Florida’s ‘Fantasy Fest’ ends with increased emphasis on costumes and less on decadence

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) — The 10-day Fantasy Fest costuming and masking celebration is ending in Key West, after some 100 events with an increased emphasis on imaginative costuming and decreases in past years’ decadence. Tens of thousands of spectators thronged the subtropical island’s historic downtown Saturday night for Fantasy Fest’s highlight event, a parade featuring over 40 motorized floats and costumed marching groups. Illustrating the festival’s move toward a more PG-rated focus, its 2023 theme was “Uniforms and Unicorns … 200 Years of Sailing into Fantasy.” That a salute to the Florida Keys’ bicentennial and that of the U.S. Navy’s presence in Key West.