Officials in the Florida Keys are hoping Key West's annual Fantasy Fest will provide crucial revenue needed following Hurricane Irma.
The 10-day schedule of masquerade balls, parties and costume competitions begins Friday and runs through the 29th.
Conceived in 1979 by local business owners to attract visitors to the Keys and tempt snowbirds to return for an earlier start of the lucrative winter season, the festival traditionally brings about 75,000 visitors and $30 million to the Keys each year.
The festival has grown to encompass more than 60 parties, costumed marches, street fairs, and glamorous balls, as well as the show-stopping Fantasy Fest parade.
Its impact on the tourism-based economy, which employs about 50 percent of the local workforce, is critically important this year, as the island chain's tourism was impacted when Hurricane Irma made its way through the Keys on Sept. 10.
Themed "Time Travel Unravels," Fantasy Fest will feature events including:
- A zombie bike ride
- A costume contest for pets
- The exotic Headdress Ball
- A 'Tighty Whitey Party'
- A masquerade march
The festival's highlight is an Oct. 28th evening parade expected to draw tens of thousands of revelers.
For a complete list of Fantasy Fest events, click here.