Weirdness returns to Key West after Hurricane Irma
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Things are weird in Key West. And that's a good thing for the Florida Keys economy.
The flamboyance and bare flesh of Fantasy Fest are a relief for business owners who say they've been trying to weather an economic storm that hit after Hurricane Irma battered the middle stretch of the tourism-dependent island chain last month.
The annual 10-day festival of costume parties and parades is one of the biggest tourist draws of the year for Key West.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fury Water Adventures President and CEO Scott Saunders says the city is only doing about a third of the tourist business it had at this time last year.
More than a month after Irma, Saunders says there's no reason for the downturn because hotels, beaches, restaurants and cruise ship attractions quickly reopened after the hurricane.