Austinist: Bat Festival Fate At Stake

ducknutz

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 22:56:34 -0600

We could lose the Keep Austin Wierd thing. I'd also like to see First Night have it's last night last year.

Grape Ape

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:08:16 -0600

So what events should stay - being there are so many, which do you propose we keep?

texasauteur

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:33:30 -0600

Yeah, I'm hoping this event gets cancelled too. There has been this proliferation of needless and alleged "Austin" events (which they are not) and festivals, Bat Fest and the Ice Cream Festival being two of them. The fact that the batgroup only gets 5-10k (and I'm going to assume near the 5k) while vendors rake in the dough is especially lame.

bumpymcghee

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:53:34 -0600

^^FUCK YEAH.....What he said......WELL DONE,TheTodd,WELL DONE.......

TheTodd

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:51:31 -0600

Get ready for more and more of this kind of Me First attitude people. The more and more people that move downtown and the more that the businesses cater only to them the more that they will be treating the area as their own personal backyard. Is it a coincidence that the store in question sells grossly overpriced furniture geared towards the glossy, buying on credit Condo dwellers? I assure you that the same anti-event sentiments are shared by many in that group who are..."tired of the events and festivals and races downtown all the time...their always closing the streets and waking me up in the morning with their announcements." What a bunch of self absorbed idiots! Lets hope with a little negative press from their stupidity the store will back down. Maybe I'll even stop by there today and give them a little talking to. I encourage you, good reader, to do the same.

bumpymcghee

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 10:39:08 -0600

FUCK....I hope it doesn't get shut down....I'm supposed to work security for that event,yo.....

batlady

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 09:14:19 -0600

Hey Benj - it may not be your scene but people, especially people with kids, love this event. Also, as I mentioned earlier, it isn't just the money for BCI (though 10k is considered pretty good for any event) but also the exposure to the media and the community and being able to have an opportunity to educate the public.

Benj

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:56:06 -0600

Hahahaha. If we want all the new Austinites to take us seriously on what a 'cool' city this is... maybe we should consider nixing the bat parade. It's a kinda lame, yet another in a procession of such events masquerading as a benefit for a good cause. I was neutral until finding out the bat people only get $10k. That's chump change for putting up with the obscene inconvenience of the event.

kenneth1

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:37:31 -0600

Is there a petition I can sign to show my opposition to closing the Congress Ave. bridge? As a frequent bus rider, I am friggin' sick and tired of the street closings, detour and late buses that result from these "special events." It's every danged weekend, and they put the buses on different detours each time so you never know where they're running.

seth

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:29:32 -0600

On a related topic... Last night I was pulling clothes off my backyard clothesline. They had been up there for a couple of days. I grabbed one t-shirt and felt the body of a small animal in there. It moved. I thought it was a rat or mouse that had traversed the clothesline, so I got my housecats positioned below to pounce on the laundry infiltrator. It was still moving around in the shirt when I grabbed the bottom of the shirt and yanked it to the ground. The cats were like, "WTF?!?!" As the shirt fell from the clothesline, the creature inside took flight-- it was a bat! I showed the cats the shirt, motioning to a damp spot which looked like a collection of urine from the lounging bat. My most experienced hunting cat sniffed the spot, then looked at me with a knowing expression. Seth

batlady

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 16:22:17 -0600

It should also be mentioned that the nonprofit Bat Conservation International, who benefits financially from Bat Fest, would be negatively impacted by its shutdown as well. Typically $5-$10k is donated to the org from event proceeds and retail sales. Additionally, this festival has a national draw and provides awesome PR and media exposure for BCI. As a former person on the inside, I can tell you that the folks at Roadway have gone above and beyond to accommodate the YLR folks. This festival is literally giving them brand exposure to tens of thousands of people, but they can't seem to see the forest for the trees. This is sour grapes and I hope council will see the greater benefit of the festival to the public and to the benefitting nonprofit.

Grape Ape

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 15:47:24 -0600

SMA isn't really even on Congress and they'll be closed and what is YLR afraid of, not being able to see an over priced piece of furniture that day?