Party Weird: Festivals & Fringe Gatherings of Austin

by Howie Richey

Overview

In 1839, Texas officials toasted their new capital of Austin, and its citizens never ran out of excuses for revelry. Austinites celebrate their homegrown and vibrant culture, renowned and innovative music, street life and collective quirkiness with pride. While world-class events now call the city home, in a culture that eschews conformity at every turn, Austin's underground social gatherings are what truly earn it bragging rights. Discover the grass-roots origins of the enigmatic eccentricity that has drawn people from all corners of Texas and now from the whole world. Feel the beat of drum circles at Eeyore's Birthday Party in April, sling puns at the annual O. Henry Pun-Off or share a meal with strangers at the monthly Perpetual Potluck Picnic—or Jim O's, as the locals say. Author Howie Richey explores the offbeat, exuberant culture and history of the city that started with a party that just didn't stop.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626196520
Publisher:	The History Press
Publication date:	11/04/2014
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Howie Richey is the owner of Texpert Tours in Austin and a founding member and past president of the Austin Tour Guide Association. Richey has authored blogs, promotional materials, calendars, procedural manuals, plot summaries, legislation and radio scripts, and his writing has appeared in the Austin Examiner and Austin Magazine. With his formal background in Texas geography and forty-plus years as an Austin resident, Richey is widely known by locals as the Texas Back Roads Scholar."?"

Table of Contents

Foreword Margaret Moser 9

Preface 11

Acknowledgements 13

Introduction 15

Part I Defunct Functions

1 1890s 23

2 Aqua Fest 29

3 Aralyn Hughes 32

4 Corn Fest 35

5 Pumpkin Stomp 40

6 Spamarama 45

7 Helms Street Halloween 48

8 Balcones Fault 51

9 Inner Sanctum Records 55

10 Les Amis Café 60

Part II Yearly Blowouts

11 Carnaval Brasileiro 65

12 Saint Patrick's Day 69

13 Old Settler's Music Festival 71

14 Eeyorc's Birthday Party 79

15 O. Henry Pun-Off 90

16 Flag Day 93

17 Willie Nelson's Fourth of July Picnic 113

Part III Seasonal Shindigs

18 Uranium Savages 119

19 South Austin Popular Culture Center 123

20 Full Moon Barn Dance 126

21 Austin Independent Business Affiance 131

22 Casa Neverlandia 135

23 AudioRich Productions 142

Part IV Monthly Affairs

24 Snake Island 157

25 Perpetual Potluck Picnic, aka Jim O's 161

26 Moonlight Bat Float 165

Notes 169

Index 173

About the Author 176