In the Enchanted Forest this Saturday, sins will be turned into creative energy with The Opening of Pandora's Box, an evening of performances based on the seven deadly sins. The dizzying lineup includes live music from Ratty Scurvics Singularity from New Orleans, AtticTed (described as "perfect for an insane asylum filled with country, gothic, carnival music,"), fire performers, shadow puppetry, hula hooping and acrobatics, DJ Placebo, 50-ft. fireballs, the Carousel Cabaret Burlesque, That Damned Band,...... [continue]

One of the more charming locales for Austin weirdness, the intimate and unique Museum of Natural & Artificial Ephemerata is opening their new exhibition this weekend. The show, called ANIMALS, features "over 25 loans from Austin collectors, a narwhal tooth replica, a weeping taxidermy crocodile, a video of a beer-drinking hog, and millions of invisible animalculae!" To kick it off, they're having an opening preview which will feature a Multimedia Light Safari by Ms. Lori...... [continue]

Tomorrow night, the monthly Dionysium meeting willl resolve whether or not Austin should welcome the construction of new Wal-Mart stores. While this seems like a no-brainer to Austin's "Keep Austin Weird" majority, it could be a hot, contentious topic if there are any fervent "Make Austin Normal" believers in the audience. The evening will also feature a multimedia presentation called "Culture Jamming: Parody, Pranks, and Piracy as Activism" by Afsheen Nomai and a special preview... [continue]

Now in its thirtieth year, Carnaval Brasilero returns to Austin this Saturday. Over 6,000 Austinites are expected to attend the flamboyant Brazilian-style celebration of Samba-fuelled half-nakedness, funky costumes, friendliness and hedonism. This year will once again feature NYC samba band Grupo Saveiro and performers from local samba school Acadêmicos da Opera. The Carnaval web site notes that Grupo Saveiro was “twice voted ‘the best Brazilian group in the United States’ by the Brazilian International Press...... [continue]

Tonight, Dionysium will encourage participants to "get their think on" by debating an issue of recent importance to Texas politics: are votes for third parties in America a waste? Local actor, comedian, and champion debater Mr. Shannon McCormick squares off against Travis County Libertarian Party Chair Mr. Wes Benedict, so it will be, indubitably, interesting. The hosts (now gaining even more fame for their national tour of Salvage Vanguard Theatre's Intergalactic Nemesis) will also... [continue]

We're looking forward to seeing the freshly installed art that's going to be unveiled at the Blanton's B scene tomorrow. Since there aren't enough museums to fill our ever-voracious appetite for new art in Austin, we've been awaiting this opening with great anticipation. To go with those visuals, there's going to be the auditory pleasure of Austin's awesome instrumental space-dance quartet The Octopus Project, a performance of some of playwright Suzan-Lori Parks' 365 Plays/365...... [continue]

This month's Dionysium is going on an insect theme. We're excited to see that it looks like Wayne Alan Brenner is going to be "guest-curating" the evening. Here's the line-up of what's going on: AN APOLOGY Chronicle writer Wayne Alan Brenner delivers a formal apology for his ill-advised, cockroach-based eco-sabotage of our fair City A PRESENTATION UT Entomologist Barrett Klein presents his miniature sculptures and graphics, with notes about the insects they're based on...... [continue]

As it's only showing once in the US, this is the last week to check out the International Exhibition of Neosymbolism before it heads out to Copenhagen and the Czech Republic. The juried exhibition is presented by The Austin Visual Arts Association and The International Center of Austin, and is a "traveling collection of paintings that carry symbolism into the twenty-first century." Featuring artists from Denmark, Slovakia, Germany, the Czech Republic, and the United States... [continue]

Tonight, appropriately on Friday the 13th, is the opening of the Haunted Forest, which is described as “a spectacularly terrifying experience that is part twisted performance art, part wicked art installations, and total freak the bejesus out of your soul.” We’ve been to haunted houses, but the idea of a three acre haunted forest sounds like much more scary fun. Tonight, there will be music by Gorch Fock and the Jolly Rogers and through...... [continue]

