Arts on the Road You Don’t Have to Go to Texas for the Arts in Austin By Gail M. Weber When most people think of Austin, they think Austin, Texas. This article is about the other Austin. The one right here in Minnesota. For those of you who do know about this Austin, you probably think of Hormel and the famous canned meat known as Spam®. But you may not know that Austin has many other cultural marvels about which to brag. Architecturally significant buildings include the beautifully renovated Historic Paramount Theatre, the Historic Hormel Home and a stunning Frank Lloyd Wright house. Saint Augustine’s, a large Gothic Revival-style Catholic Church completed in 1896, stands in the center of this town of 23,000 people. Musicians hailing from Minnesota are many, including Charlie Parr, Martin Zellar and the Gear Daddies, Sena Ehrhardt, and Trace Bunde. And those are just the nationallyfamous ones. (Ask anyone in town about Jan and Conrad Muzik. These two have lived up to their name in every way possible, bringing glorious music to students, schools, churches and local events. Their enthusiasm and love for music is matched only by their remarkable talent.) Space does not allow me to mention all of the wonderful parks, recreational facilities and arts organizations that also make Austin a great city. But I would be remiss if I did not highlight a few of its more captivating spots that so endear one to 64 | Arts on the Road www.tctosca.com this town. There’s The Tendermaid, where you may need to “eat your burger with a spoon,” opened in 1938, way before television’s Roseanne started talking loose-meat sandwiches. And Piggy Blues BBQ “where you can eat pig or eat like a pig.” Need I say more? And yes, the Spam Museum®. With a towering wall of spam, a theatre, an interactive mock assembly line, and even “spambassadors” walking the floor, it’s an experience to savor, whether you’re a meat lover or a vegetarian. My new favorite thing about Austin is its recent arts revival, with a new arts center right on Main Street and an annual Artworks Festival showcasing an exciting assortment of fine art, several published authors, children’s activities, live music, and more. As one participating artists stated: “I’ve been to many art shows, art festivals and art fairs, and this is by far the best one I’ve experienced.” (See TOSCA’s favorite artists on the next page.) This year’s Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, August 26 &27. (See back cover for details.) If you can’t make it that weekend, make plans for another visit soon. You can even stay in the Frank Lloyd Wright house for a zen experience in one of Austin’s beautiful neighborhoods (theelamhouse.com). So grab your spoon and head on down to the other Austin.
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