Fantasy Fest: Key West's Biggest Party
Every October, Key West trades its usual laid-back pace for ten days of costumes, parades, and citywide celebration. Fantasy Fest 2026 runs October 16 through 25, and it's the island's biggest event of the year, drawing tens of thousands of visitors to Duval Street and beyond.
If you're planning to be here for it, here's what to know, and why Marrero's Guest Mansion is the place to base yourself.
What Is Fantasy Fest?
Fantasy Fest started in 1979, when a handful of local business owners looked for a way to draw visitors during Key West's slow season. It's grown into one of the largest costume festivals in the country: a ten-day celebration built around a different theme each year, elaborate handmade costumes, body paint, masquerade balls, and a nonstop calendar of street parties across Old Town.
The 2026 theme is "Musical Icons and Iconic Musicals," so expect plenty of Bowie, Gaga, Elton John, and Broadway showstoppers making their way down Duval Street.
The Key Dates
October 16–25: Fantasy Fest runs the full ten days, with events happening across Old Town from morning street fairs to late-night parties.
Friday, October 23: Captain Morgan's Masquerade March, known locally as the Locals' Parade, steps off at 5:30 p.m. from Frances and Petronia and winds through Old Town.
Saturday, October 24: The Fantasy Fest Parade, the festival's headline event, takes over Duval Street starting at 7 p.m.
Most street events, including the parade, are free to watch. Ticketed events like the masquerade balls can sell out well ahead, so it's worth checking the schedule at fantasyfest.com early if there's a specific party on your list.
Why Stay at Marrero's for Fantasy Fest
Duval Street is the heart of the action, and Marrero's Guest Mansion sits just half a block off it, close enough to walk to everything without staying directly in the middle of the noise. After a full day of parades and street parties, that half-block makes a real difference.
It also helps that you're staying somewhere with its own character. Marrero's is a restored 1890s mansion with twelve individually designed guest rooms, each with its own hand-selected artwork, so you're not coming back to a generic hotel room between events. It's adults only, and the complimentary happy hour is a good place to compare costumes before heading back out.
There's a symmetry to it. Fantasy Fest turns Duval into an open-air gallery of wearable art for ten days, and Marrero's has been quietly collecting art inside a historic mansion for years.
It's the kind of place where the quiet, historic setting balances out the noise and energy of the festival outside.
Rooms fill up fast for Fantasy Fest, often months in advance, so if you're planning to be in Key West for the festival, we'd suggest booking sooner rather than later.
Marrero's Guest Mansion is half a block from Duval Street in the heart of Old Town Key West. Book your Fantasy Fest stay with us while rooms are still open.
