Key West - Gay Pride Week?

[mwilaby]

Hi all
We are on the June 5, 2004 Magic 7 day Western cruise and getting incredibly excited!

I found out that Key West will begin its PrideFest on June 5, so when the Magic docks in Key West on June 6th the festivities should be in full swing.

Can any fellow Dis-ers tell me what to expect should we venture off the ship that day? How crowded and hectic will it be? How much do people let it all hang out? We have kids with us and just want to know what to expect.

best regards and many belated thanks to everyone for all the terrific information on this site!

 

[ThreeCircles]

I've never been to PrideFest before but I hear that it can get exceptionally busy. I would count on it being busier than normal with large crowds in town.

As to "what people let hang out," I would imagine no more than that which you would see, say, during spring break season.

From what I hear, Fantasy Fest during Halloween is the really crazy and wild time!

Also, if you check <a href="http://www.pridefestkeywest.com/schedule.htm">here</a>, it says the opening ceremony for PrideFest isn't until Monday, June 7. It looks like family-oriented events are taking place on Sunday.

 

["Ginger"]

We've docked twice at Key West during Fantasy Fest Week, you've got nothing to worry about.
We saw some sights, people having fun in crazy costumes, but nothing hanging out. Our DD who is 7 didn't even notice them.

Have a good time and don't forget to try a frozen Key Lime Pies on a stick at the Blond Giraffe .

 

[snelsonbrown]

Pridefest is nothing to be very concern about - believe it or not the gays are who saved Key West from going down the tube many years ago - their pride iwas what they believed in when they started the restoring and building Key West into a proud city - the sad part - it wasn't the gays that started the downhill of morals in Key West -honest - it was what was to follow and that was greed. It will be fine honest -
As always
Shirley

 

[inkkognito]

Personally, I think that would be a great time to visit! Of course, we don't have kids, but that probably wouldn't make a difference to us anyway. We have many gay friends, and they are some of the most fun-loving people I know! I can just imagine partying in Key West with them...good times!
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[KathyTX]

We were docked there on the day of the *huge* Gay Pride parade last year.

There were lots of people around, and the city did have to reroute traffic around some streets to accommodate the parade route. But the crowd was very colorful and interesting and well behaved.

We saw no inappropriate behavior. Just a lot of people who seemed very happy to be together in an accepting atmosphere.

(Actually, the only ugly attitudes or behavior that we witnessed came from cruise guests who expressed distaste regarding the festivities. But they all quickly returned to their staterooms aboard the ships, and the party continued!)

Here's a photo from the very center of the busiest part of the day. This flag was 1 mile long, and volunteers stretched it from the Gulf Coast to the Atlantic. The crowds were only this heavy right along the parade route, during the actual parade...

 

[mwilaby]

Thank you all for your helpful input!