Coronation Ball Kicks Off Ten-Day Fantasy Fest In Key West

At the Friday night coronation ball, locals Mark Patterson and Liz Ketcham were crowned king and queen of the 10-day festival. Aspiring royals campaigned by raising money for the Florida Keys' AIDS Help organization. They collected nearly $142,000.

Officials say the flamboyant annual festival has a $30 million impact in the Keys. The first Fantasy Fest was in 1979.

Fantasy Fest culminates Oct. 27 with a nighttime parade featuring costumed marching groups, Caribbean bands and floats.

This year's theme, "A-Conch-Alypse," spoofs an ancient apocalypse prophecy. The Florida Keys island chain was nicknamed the "Conch Republic" after a tongue-in-cheek secession from the U.S. in 1982.

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