Post 7. Moonfest..Have you gone to it?

This Friday is October 31st, do you know what this means? Yup, it's Halloween. We all at some point have dressed up and if you haven't due to religous beliefs then you have seen the world participate in the one day where you can dress up in wacky, sexy, scary or silly costumes. Here in South Florida we hold a festival dedicated to this holiday the weekend before Halloween. That festival is called Moonfest. I come to bring you some information about this cultural phenemon that has become a staple for South Florida and is now known as one the biggest Halloween block parties in the U.S.

This year Moonfest was held on October 25th. This is the 22nd year of this celebration. Moonfest originated in 1993 created by Rodney Mayo and his partner Maurice Costigan. They wanted to create something for the people of South Florida to come to like Fantasy Fest in Key West. Fantasy Fest is another Halloween festival that people in Key West do every year. This festival gets pretty wild as they are know for their nude ladies wearing nothing but body paint. Men go nude too, although sometimes its not a pretty sight with just a tube sock on. We don't live in Key West, which isn't a bad place to live, however, this story isn't about Key West it's about us, West Palm Beach, Florida.

 

Initially moonfest started with only 5,000 people back in 1993 with the idea that the money paid would go to charities and in the next year it went up to 10,000. It doubled as word got around that all of downtown West Palm Beach was closed down for this event and it was free. Each year the people came in by the thousands. If you wore regular street clothes to this festival you would stick out like a sore thumb because everyone comes dressed up! You see silly, sexy, wacky, crazy, witty, scarry and very intricate well thought out costumes. All the restaruants and night clubs are open while live bands play on different stages set up in select locations. They also provide small bars every few feet as to keep the merriment going. Moonfest can get pretty crazy too. There are lots of costume contests that pay good prize money. Now, we have an influx of 70,000 people and the event that used to be free is now charging for entry. It is also now 21 and over. This came to pass two years ago when teens were caught illegaly drinking, there were a couple of stabbings and a few rapes, it wasn't safe. When things are free and thousands are gathered in a 3-4 block radius with the Florida heat things can get out of hand. I went to Moonfest once before it was 21 and over, when it was free. I was dressed as a sexy raccoon equipped with tail and all. I kept hitting people with my tail the whole night! People laughed at it and all was well until I'm standing with my boyfriend in line for a drink when this guy puts his hand up my dress and grabs my butt!! I immediately turned around and the guy took off running....I yelled and cursed at him. When my boyfriend figured out what happened he ran off after him too. Needless to say he didn't find him and I'm glad otherwise that guy would've had a rough morning the next day. We left immediately after that, the merriment was over and we were both upset. We have never been back since, we've been together for 5 years. We went in our first year. Yes...this was a long time ago, however, every year we read the papers about the stabbings, the fights and rape that happen which lets us know that we haven't been missing anything. 

I heard this year that it was better. Whoxh makes me happy because I don't think 18 yr olds should be allowed to enter. There has to be some regulations to it like all things because too much of a good thing could be too much. Moonfest still gives some of its money to charity which is initially why it started, that's a great thing. I say go to Moonfest next year and enjoy yourself as now it seems to be safer. Any true Floridian has to go at least once so that you can say that you were at the biggest block party in the U.S. I don't know about you but, I plan to go next year and give it another shot dressed in a costume ready to celebrate...why wouldn't you want to be part of a small piece of history? Happy Halloween my fellow readers!