Curated event
Fantasy Fest 2026 in Key West: dates, the parade and how to plan the drive down
Fantasy Fest takes over Key West from October 16 to 25, 2026 under the theme Musical Icons and Iconic Musicals, ending with the parade down Duval Street on Saturday, October 24 at 7 p.m. It is the island's most crowded and most expensive week, and rooms and the Overseas Highway both need planning.
- Dates: October 16–25, 2026
- Venue: Old Town Key West and Duval Street, Key West
- Organised by: Fantasy Fest (presented in part by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and We've Got the Keys)
- Admission: Free areas and ticketed areas
- Checked: September 11, 2026
Decide whether the costumed street party is the reason for the trip or the reason to avoid it. If it is the reason, book Old Town months ahead and arrive before the final weekend; if not, the Keys are quieter and cheaper the week after, and Key West itself is calmer before the 16th.
Schedule
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Friday, October 16, 2026 | Fantasy Fest opens |
| Saturday, October 24, 2026 | Fantasy Fest Parade on Duval Streetfrom 19:00 |
| Sunday, October 25, 2026 | Final day |
Dates and hours come from the organisers' announcements and can change. Check them once more before setting out.
Official tickets and registration · The street events and the parade are free to watch; balls, parties and some venues sell tickets.
The event
Fantasy Fest is Key West's ten-day adult costume festival, running in 2026 from Friday, October 16 to Sunday, October 25 under the theme Musical Icons and Iconic Musicals. The programme includes the Masquerade March, the Goombay Festival, the Royal Coronation, the Headdress Ball, the Pet Masquerade and a mile-long Duval Street fair.
The peak is the parade on Saturday, October 24 at 7 p.m. on Duval Street. Much of the festival is adult in tone; the Goombay Festival in Bahama Village is the family-friendly weekend at the start.
Rooms and the road
Key West's rooms sell out for the final weekend far ahead, and rates across the island rise for the full ten days. The Overseas Highway is the only road in, and the drive from Miami stretches on festival weekends; the Key West airport and the ferry from Fort Myers are the alternatives.
If the festival is not the point, the week after it is one of the Keys' best-value windows: warm water, thinner crowds and rates that drop fast.
Good to know
- Costumes and body paint are part of the street scene from the final Thursday on; families should plan around the Goombay weekend instead.
- Parking in Old Town is scarce every day of the festival; leave the car at the hotel.
- Confirm the daily schedule and any ticketed events on the festival's site in October.
Where to stay for Fantasy Fest
Old Town puts Duval Street on foot; the rest of the Keys puts distance between you and it. This guide compares Florida's coasts and the Keys as bases, with live availability for your dates.
- Florida's Atlantic coast vs the Gulf vs the KeysThe choice of where to stay, with live stays for your dates.
- Key WestThe area page with the checked places.
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Fix the Fantasy Fest nights and the drive down first; then compare a Key West boat trip or snorkel outing for the daytime hours.
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Sources and transparency:Key West Chamber of Commerce: Fantasy Fest 2026 kicks off October 16 (dates, theme, programme, presenters) (checked 2026-09-11)Florida Keys Weekly: Fantasy Fest 2026 (parade date and time) (checked 2026-09-11)Not a paid listing.Editorial policyFull agenda