This weekend was Founders' Days in the city. It's a rather odd festival that provides an interesting insight into the local culture here. The air is filled with the aroma of barbecue sauce and roasting animal flesh. The sound of a band nobody knows can be heard in the distance. The few local stores that haven't been driven out of business are having discount sales with loads of crap that they haven't been able to get rid of for the past 20 years. A scary array of people have invaded from the surrounding countryside. Antique cars and motorcycles of all varieties cruise the streets. To the uninitiated, it's a scary experience.
Over the years, I've created a lot of free promotional art for the city to use at functions like this. Wandering around town is kind of strange for me, as I get to see what new (and often horrifying) ways my work has been used. Here's the original logo I created for Founders' Days a decade ago (we're the "Early American City" and have faux gas-lamps around town)...
And here's the type of "improvements" you might see...
Sweet! It's like a clip art CD exploded all over everything.
Anyway... my friend Nadine emailed me with the news that August 18-20 is Bats Day at Disneyland! She knows of my secret desire to dress up like a goth for big fun at the Happiest Place on Earth...
About the only thing that would be more fun would be a Pirate Day at Disneyland. Whoa... wait a second... how cool would it be to have GOTH PIRATE DAY AT DISNEYLAND?!?
Of course, as far as I am concerned, EVERY DAY is Goth Pirate Day!
I love comments! However, all comments are moderated, and won't appear until approved. Are you an abusive troll with nothing to contribute? Don't bother. Selling something? Don't bother. Spam linking? Don't bother.
PLEASE NOTE: My comment-spam protection requires JavaScript... if you have it turned off or are using a mobile device without JavaScript, commenting won't work. Sorry.
Atom Entries Feed Comments Feed
Do you think they meant to shove the lamp post pole up the pig’s ass?
Just wondering.
I will join you as a Goth at Disney. I have the whole wardrobe for it. Especially if we can go to Epcot, to Norway land, and play Death Metal really loudly and get wasted and dance….hey, they do it here…..
Is Founder’s Days another excuse to eat and drink?
Btw, how did your Hardrock Cafe obsession start?
After I asked you about your HRC obsession, I checked Dave FAQ just to make sure you had an answer there.
And I started looking all your HRC pictures and stories from all over the world. (3 places in Hawaii!)
My heart stopped when was I looking Universal Hollywood HRC’s picture.(I’ve never been there.) About a month ago, it was in my dream. It did not have a giant guitar nor HRC sign but I was walking inside that white “dome” building. Talking to someone from the terrace as looking down city with Sunset…..
“Founder’s Day”??!
Pshaw.
WE have “Turkey-Rama”.
Beat THAT!! 🙂
Doanes Valley Pharmacy looks exciting…
Doanes kicks ass because they have a real old-fashioned soda fountain so you can get a milkshake MADE WITH REAL ICE CREAM!
They also have the coolest junk on their sale table.
Karla… I don’t know if they have Bats Day at DisneyWORLD, and there’s no Epcot at Disneyland. Of course, that really makes no difference to me. I’d gladly join you in goth attire at Epcot and play death-metal Norwegians.
EDDIE… I suppose it could be an excuse to eat and drink. But I think it’s really an excuse to have a parade. I mean, everybody loves a parade, right? And if you are going to dream about a Hard Rock, you should dream about the kick-ass pyramid Hard Rock in Myrtle Beach South Carolina! It’s super-sweet! 🙂
Adena… Please tell me that this isn’t some kind of turkey sacrifice celebration? I mean, what REALLY happens is that you dress turkeys up in costumes and have them reenact city historical events, right?? Because that WOULD be cool!
I fear Turkeys are sacrificed.
Hmmm… not a good day to be a turkey in your city then…
Pirates of the Caribbean looks sweet! I already have plans to take the boys on opening night.
Who is the founder promoted this year ?
If somebody appropriates your art, isn’t a kind of consecration ?
Why not a Goth day at Disneyland ? But, you are not afraid of Gothics if they extract the Mickey’s head in order to eat it ?!!! 🙂
Goth Pirate Day would be perfect to coincide with the new “Pirates of the Carribbean” movie coming out. I’m surprised the marketheads at Disney didn’t already come up with this.
And I’m sorry that I’ll be 3 weeks too early to miss Bats Day. That’s gonna rock.
Oh, I forgot to say a thing. In France, today and during 3 days, it is “la fête du cinéma” (like each year). Principle : to pay one ticket full fare and the followings 2 euros.
http://www.feteducinema.com/
and the sinister looks on the kid’s face trying to get a peek under the girl’s dress.
Nice town.
I saw the Bats Day in DisneyLand thing yesterday and looked at the photos and it’s a bunch of people dressed in black. I could easily fit in there with my everyday attire. And obviously, if there was to be a death-metal day at DisneyWorld (and yes, highly appropriate for it to be at the Norwegian pavilion at Epcot! — Good one, Karla!!!!), then I would fit it perfectly there as well. Though, I’ll tell you right now, you won’t get me to go to an already HOT city in AUGUST to wear ALL BLACK! That isn’t the greatest idea, now is?
I want Just Plain GothDave on a T-Shirt! Although Just Plain GothDave with a side of Pirate is nice too.
Wow, pigs aren’t flying, but they sure can DANCE!
I totally agree with FrancesDanger, it would go really nicely with my zombies t-shirt (oh sweet joy at it’s arrival!)
The painting you like from New Orleans MoA is called “Snow at Giverny”. Monet was in his 50s. He enjoyed painting outdoors as you know. They said he was fond of winter weather particulary.
Sweet god in heaven! Typical, I’m afraid. I spent many hours each year straightening out logos that people have totally screwed up. Sigh.
It’s times like this when your adoring fans will put this information in the file cabinets that are our brains and we will see just how nice you are when we ask for REAL pictures of you wearing the goth-pirate thingy.
I will begin the bidding at $2.
No need to pay money. Here you go…
I know how you feel. I usually don’t go to things like that unless I’m kidnapped, hog-tied, and dragged to those things.
EEEP!! You look just like the kids I used to make fun of in high school! Not because they were goth (I was called goth too, when I was really just 80’s new wave), but because they went WAAAAY overboard on the eyeliner!
I mean, I love Robert Smith just as much as the next guy, but there is no room on Earth for black lipstick. Ever.
Thanks for the mention. I love your image all gothed out. If you happen to show up to any of the events be sure to say hi to me.
Keep up the good work
Noah K
Bats Day in the Fun Park
I thought it was “every day is Halloween”?
That first pic of cartoon Dave with the mouse ears on looks a lot like Marilyn Manson in one of his pics.
http://www.helnwein.com/stc/ghpicts/gh1139.jpg
I crack up EVERY TIME I scroll down to see the “exploded pig clip art”!!!!!
Doane’s is awesome. I haven’t been there for YEARS. I’m glad they still have the soda fountain. Maybe I should take the kids there soon. Buckle up, the Chelan County Fair is coming up soon! Woooo! Instead of smelling animal flesh you will be smelling animal crap.