some familiar faces from Miami like Gen X, Isles of Rhumb, Rambo and Crew. It look like dem South FL promoters had a conference while they took in some live entertainment. Also on Friday night, is costume night, so there were some characters, there were even some without costumes!! The night life was great .. I vaguely remember how I got back to the hotel, oh well.

On Saturday - the main event day, we started by taking in some rays, followed by some Swedish massages, that’s the life! Called the boss, Daddy Chooks, to discuss de agenda, and to rub in the fact that I was laying on the beach, while he was working hard on the website and freezing up North!! Ah reached on Duval Street around 3pm, and ah started seeing some more familiar faces in the crowd. Ah say to myself, the buses reach!

The parade theme this year was, “Pirates, Pundits and Political Party Animals.” The parade begins from the southern most point of Key West and goes about four miles through the city. It’s also customary for people to dress up in costumes or parade with body paint. You must have an open mind to attend Fantasy Fest; I know the men love the scenery and other things. There were numerous places on Duval Street that offered body airbrushing. Those artists got creative with some folks, and designed paintings to suit the people’s body types.

Parade started around 8ish, and Rambo Promotions brought down de music truck. Eternal Vibes and New York's Back to Basics kept the soca chunes on point. De truck was the last in the parade line up, after the Captain Morgan float .. they saved the best for last!! We were chipping down de road alongside the music truck with China Mas, Mascots, Gen X and One Island Body Paint Band all parading together. Hopefully, South Florida will get back to just one Carnival one day, because seeing all these bands parade together in the Keys was the closest thing to Trinidad Carnival. Mind you, I have been to many Carnival’s in the States, and in my opinion this was by far de BEST!! Several people even wore their carnival costumes.

It took us about four hours to complete the route .. nothing beats jumping on the road for Carnival. Talk bout breakway .. de only time I breakaway is in sweet T&T, so you know the vibes had to be off the chain!! Even de locals were jumping, wining and waving with us. The parade finished around 1am, and everybody at that point were getting in their last jump up before having to board the buses. We on the other hand, went back to de hotel to crash. Next day, after sleeping in, it was time to check out and drive back to Miami. Can’t wait for next year! Ah probably ga do some body paint action!!

Bruckway,
Sig Juice (Party Scene Investigation)

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Fantasy Fest 2007