Key West's Goombay Festival to Blend Music and Island Flair Oct. 21-22

KEY WEST, Florida Keys — Revelers can enjoy music, food and a high-energy celebration of the cultural connection between Key West and the Bahamas at the annual Goombay street festival set for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21-22.

The lively festival is centered on Petronia Street, just off Key West's famed Duval Street in the heart of the historic Bahama Village neighborhood. The fun runs from noon to midnight both days.

Each year Goombay attracts thousands of people who view and purchase island arts and crafts, savor the flavors of vendors' ethnic and multicultural delicacies, and spend two rocking evenings dancing in the streets.

The crowd typically blends national and international visitors and Keys residents who have made attending the event a local tradition.

Foods to be purchased include conch fritters and salads, fried fish, black beans and rice, Key lime pie and other delicacies associated with Key West and its Bahamian neighbors.

Live music is to focus on Caribbean-influenced entertainers with a lineup including Les Christophiles de Floride, the Caribbean Explosion soca/reggae band, Athena Storm, Bubba System, Cliff Sawyer, Robert Albury, Coffee Butler, the Taylor Girlz and students from the Bahama Village Music Program and Steel Your Heart Band.

Other planned festival highlights include an opening night ceremony Friday and a nightly Junkanoo Rush of costumed marchers through Bahama Village.

Goombay weekend marks the beginning of Fantasy Fest, the island city's 10-day masking and costuming gala, scheduled Friday, Oct. 21, through Sunday, Oct. 30.

Event information: keywestgoombay.com

Key West visitor information: fla-keys.com/keywest or 1-800-LAST-KEY

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