36th Annual Headdress Ball

Nothing says “Fantasy Fest®” more than feathers, glitter and glue. You’re guaranteed to see a lot of it during the 36th Annual Headdress Ball coming up on Thursday, October 25. Yes, we all know that there are tons of great costume parties during Fantasy Fest’s® 10 days of debauchery, but Key West’s annual Headdress Ball literally tops them all. Mind you, this is no run-of-the-mill costume competition. No, no, no – this one is heads above the rest and includes incredibly elaborate masks and headdresses that can take weeks to create. With a first-place award of $3,000, contestants, who are only judged from the head up, have been known to combine laser and LED lighting, fog machines and even intricate moving parts into their oneof- a-kind headdresses.

Emceed by local actor and funnyman Tom Luna, this off-the-charts annual fundraiser for the Key West Business Guild, (the nation’s oldest gay and lesbian Chamber of Commerce) is one fantastical night and draws upwardsof 500 people. In addition to the 25+ contestants, female illusionists Randy Roberts and Christopher Peterson will also take to the stage along with several other highly acclaimed performers. Local vendors, food by Great Events Catering and bar service by Aqua Nightclub round out the party. Gates open at 6:30pm and the high energy Main Stage show starts at 8pm with four-top table seating and a new expanded General Admission section on a raised grass area. You can find the Key West Amphitheater at Truman Waterfront Park which is located off Whitehead Street at the end of Southard. Rain date is Friday, October 26. Info: 305-294-4603; headdressballkeywest. com. FYI: The is always a sell-out event so snag your tickets early at keystix.com.