You don’t want to talk too much about the energy of things, lest anyone think you’re the
crystal-rubbing, aura-seeing kind. But man, the energy coming from the crowd during the Oct. 29 Fantasy Fest Parade was just so palpable. After its three-year absence, it just felt refreshing and, well, good.
Some people dressed up, some people didn’t, but nearly everyone seemed genuinely happy to be there. (Some were perhaps even ecstatic.)
The lead float was assembled by Tony Baltimore and the crew at Wonderdog Studios, and sponsored by Conch Town Records. Baltimore and his band played songs that were written and recorded here in Key West. There was a lot of dancing in the parade AND in the crowds.
Years ago the photographer Paul Fusco covered the funeral services for Robert F. Kennedy for Look magazine. Instead of shooting ceremonies and a flag-draped casket, Fusco rode the funeral train as it made its way across the countryside and photographed the crowds lining the route.
A lot of them are blurry, flawed photographs, but in the best way. They stop me in my tracks every time I see one.
The raffish wholesomeness (wholesome raffishness?) that comprises much of Fantasy Fest is, of course, the polar opposite of a somber funeral procession. But I’ve always tried to take Fusco’s lessons to heart – and look the other way, if only to see what’s there.
I’ve walked along with the parade during its last few iterations and have always found it rewarding to take pictures of the crowds.
Though the on-float and in-costume images are definitely the main show, the sidelines can be great, too. And really, what’s the point of a parade if no one is watching?
