It's Time! It's Time! It's Time!

....for some of Weird Austin's best Spring CELEBRATIONS!
First of all, Eeyore's 44th Birthday Party is THIS SATURDAY, April 28, 2007.

"Eeyore's" is the definitive, one-day manifestation of Austin's most wonderful weirdness, and it's still free for everyone. It's held in Pease Park on Lamar between 15th and MLK, always the last Saturday of April, weather permitting. Definitely wear a costume*, and be inventive! You might also want to bring a blanket or bedspread to sit on, a camera, and for sure a drum or something to beat on in the drum circle. In fact, any acoustic instruments you want to bring are welcome at Eeyore's. And be sure to bring some money if you plan to eat or drink anything.

The watching all the happy people is my favorite part. The costumes, the amazing jugglers, the guys on the sky-high unicycles, it's all fun. There's live music, all kinds of games (with actual prizes), costume contests* and at least two enormous, all-day-long drum circles.

But Eeyores is more than a massive party; it's actually an important fund-raiser to benefit non-profit groups in Austin. There is no admission charge, so these groups make their money by selling hot and cold food (including vegetarian), soft drinks, juices, spring water, Texas beer, and commemorative Eeyore T-shirts, a new one every year.

Since there will be plenty of food and drink for sale, we're not allowed to bring our own coolers, bottles, cans, etc., because frankly they need to make some money somewhere since everything else is free; the admission, music, the whole spectacle. So be a sport and bring some green (money); it's all for a good cause.

(Click on the map below for a closer view of the area)

The fun goes on from 11am dark, and the only real challenge (unless you get separated from your buddies, which is what cell phones are for) is parking. Every single possible curbside parking space within miles will be filled, so do yourself and the neighborhood a favor and get a ride. You can take one of the shuttle buses provided.

Click on the map below for a larger view of the parking garage and shuttle pickup points.

And click these links for more information about Eeyores.
http://eeyores.sexton.com/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eeyore%27s_Birthday_Party

* Once, about 20 years ago, our dog Daisy won 1st place in the "Most Beautiful" division of the Eeyore's Birthday Party Costume Contest. It was a total fluke. Her "costume" consisted of a 35-cent sheet of yellow poster board, which I cut in the basic shape of a flower, with a hole in the middle for her head. Now, this was a contest for people, and there were all these amazing costumes; I remember in particular this guy in drag as Snow White, looking like s(he) stepped straight out of Disneyland, and he was beautiful; and there was someone in a seriously beautiful court jester costume.

But because they held this event right after the (long-defunct) Eeyore's Birthday Party Beer-Chugging Contest (*burp*), the audience was pretty hammered. So when the MC (Austin DJ Dave Jarrott) held Daisy up, the crowd went wild and awarded Daisy 1st prize, a coupon for a "Blimpie".

Then the Saturday after Eeyore's we celebrate the Violet Crown Festival at Brentwood Park, incidentally on el cinco de Mayo this year, May 5th. It's a neighborhood festival in the nicest possible way. There wil be live music, games, food, over 30 artisan's booths, a moonwalk, all sorts of stuff for kids.

And you can learn all about the neighborhood at The Community Tent, located near the center of the festival grounds and truly the heart of the event. The tent showcases neighborhood history, news, and resources and serves as a gathering place for people attending the festival. And you can find out about the Wall of Welcome, definitely the coolest thing in Crestview. (Here are some recent pictures of the wall, a work in progress: )

Here's the link to the festival website: http://www.violetcrownfestival.com/