Editorial Dan brought out of retirement Founder, leader and master magician Dan Mulcahy was coerced out of retirement and helped design and build our entry for the 2012 Fantasy Fest Parade, The Four Horsemen of the A-Conch-Alypse. Our first float together was the Scotty’s “Tool Time” we did in 1997. Dan had been doing floats for 5 or 6 years even before that, including work for the King and Queen, Atlantic Shores and others. The theme for the float was "The 4 Horsemen of the A-Conch-Alypse", but instead of riders on horseback, the 4 plagues of Key West were an Iguana, White Fly, Lion Fish and Chicken. Walkers were "exterminators" in yellow jump suits (from www.themanstoreonline.com) with green pesticide tanks on their backs, defending Key West from its mortal enemies. The Headdress Ball Rochelle takes 2nd place in the annual Key West Business Guild’s Headdress Ball contest with her terrifying "Pandora’s Box" A gigantic contraption filled with snakes, bugs, spiders and CHICKENS! Robin, (Rochelle’s personal wardrobe malfunction prevention assistant) had the task of helping "Open The Box", at which point several people gasped and a few fainted. Just kidding. Actually it was a huge sensation, and everyone stood and cheered cause the box was so cool. Dan, Fernando and Nancy also participated in the Headdress Ball this year. Fernando made 2 awesome detailed Mayan Animal Spirit sculptures out of Styrofoam using a heat-wire knife he made himself. Dan’s costume was also extremely detailed. There’s one photo in the line up area taken by M-J where Dan looks like a still-frame from a Japanese SciFi movie. Robin travels all the way from Seattle to be on float. One of our original Minions and senior member Robin flies all the way in from Seattle to be with us this year. Her costume "Lord of the Flies" was amazing and completed the fearless foursome. Robin makes some of the best costumes of all the Minions for the past 15 years. ABDUCTED The Minions welcomes 2 new members, long time friends but parade newbies Stan and Marlynn are now, whether they agree to it or not, officially Minions. Stan took most of the photographs for the slide show, and the thing I like about Marlyn’s photo is not only is she in costume, wearing beads, and having a blast in the Fantasy Fest parade, but she’s got her Vodka bottle shoved down the front of her shirt... just like a seasoned pro. THAT’S Fantasy Fest All 4 Minions on float at same time. Normally I prefer just to be a walker. When the jump suits arrived in the mail, I tried one on and ran around the house in it for like an hour. Then Dan mentioned that we had all 4 never been on the float together at the same time, and persuaded me into being a rider. The 4 original members did get to ride together for the first time and it was a lot of fun. Dan, Rochelle and Robin did a great job and everyone said the float was definitely very nearly terrifying. Zombie Ride The Zombie Bicycle Ride totally stole the show this year. Normally the Christmas Ride or the Masquerade March draw about 200 or 300 people. This year there were over 5,000 Zombies riding around town. It wasn’t so much of a ride as an invasion. It took over an hour for all the Zombies to ride by, and that was even –after- the cops blocked off the street. There were Zombies everywhere and it can only be imagined what will happen next year. Great looking video and photos Congratulations "Soundwave Tap Co." for winning 1st place for the 2012 Fantasy Fest parade with their "Who'ers Ark". Not only did these guys have some of the best costumes in the parade, they also have some of the best photos ever taken of Fantasy Fest. This year, thanks to a myriad of photographers, Key West has some of the best video and photographs of the parade ever. Out of all the photographs from the media area, at least a dozen of them are solid 10's. One of the best photos ever, taken by Lucy Watson aboard the Who'ers Ark Float. Two friends in costume hug against a backdrop of high tech equipment while holding the latest electronic gadget. The thing I like about this photo is, it's not a club in South Beach or a rave in Ibiza, this is the Fantasy Fest Parade. Vintage Year. The video of the parade is the best it's been in over a decade. Everyone was so creative and smart, inspired, dedicated, and the genuine expression of pure joy on people's faces is priceless. It was beautiful and colorful, fun and exciting. We are so lucky to have an event like this. It is unequaled anywhere in the world and it is a joy and a privilege to be a part of it.