Nothing succeededs like...secess? The Conch Republic Anniversary Celebration

            Sure, a lot of cranks these days talk about cessation but only the unique breed of people who can put up with the extreme mix of luxury and danger that is Key West have ever had the nads to do anything about it.
            In 1982 Key West officially seceded from the US in protest of a border patrol station set up north of Key Largo, ostensibly to check drug trafficking in the area. If they were going to be treated like a foreign country, dammit, they would become one. Key West withdrew from America, called itself The Conch Republica, fired a single “warning shot” which was a loaf of stale Cuban bread, immediately surrended and applied for foreign aid. The global media attention drawn by this genius PR move got the border station removed and gave Key West another reason to throw an annual party.        
     Here's the Conch Republic Anniversary Celebration schedule of events, starting with a Fairvilla Megastore lingerie fashion show at Shanna Key Irish Pub, moving on to Friday’s re-enactment of the Bloody Battle a bit of high seas theater in which the Conch Republicans “fight” the actual Coast Guard, and Saturday’s Red Ribbon Bed Race sponsored by Fairvilla Megastore (below is some video from last year’s event.). The costumes alone are worth a visit to Duvall Street and just the people in the Key West streets provide theatrics as good as "Glee" so if you're going to be down south this weekend don't miss it! Check out some real secessionists and forget the tea - just enjoy the party.

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