… secession from the United States is reenacted every year at the Conch Republic Independence Celebration, and UD will be covering the event … perhaps… a little… for this blog.
Just as intriguing, though, is the lawsuit raging around the event:
Two competing Conch Republic festivals will begin a week from today – one in Key West and one in Key Largo – despite an ongoing lawsuit over ownership of Conch Republic as a festival brand name.
… [The] suit was filed by the Upper Keys group in December 2008, after two years of talks with [Peter] Anderson to co-produce an Upper Keys Conch Republic festival failed.
… Anderson, who was named secretary general of the Conch Republic by former Key West Mayor Capt. Tony Tarracino, makes his living from the annual Key West festival and by selling Conch Republic passports, flags and other merchandise. He says he owns the sole rights to market and promote the Conch Republic based on his years of use…