Austin's eclectic community festival is back at Pease Park on Saturday from 11 a.m. to dusk.
The annual birthday party in honor of the sad, lovable Winnie-the-Pooh character is celebrating its own milestone: 60 years of music, extravagant costumes and keeping Austin weird.
Though it's now a staple of Pease Park, Eeyore's Birthday originated at Eastwoods Park near UT Austin in 1964 as an end-of-year celebration for a university English class. The class had studied A.A. Milne, author of the Winnie-the-Pooh stories, hence the name of the event.
"Every spring, thousands of fans of A. A. Milne’s chronically gloomy donkey gather in their brightest costumes to cheer everybody up," a history on the festival's website reads.
Eeyore's Birthday moved to Pease Park in 1974. Over time, the event grew from a UT party to a nonprofit-run festival for the Austin community.
Activities at the festival include costume contests, a sack race, egg toss, face-painting, live music from local performers, food and, of course, drum circles.
Eeyore's Birthday is free and proceeds from vendors go toward local nonprofits. Organizers say the event has raised more than $268,000 in donations over the years.
Nearby parking is limited. Organizers recommend riding the bus, taking a rideshare, biking, or parking in designated garages and using the complimentary shuttle bus. More information on these options are on the event's website.
The rain date is May 3.
