Long Live the Conch Republic - Key West

From 18 April until the 27th April 2008, the Conch Republic, celebrated for the 26th time, their independence. In these 10 existing days it bustles in Key West like in Germany during carnivals. Everyone is welcomed here and will be immediately involved within the celebrations. Who wants to join this celebration, you must reserve a hotel room in time.

The founding of the Conch Republic was on 23 April 1982. On this day, the United States Border Patrol installed at the entrance to the Keys at the US1 a control point for the monitoring of drugs and illegal immigrants. Because of this the mayor of Key West fears that this would keep away tourists from the Keys and he founded the Conch Republic and declared war towards the United States. After one minute of war, he capitulated and asked for $ 1 billion reconstruction aid. These public actions led to the demolition of the control point after a short time.

This historical event takes place each year with a growing interest and it attracts always visitors from all over the country. Who want to participate in this event should be used to hard-drinking and stay awake the whole night till the sunrise. Most events in this time start at noon and last until the early morning hours.

The official launch of the Independence celebrations was the hoisting of the flag at Fort Taylor and a picnic on the 18.4. This event was also the recruiting event for the military members of “the bloody battle”- another highlight during the Independence Celebration.

On the first weekend there was traditionally drag queen race. In this race between the 700 and 800 block on  both - the costumes and the high-heeled drag queens – compete and were awarded.

On Sunday, 20^th Key West celebrated its annual “Key West Conch Cruiser” show and its music festival. From midday music was played as long as the instruments could be hold by the performers and the voices of the singers could sing.

Until following Thursday the party people could get some rest and make their preparations for the next highlight, the world's longest parade which was on Thursday evening.

The parade connect two great oceans - the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico - and led along on Duval Street to the “Schooner's Wharf”. Participants in this parade were private and business residents of Key West. They were either in decorated vehicles or imaginative costumed on their way down the Duval Street. The most interesting costume this evening was a nearly naked man. And the police ignored it.

To the visitors on the roadside the participants of the parade presented caramels and bead chains. Among visitors was a hunt for the colored plastic beads because each visitor wants to grab as many as possible and decorate themselves with these beads. In accordance to the motto: the more chain, the more honor.

In the numerous bars along the parade route everybody celebrates with each other till the early morning hours.

On Friday evening at sunset it was not the sinking of the sun the most important thing but the "bloody battle" between the U.S. Coast Guard and the Conch Republicans. In this event the declaration of war and the "struggle" against the United States was adapted.

The brave ground troops of the Conch Republic at Mallory Square defended their bastion with cannon fire and were supported by their air force with "toilet paper bombs". With this superior power of the forces the Coast Guard could not resist and had no other choice but to capitulate this time. After the big battle there was a big victory celebration and enemy and friend exchanged their "War Experiences".

On the next day noon started "The Conch Crawl". This is a marathon through the pubs bars of the Old Town of Key West. For this event there is a special Crawl T-shirt. If a participant has this T-Shirt he gets in the various bars special drinks or special food.

 
Parallel to crawl there was a music contest in the "Green Parrot". Local bands compete against each other and this contest attracted so many guests that the listeners stood around the bar on the walkway and the street.

During the afternoon there was another race of a special sort of vehicles: beds. The “racing cars” were beds which were decorated after various slogans. The speed of these vehicles consisted of muscle strength of pushing runners and the construction of the bed.

Starting requirements for participation in the bed-race was it had to have at least one occupant and at least 4 wheels and must be driven by manpower. The track was round about 1650 feet and ranged from the intersection of Duval and Fleming Street to Hog Breath Saloon at the upper end of Duval Street.
 
The racing participants had different fortune. With stable built beds and fast runners everything went fine. But with a high alcohol level it went like the pirates: they had problems with the right direction and speed. They tottered from one street side to the other. The audience on both sides of the street cheered for all participants euphoric at the same way.

The highlight of this eventful day was the Pirate's Ball and a roast pig on a spit in the pirate pub at the historic port of Key West.

The last highlight for this year was held on Sunday noon: the race to the reef of Key West. This race reminded of the past of Key West.

Around 1850 the residents of Key West earned their money from the wrecking. Wrecking is the rescue of survivors and damaged cargo of stranded shops in the area of the Key West. As a reward for their efforts the current owner of the stranded ship had to give a large part of the salvaged cargo to the rescuer. This business was so lucrative that Key West at that time was the richest city in the United States.

This race is started in different categories: large and small sailing ships or sailboats. The boats started at the historic port of Key West where in the former time the rescue boats also started and led to the reef which is located just before the harbor entrance of Key West.

After the award ceremony of the fastest sailor and Sunset Celebration at that day the "Independence celebration" ended with the Stargazer Cruise on Sunday evening.

For this year everything was over. Next year, we meet the Conch Republicans at 27th Anniversary of the Conch Republic in the same place at the same time.

 

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