South Austin Culture Club

Another reason why I love Austin, and South Central Austin specifically:

Awhile back I heard about the Billion Bubba March that took place in 2003.  The goal of the march was to get people out to vote and to work to empower Austin neighborhoods in preserving Austin.  I wasn’t in Austin in 2003, but I wish I had been because I think I would have joined them.  As a matter of fact I did join them today and became a South Austin Knight and a Defender of the Realm (inspired by the Saxon Pub’s Knight).  This allows me to say ‘me thinks’, watch Monty Python movies and to be called ‘Sir’ while in the South Austin Homeland.  (yes, all that last part was true.)

The organization responsible for the Billion Bubba March (and two Town Lake Park Grand Openings) is the South Austin Culture Club who also hosted a cool ‘South Austin Jeopardy’ event today at Alamo Drafthouse on S. Lamar.  According to their website header, they have three goals:

1. Promoting South Austin’s Unique Lifestyle
2. Preserving Coolness for Austin and Friends
3. Defending our Treasure with Humor and Fun

Another page on their website says they are ‘Defending South Austin against becoming downtown’.  After attending the South Austin Jeopardy event today, you may not agree with them on everything, but they certainly know how to have fun and how to be serious when they need to be.  The pre-event entertainment was handled by the very cool Bouldin Creek Bobkats who entertained us with very cool local tunes.

The South Austin Jeopardy theme was inspired as a Jeopardy/Whose Line is it Anyway/Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader mix of TV gameshows with Mayor Will Wynn (filling in for Marc Ott) and Police Chief Art Acevedo.  As an example of the social/political influence in South Austin, also in attendance were several Austin city council members and staff (Laura Morrison, Lee Leffingwell, Mike Martinez), three constables(Richard McCain, Maria Canchola, Bruce Elfant) and representatives from CapMetro and the Zoning and Code Enforcement Division.  There was also a tribute to recently deceased ‘South Austin Mayor’ Danny Young.  Also in attendance were numerous local advocates for South Austin whose names I couldn’t write down quick enough, but they were definitely there.

While I am still relatively new to South Austin, I gotta say that I love this city and South Austin.  And truth be told, they love others as well.  I think they just wish that newcomers would take a moment to learn something about South Austin and seek to respect the history and charm of South Austin.  Included in their discussion was growing property values and the scraping of old historic homesites for modern mansions.  I gotta say that I agree with them on the tear down issues.  I am much happier seeing more hubcap yardart and tile mosaics than another new large home with right angles, glass and steel.  But maybe I am too nostalgic.

If you love South Austin and want to learn more about it, I recommend you check out the South Austin Culture Club at www.southaustinculture.org.