Back in 1963, University of Austin Professor Lloyd Birdwell's English class needed a break due to spring fever. So, they had a party for a fictional character - Eeyore, the perpetually depressed donkey from A.A. Milne's "Pooh" series. It was a small affair, held in Eastwoods Park on the east side of the University campus. Some refreshments, a donkey, a May Pole - your typical 60's kid's birthday party.
Fast forward to today, some 44 years later. People noticed the party. People thought it was a good idea. People thought costumes would be an even better idea. The party outgrew Eastwoods Park after several years. It moved to much larger Pease Park along Lamar Blvd.
Eeyore's Birthday Party is held the last Saturday in April each year (with a rain date of the following weekend). Thousands of Austinite's and past Austinite's and future Austinite's and people just passing through attend, many in costume. There are live bands, drummers, a costume contest, refreshment stands run by local nonprofits as fundraisers - it is a BIG party. And, yes, Eeyore is still in attendance - it is, after all, HIS birthday!
If you want to get the flavor of Austin, you should attend Eeyore's just once. This year's will be April 28 - will I see you there?
unfortunately, this may be eeyore's last birthday party.
the average life span of a donkey is 45 years.
Ah, but Eeyore is NOT the average donkey! ;-)
His birthdate was December 25, 1921.
It is cute, isn't it? Wish it was one of the ones of my donkeys, but those were lost in the great computer meltdown and I've been too busy reconstructing to have time to take any. I bought the rights to use that particular photo because he looked SO MUCH like Eeyore should.
I'd be willing to bet that a fair percentage of the population of Central Texas knows what a May Pole is. ;-) But I don't know about other places.