Spring, and the Natives Get Naked

Eeyore's Birthday is one of the oldest festivals (48 years) in Austin. In a city where the attitude is "fight corporate, buy local, keep Austin weird" it is fitting that they celebrate the birthday of an iconic underdog. I knew people would be wearing costumes, drinking beer and playing music so there was no question I needed to go.

Austinites bring their dogs, and pet pigs, everywhere. But like a dirty-minded kid, I had to laugh at the live Eeyore who apparently developed feelings for the girl petting his back.

In the open grounds of Peas Park, it's only April but the air is sweltering and I'm dripping sweat. Nine popsicles later, I'm on a sugar rush wandering through the blankets of people on the shady hillside. There were kid-friendly costumes - Tigger, Where's Waldo, a TeleTubby - all seen standing in the beer line or by the needle exchange/free condom booth.

The questionably PG costumes: girls fitted with fairy wings, ultra-mini skirts, and fishnet tights. The adult costumes: body-painted boobies, men in loin-cloths or g-strings, and women in transparent dresses swinging around the May pole.

The first two hours I wondered around the scores of pot-smokers, watched the white-guy reggae band, and listened ringside at the ever-beating drum circle.

When I found girls from work to tag-around with, I felt more at ease and was able to really take it all in. This hippy pride parade. This pagan-esque day in the park. I've never seen anything like it and don't think words capture the warmth of the crowd. Brought together for no purpose but to hold their "Free Hugs" signs or unleash their young children amongst a ruleless pack, it was a

stark contrast to normal.

Normal, meaning that adults rarely let their guard down, behave like children rather than childishly, express joy, or to be cliche - dance like no one is watching. I was swept up with warm-fuzziness of abnormal or perhaps light-headed and giddy from sun stroke and second-hand marijuana. Either way, it was fun to watch people.

Potato sack races, egg-tosses, giant jigsaw puzzles, hackey-sacking, trick bikes. I love simple pleasures. Even celeb cross-dresser Leslie made an appearance in cheerleader regalia.