A pirate played a garbage can while a fairy danced along to the rhythm. Onlookers watched as the drum circle got bigger and the dancers kept coming. For one afternoon, everyone was marching to the beat of a different drummer.
At Eeyore's 45th Birthday Party, nothing was out of the ordinary except the ordinary. Starting at midmorning and lasting until dark, people dressed in everything imaginable spent the day at Pease Park listening to music, dancing, eating and participating in other activities that help "keep Austin weird."
Adding to the good spirits of the day, the event was a fundraiser to benefit nonprofit groups in Austin. Volunteers sold food and Texas-brewed beer, the proceeds of which went to the nonprofits. As part of a class project for a course on team-based communication, some UT students collected donations for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
"It was so great to see how generous and nice everyone was," said corporate communications sophomore Sadie Thacker. "I loved seeing all of the extravagant costumes. It was completely out of my element, but it was a fun experience to see all the people out enjoying the music and nature."
The spectacle of brightly colored costumes and activities gave the day a carnival-like atmosphere where everyone did their own thing and nothing seemed unusual.
The vendors lined the park where the smell of incense and cooking turkey legs mixed together. People could purchase anything from tie-dyed T-shirts to paintings to commemorative Eeyore shirts. The trail leading up to the field where the festivities took place was packed with people selling various curios.
A Statue of Liberty where Eeyore's face replaced Lady Liberty's face was placed in the middle of the park not far from Eeyore's Pen, where children could pet a donkey and play with baby ducks.
"I go just to see if there are going to be a bunch of outrageous people doing outrageous things," said Austin resident Michael Fong. "It is just a fun time to get out and enjoy yourself."
Fong has attended Eeyore's Birthday Party six times and said that he always likes to see if the next year will outdo the one before.
The event was family-friendly, or at least intended to be. A maypole was placed in the middle of the park for children to dance around with bright ribbons, and arts and crafts were close by with face painting and various other activities.
Former UT student Lloyd Birdwell and his friends started the birthday party 45 years ago in honor of Winnie the Pooh's gloomy donkey friend. The tradition has grown over the years but has kept up with its roots in appreciating the free-spirited nature of hippie subcultures and, of course, celebrating Eeyore.
Even as the music ended and the crowd began to dwindle, Pease Park will be left with the spirit of Austin culture till next year when the costumes are out in full display and the drums begin to beat again.
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