Hurricane season is winding down and the Keys are starting to kick off various festivites and fun things to do for children of all ages. This weekend marks the end of the week long activites of Fantasy Fest. Saturday night Duval street in Key West will be filled with party-goers and parade watchers as the event comes to an end. Hopefully, the rain we have been having over the past few days will be well out of the forecast by the time the parade begins at 7pm. The next big event is being hosted next week, Nov. 1st thru the 4th as Parrotheads come to the island to hold thier annual convention.

Throughout the Keys, various events will be held over the next few days to help provide safe and fun activites for the kids as they dress up for Halloween. Here in the upper keys, Burton Memorial Church will have thier annual pumpkin patch and host a costume contest, bounce house, hayrides and other activites. The Kiwanis are hosting a halloween party for kids from age 3 to 12 and Founders Park will have a "trick n' flick" this Friday night. Underwater pumpkin carving contests have been held and local bars are having costumes contests for the adults on Oct 31st.

This weekend, Jill Hayes Photography will be at Islamorada Fishing Company, Bass Pro Shops taking pictures of "man's best friend" from 10am to 4pm. This is her first time at the Fishing Company and is being done to kick off the new line of dog/pet accessories now being carried at the Bass Pro Shop. 

The fishing is good and there is always something for everyone, as evidenced by this picture of a great catch of his first tarpon by a young local angler named DJ

My husband's secretary watches DJ on the weekends while his mother his at work. According to her, DJ is quite the angler having recently won the kid's day fishing tournament at the Fishing Company with his impressive catch of a 14lb Red Snapper.

With cooler weather on the way, the Keys are starting to gear up for the Holidays and welcome back our seasonal residents.