Body Found In Central Austin Park Following Eeyore's B-Day Party

AUSTIN, TX — A body was found at Pease District Park on Saturday evening as the annual Eeyore's Birthday Party was coming to a close, police said.

Police were dispatched to 2300 North Lamar Boulevard on the north end of the park, roughly half a mile from where the fundraiser for nonprofits dubbed Eeyore's Birthday Party was being staged, law enforcement officials said.

The death does not seem suspicious, police said, and it appears the body had been there for some time. Police said the cadaver appears to be that of a man, but an age was not determined.

The 55th annual Eeyore's Birthday Party was staged at Pease Park, 1100 Kingsbury St., on Saturday from 11 a.m. until dusk. The annual event draws a motley mix of attendees to the event reminiscent of Woodstock-like concert setting (albeit toned down), with music, henna application demonstrations, spontaneous dancing and impromptu drum circles. The event has its roots as a favorite occurrence for Austin's hippie subculture from the 1960s, and has managed to retain that vibe well into the 21st century.

According to a Facebook event page, 6,500 people went to the Eeyore's Birthday Party event out of 25,000 who expressed an interest in attending.

The 42-acre Pease Park in Central Austin runs parallel to Shoal Creek west of downtown, and is frequented by students from nearby University of Texas at Austin students and disc golf enthusiasts. It's also a popular spot for barbecue enthusiasts and dog walkers and bicycling mavens.

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