An abundance of yard signs have popped up in our neighborhood during this pandemic. In past years, you’d mostly see yard signs around election times (which is still true), but these things are ubiquitous now. I guess everyone’s spending more time at home, plus we seem to have a lot to say.
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Halloween 2020 is certainly a strange one. With COVID counts going up again, there’s no big in-person events happening this weekend. Annual events like the Vida la Vida Fest and Polkapocalypse became live streams. Other popular activities, such as the German-Texas Heritage Society’s Oktoberfest, were simply cancelled. And to top it all off, there’s a full moon tonight.
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Earlier this month, Bill and I attended the annual O. Henry Pun-Off behind the O. Henry Museum in Brush Square Park. We joined hundreds of people who gathered under the large white tent and huge oak trees for a Saturday afternoon of pun.
The O. Henry Pun-Off celebrated 40 years of crazy pun-and-fun last Saturday at Austin’s downtown O. Henry Museum. The Pun-Off has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and most recently in Smithsonian Magazine.
The 39th Annual O. Henry Pun-Off was held in the backyard of the O. Henry Museum in Brush Creek Park. Unlike last year’s competition, the weather cooperated this year. Even so, I arrived early and was happy to get a prime spot in the main tent.
Thousands of hippies—old and young—celebrated Eeyore’s Birthday Party last weekend. This free outdoor event honoring Winnie-the-Pooh’s donkey friend started back in 1963 as a UT English Department picnic. Since 1974, the party has been held every year in Pease Park on the last Saturday of April or first Saturday of May (depending on the weather).
Almost two years ago, I first posted a blog entry about the City-Wide Garage Sale. At that time, I wrote, “A return visit is probably not in my future.” Well, I was wrong. Since then, I’ve returned several times to this big indoor yard sale over at the Palmer Events Center. I’ve never bought a single thing. But, it’s sure fun to look because you never know what might be there…
As you might have heard in the national news, the late musician, David Bowie, received a uniquely-Austin tribute this week. Sometime on Wednesday morning, downtown’s Bowie Street was mysteriously renamed to David Bowie Street. The changed sign hangs over Fifth Street near the Whole Foods headquarters building…and suspiciously near the South by Southwest offices.
I hadn’t really planned to attend this month’s City-Wide Garage Sale. After my visit last year, I remember thinking, “Been there, done that.” But since I was already at the Palmer Events Center last weekend for the Gem Capers Show, I decided to pay the $6 admission and look around.
The 38th annual O. Henry Pun-Off was held last Saturday in the backyard of the O. Henry House on Fifth Street. Every year the crowd seems larger, and I’m guessing that close to 1000 people watched this year’s event. A few even perched in the giant live oak trees that shade much of Brush Square.