As we mentioned earlier, there are several fun block parties going on this weekend. The most art-filled one will most likely be the 2nd Annual South First Art Walk. This year, each of the 30 participating shops, salons, galleries and restaurants will have their own unique way to celebrate, hosting art from local artists, craft booths, music and more. And to benefit Animal Trustees of Austin, each location will hold its own raffle or... [continue]

This Friday at the Vortex, Sinsations Adult Boutique is hosting an Erotic Carnival benefiting AIDS Services of Austin. People are encouraged to dress up and enjoy burlesque performances by Red Light Burlesque, Vixen Nixon, Cardinal Cyn, Bonbon Vivant, Sindee Lux, The Oriah, Wesleann, Nicole Labry, Ruby Lamb, Lacy Graves and Cherry Freeze of Satan’s Cheerleaders, plus "suspension performances" by Diablo Rojo and rope bondage by Mark Yu and guests. As if that weren't enough lovely...... [continue]

It looks like this month's Dionysium could affect its very identity. The debate this month is to resolve whether or not the Dionysium should stop counting audience votes after each debate. As always, there will be other entertainment, and drinking (which is of course necessary for the resolution of any debate). The full program is as follows: A Debate Resolved: That the Dionysium should stop counting audience votes after each debate. Pro: Meredith Boyd. Con:...... [continue]

Collection of signs seen at zombie rights march to City Hall last Friday. More at boingboing. Photo by shannou on flickr... [continue]

It looks like the Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum is branching out into a new era of art. This Friday, it will be opening its first contemporary exhibit, an overview of the work of Austin sculptor Hank Waddell. What's next, a Keith Haring retrospective in the Elizabeth Ney museum? A rave at the French Legation? These all sound like pretty good ideas, as a matter of fact. Supposedly Waddell is a colorful Austin character...... [continue]

We've been putting off going to great Austin museums for very lame reasons, some of which include beer, gravity and the occasional fact that we just don't feel like paying for it. This Sunday, we will no longer have the last excuse, because museums are free for the ninth annual Austin Museum Day. To encourage a city-wide rediscovery of Austin museums, there will be local exhibits and activities at 29 participating institutions which are listed...... [continue]

The Dionysium is back tonight with this month's debate over whether or not Austin's McMansion moratorium, which imposes restrictions on home design and construction, reflects the progressive nature of the city. From the press release:The ordinance might already be on the books but Dionysus never lets sleeping dogs lie. After all, many Dionysians might not be homeowners now but they surely will be in the future. Also on the menu is Henri Mazza’s Ten-Minute... [continue]

There's a new Austin sport on the scene called "Mojo Kickball" whose website makes it sound as unconventional and quirky as the city where it was born: Imagine if Kickball was out drunk one night and started making out with Tag. Then Dodgeball comes into the Club and is like, "Hello, what's this?" and then joins in. But just at that moment, the Club announces that it's last call and that everyone has to... [continue]

This Saturday, the screen at South Austin’s Cathedral of Junk is going to be flickering up again for a Micro Cinema event. If you haven’t yet experienced the Cathedral of Junk, this sounds like a good opportunity to check it out while getting some unique entertainment at the same time. The program lineup this weekend includes films by Lori 16mm and, for the intermission, “video hijinx audio space” by DJ Radicon, as well as: Mario... [continue]

Two years ago LB Deyo and Buzz Moran first gathered the faithful for a unique festival of intellect and revelry called The Dionysium. Tonight, we're all invited to celebrate that event, with "another scintillating monthly installment of cerebral stimulation, cultural enlightenment and ill-advised drunkenness." Here's the line-up for the June Dionysium: Owen Egerton of the Sinus Show will read his short story "Waffle," while someone else sits in the front row and makes jokes over...... [continue]

We recently discovered a unique crepe stand in South Austin that gives us hope that not all French food here has to be expensive: Flip Happy Crepes is run out of a little Airstream trailer off of South Lamar in the parking lot between Floribunda and Flashback. All their savory crepes are around $5.50 or less, and their sweet crepes are $3.75 or less. We've been craving crepes as good as those we've enjoyed in... [continue]