22nd Annual Pecan Street Fall Arts Festival

Luv Doc Writings, The Luv Doc Recommends

SAT., SEPT. 27, 2003

So maybe you’re not a big Texas football fan. So what? Austin is full of things to do on a Saturday afternoon that don’t involve coming early, being loud, and wearing orange. For instance: down at the newly renovated Palmer Events Center they’re having the Bridal Extravaganza, a huge exposition of all things matrimonial. Oops, maybe not. While it’s surely useful to keep your eyes on the prize, a whole year in wedding wonderland is unlikely to turn up a J-Lo or McConaughey. More likely, you’ll be treated to the sickening specter of happy couples that don’t include you. Besides, the only person who ever really looked good in white was Don Cheadle in “Boogie Nights” and look what happened to him. You could head over to the Austin Convention Center for the Texas Home and Garden Show. At least there you stand a solid chance of meeting someone with a house payment and a Home Depot credit card. They may not rock your world, but they can probably help you pea gravel your driveway. You might also meet stars from shows on HGTV, but really, if you’ve actually bothered to learn the names of people on HGTV, you’ve probably already torched your chances at ever having a meaningful relationship with another human being. They say that love and dating is a numbers game. If so, the 22nd Annual Old Pecan Street Fall Arts Festival might just be the ticket. This semi-annual event offers food, beer, live music, carnival rides, and hundreds of crafts booths selling things like scented candles, pottery, tie-dye, dream catchers, and little pewter wizards and unicorns that you can stare at when you’re stoned. You don’t get that at a Longhorn game…yet…and while the Longhorn Marching Band is huge and impressive, there are arguably more musicians playing at Pecan Street, though maybe not as horny. Does the Longhorn Marching Band have accordion? Not likely, but Pecan Street has accordion superstar Flaco Jimenez headlining the Latino Stage as well as non-accordion acts like Pushmonkey, Dames Violet, Patricia Vonne, Kacy Crowley, and Kevin McKinney – not a bad looking bunch, even if they aren’t sporting burnt-orange polyester. Bring plenty of cash. Admission is free but the little pewter wizards aren’t.