Revelers descend on Key West for Halloween fest

KEY WEST, Fla. (AP) -- Key West's annual over-the-top Fantasy Fest ends Sunday with activities for kids in a local park, but most events at the 10-day celebration of Halloween decadence were adult-oriented.

More than 55,000 revelers were expected for the Fantasy Fest parade Saturday night, the centerpiece of this island city's annual costuming and masking festival where body-painted revelers were permitted along the route.

More than 50 lavishly decorated motorized floats, Caribbean bands and marching groups were in the parade's lineup roster.

Many parade entries featured the festival theme, "Villains, Vixens, and Vampires," or satirized current national concerns. Standouts include a float starring television personality and parade grand marshal Bridget Marquardt as a seductive vampire bat, a delegation of disco-dancing Draculas, "Bonnie and Clyde's Stimulus Package" and a group portraying "blood-sucking capitalists."

"I'm from 'Playboy' parties, and I think less is better," said Marquardt, who gained fame on the reality show "Girls Next Door," as one of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner's playmates. "The body painting, the lingerie and less -- I love it."

Fantasy Fest features more than 40 events, including a costume contest for pets and their owners.

Thousands of locals and visitors participated in a Masquerade March through Old Town Friday evening. Revelers costumed themselves to mock current topics including swine flu, reality television stars Jon and Kate Gosselin and David Letterman's recent admission of having sex with female employees.

Tourism officials said the festival, now in its 30th year, brings approximately $30 million in revenues to the Florida Keys.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)