Honk! Texas

is a festival which seemed largely in place to solidify Austin’s commitment to weirdness. It’s a free, outdoor, community event where amateur bands, mostly brass, play short sets and parade. There’s a very free-spirited vibe to the whole thing. People dress in fanciful costumes and hats in addition to a strong showing of hipster wear. I saw two guys conversing, both wearing nylon bodysuits with dollar bill print which covered their entire bodies including their heads and faces. And the musicians were even more strange. One group was actually an a capella opera group, which sang an Puccini aria wearing viking helmets, and then followed it with a rendition of “Day-O” swinging their helmets around and tossing candy from them at the end of each verse “work all night for a drink of RUM! (throw!)”

There was also a japanese food truck selling Takoyaki. I bought a can of iced green tea.

It was a lazy, fun, and entertaining event. Neri really enjoyed it both from the music and the spectacle. Dad liked it too. We might have stayed longer if we’d had a blanket to sit on.