Eeyore's Birthday Party gets reviewed by texas gay & lesbian magazine

[Jon]

Eeyore's Birthday Party Keeps Austin Weird...in a Good Way

By Peter Dean

AUSTIN - With mostly cloudy skies and temperature in the middle 90s, last Saturday was the perfect day to celebrate Eeyore's Birthday. For the 39th year, Pease Park was once again the setting for this uniquely Austin event.

Eeyore's Birthday Party is a fund-raiser to benefit various non-profit groups in Austin.

It happens every year, yet so many people have no idea that it's going on. You may be someone that attends every year, maybe you heard about from a friend or perhaps you were driving down Lamar and got stuck in the traffic and popped your head out of the window and asked the person dressed from head to toe in tie-dye, "What the hell is going on over there?"

The famous drum circle draws the crowd in (you can hear it from blocks away) but that's not all that this party has going on. There is something for everyone, even if you go just to people watch. Smaller drum circles formed throughout the park without any organization.

The "camps" set up around the park were marked with banners and flags, so you could easily find your camp among the thousands of revelers.

Just as you might suspect, this party draws a vast array of personalities that make Austin the melting pot that it is. To label a few, there is the alternative set, the yuppies, ravers, bikers, slackers, straights and gays, and of course hippies. Witnessing all of these people together in one place, without incident, is an experience that everyone should have at least once in their lifetime. It may happen elsewhere in this world, but to have it as close as Austin, there is no reason to not participate.

As my friends and I strolled around the park, taking in the sights and smells, we came across some familiar faces and scenes. Just as we had decided that what this party needed was some flaggers to round it out, we spotted in a clearing someone flagging. As we approached him, a couple more people joined in.

The bank of port-o-lets is sure to be where you are the most likely to make conversation with a complete stranger. Maybe you won't chat someone up, but chances are you will hear the most interesting comments. People will say some outrageous things to cut ahead in the line to the toilet. For example, one woman was trying to find her camera. She was sure she left it in one of the toilets. but couldn't quite remember which one.

The shirtless bagpiper might have possibly been the most photographed person in the park. Sporting only a kilt and sunglasses, he made his way through the park filling the air with Celtic sounds.

We happened upon a friend juggling. As we stood by and watched with amazement, he and his juggling companion add one and then another to their tossing of pins, until there were pins flying in four directions. Who knew the chango was so coordinated? Another group were quickly catching and tossing back any item thrown their way, including tambourines and pins on fire.

For those with kids, the Children's Area was well attended. Activities for the kids included face painting, a sack race, as well as a costume contest. Kids of all ages were showing off their recently applied henna tattoo and spray-painted bodies. One can only assume that the paint will wash off.

It is an Austin event, so of course there was live music. From 12 noon to 7 p.m. a variety of bands performed throughout the day at the park. There was every kind of music you can imagine. If you didn't appreciate the music around you, just walk a few feet away and find another sound more soothing to your ears.

Costumes were encouraged, and for the sake of those attending to people watch, they were well received. This is one party that colorful Austin legend, Leslie, didn't stand out in the crowd.


Eeyore's Birthday Party Photos by Aaron Palermo

Posted May 3, 2002


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[Jon]

personally i find it a good sign for the rave scene that we have an ally helping us gain respect. i found this article about burning man that was posted on gay.com

Burning Man

Bill Strubbe

Burning Man: The Gayest Event You've Never Heard of Black Rock Desert, 120 miles north of Reno, Nevada August 26-September 2, 2002 Tickets/information: www.burningman.com; $165-250.

What on earth is Burning Man? At least in this dimension there's nothing like it. In the broadest sense Burning Man is perhaps the queerest happening on the planet. It's cutting edge, revolutionary, artsy and camp. Many of the 40,000 people who converge from far and wide to join the week-long festivities at this stark sun-baked salt flat are lesbian, gay or polysexual. Participants create a commercial-free community without money, bartering or typical societal (read prudish) boundaries and experiment with non-gender-traditional costumes and sexual roles. Only what is freely given is permitted. (It's starting to sound interesting, isn't it?)

Burning Man is about leaving civilization behind and celebrating life as an ancient tribe might have. You'll spend the days and nights communing with the inhabitants of over two thousand theme camps -- Irrational Geographic, Bianca's Smut Shack, Beaver Junction and Camp Amerikaka to name a few. Participants are encouraged to express their creativity. Imagine an ice sculpture emitting glacial music; competing laser light shows at midnight; art cars and camels; 50 nude flag dancers in the moonlight; Twinkyhenge (yes, Stonehenge à la Hostess); and fabulous costumes -- or lack of clothing altogether. Each year has a theme -- this year it's the "Seven Ages" -- played out in a giant board game to which you receive a passport.

All your needs -- food, water, toys, etc. -- must be hauled in. Though dust storms, floods and mud might challenge you, it's primarily the relentless 100+-degree scorching sun you'll contend with. You'll need to slather yourself with sun block or cloak yourself in silver Mylar and drink endless quantities of water. The culmination of Burning Man on Saturday night is heralded by a massive procession, the circle forms and the huge effigy ignites in the center of the temporal town -- an epiphany, primal and newborn. When the inhabitants disperse, all trash and art brought in must be carried out. A crew scours the desert for every cigarette butt, bottle top, staple, feather and sequin left behind. The winter rains re-flood the vast plateau, erasing all traces that 40,000 souls had ever been here -- until the same time next year.

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