O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships

The Austin Parks and Recreation Department’s O. Henry Museum, in collaboration with the Brush Square Museums Foundation, presents the 47th Annual O. Henry Museum Pun Off World Championships. The event will take place on May 11, 2024 from 10:00 am-6:00 pm at Brush Square Park, behind the O. Henry Museum at 409 E. 5th Street in Austin, TX. The event is free to the public and no ticket is required for admission, but additional details about the event can be found on the official Facebook event page.
As one of Austin’s oldest “weird” events, the O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships is an internationally renowned spoken word competition focused on the art of the pun. For 47 years, punsters have gathered in Austin, TX for a battle of wit and wordplay in honor of famous wordsmith and short story writer, William Sydney Porter, better known as O. Henry. In the 1890s, Porter and his family lived in the Queen Anne-style cottage on 5th Street that now houses the O. Henry Museum. Punsters are excited to return to the event’s traditional location in the newly renovated Brush Square Park. During the renovation, a new permanent stage was constructed specifically for this annual event and this year’s contestants will be the first to compete on this “New Stage of Word Domination.”

The Pun-Off features two separate live contests: Punniest of Show and Punslingers – contestants may enter either or both contests. In addition to the competitions, the event includes live music by Kathleen Turner Overdrive, a silent auction, and t-shirt sales to benefit the O. Henry Museum. Food trucks will also be available for select food and drink options. Street parking is limited, but many public parking garages are located near the Brush Square with the closest one being at the Austin Convention Center.