The Conch King and Queen
The Conch King and Conch Queen are symbolic titles bestowed upon two residents of Key West, Florida selected annually during the course of Fantasy Fest. The tradition stems from the longstanding practice of locals to refer to themselves as Conchs, and ironically to the island as though it were a separate country called the Conch Republic. The title is also a play on the name of the Queen Conch, once very common in the waters around Key West. Candidates become the Fantasy Fest King and Queen in a fundraising competition to benefit AIDS Help, an organization devoted to assisting individuals afflicted with HIV. The King and Queen candidates who raise the most money during the competition period, which can last for several months, are crowned the King and Queen of Fantasy Fest in a gala ceremony.
In 2007, candidates for Fantasy Fest King and Queen raised over $200,000 USD for AIDS Help, and since 1989, coronation contests have collected almost $2.6 million.
Read more about this topic: Fantasy Fest
Famous quotes containing the words conch, king and/or queen:
“they know me,
they help me unravel,
they listen with ears made of conch shells,
they speak back with the wine of the best region.
They are my staff.
They comfort me.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
“An illiterate king is a crowned ass.”
—Medieval English proverb.
Said by the chronicler William of Malmesbury to have been much used by King Henry I of England (1068-1135)
“I would rather be a beggar and single than a queen and married.”
—Elizabeth I (1533–1603)