popwreckoning

read about the first night of the 8th Annual Lebowski Fest

Saturday afternoon Garden Party

Prior to Saturday’s Lebowski Garden Party, director Eddie Chung presented a viewing of his Lebowski Fest documentary, The Achievers: The Story of The Big Lebowski Fans, which he’d premiered at the San Francisco Lebowski Fest. It was wild to learn that The Big Lebowski, expected to be a Cohen Brothers crowning achievement hot off the heels of the hit Fargo, was pulled from the theaters only 6 weeks after it opened. The documentary followed original forum members and featured interviews with the Lebowski Fest creators, a friend of the Cohen Brothers and the basis for the film’s Walter character, Jeff Bridges, and Jeff Dowd, inspiration for the film’s main character, The Dude.

The DVD will be released on August 18^th. You can find more information about The Achievers: The Story of The Big Lebowski Fans at http://www.theachieversmovie.com.

A short while after the documentary’s viewing saw the commencement of the Garden Party in the Executive Strike & Spare’s parking lot. The party featured DJ Matt Anthony dressed up as Jesus (from the film, not the religious fellow) mixing as Achievers, many elaborately dressed as the movie’s characters and concepts (the more obscure the costume, the more revered), mingled, played games and drank. The games, played for $1 each – with all proceeds going to benefit Kentuckiana Big Brothers Big Sisters – were all Lebowski themed, naturally, and included a marmot fling, ringer toss, and cornhole.

The greatest part of the Garden Party was checking out all the clever costumes that die-hard Achievers were able to come up with. Since pictures are worth a thousand words, I’ll let them do the talking.

Saturday night Bowling Party

The line for the bowling party formed early – Achievers were concerned about getting lanes. The White Russians were abundant as Achievers bowled and formed friendships over their love of Lebowski. The end of the night saw the judging for the Costume competition and a bowl off between the best Dude, the best Walter, the best Jesus and the best Maude.

Having grown tired of bowling, my boyfriend and I joined friends we’d made from St. Louis, Washington DC, and Pittsburgh in the bowling alley’s bar/lounge which was hosting karaoke.

I had a blast at the 8^th Annual Lebowski Fest and want to thank Scott and Will for throwing such an awesome party! I’m definitely stoked for the party to come to Philadelphia at the end of September as part of the Speed of Sound Tour. Check out the dates below of a Lebowski Fest coming to a city near you!

Speed of Sound Tour Dates:
Denver - Sept. 8th & 9th
Minneapolis - Sept. 11th & 12th
Chicago - Sept. 13th – 15th
Toronto - Sept. 17th & 18th
Boston - Sept. 19th & 20th
New York City – Sept. 22nd – 24th
Philadelphia - Sept. 25th & 26th
Washington DC – Sept. 28th & 29th
Austin – Oct. 9th & 10th

Lebowski Fest: website | tickets

Tomorrow, tickets go on sale for Lebowski Fest 2009. What is Lebowski Fest, you may be asking? Only the a phenomenal festival dedicated to one of the greatest movies ever created by The Coen Brothers, The Big Lebowski. Though the Coens themselves have failed to associate themselves from the fest that launched in 2002 thanks to two fellas by the names of Scott and Will, The Dude himself, Jeff Bridges, along with many other cast members, have made appearances at the various Lebowski Fests worldwide.

After having started in Louisville, Kentucky, Lebowski Fest expanded to major cities worldwide including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Las Vegas, Austin, Seattle, London and Edinburgh. Fans of the film,known as “Achievers”, head to the fest, often in costume to drink white Russians, throw a briefcase full of dirty undies,  and party with likeminded moveigoers. It’s a two-day party that typically opens with live performances and screening of the film the first night and concludes with a raucous bowling party the following night.

Los Angeles
May 07 – The Wiltern Theater – Movie Party (buy tickets)
May 08 – Cal Bowl – Bowling Party (buy tickets)

To start the tour off right, 2009′s inaugural Lebowski Fest is going down on May 7 and 8 in Los Angeles. Due to a scheduling conflict, Jeff Bridges will not be able to attend, but he was gracious enough to film a video greeting for the Fest and our beloved ‘Achievers’ that will premiere at the Movie Party at The Wiltern. Confirmed attendees thus far include Jeff Dowd (the man who inspired Jeff Bridges’ character, The Dude), as well as actors from the movie, including the two thugs who soiled the Dude’s rug: Philip Moon (“Woo, Treehorn Thug”) and Mark Pellegrino (“Blonde Treehorn Thug”). Also slated to appear are Jon Polito (“Da Fino”), James Hoosier (“Liam O’Brien,” Jesus’ bowling partner), Robin Jones (“Ralph’s checkout girl”), and Lu Elrod (“Coffee Shop Waitress”). Also performing will be Yuto, the 8-yr-old guitar prodigy, at the Movie Party on the 7th.

Louisville – 8th Annual Lebowski Fest (buy tickets)
Jul 10 – Executive Lawn (ft. “The Daily Show”‘s Rob Riggle) – Movie Party
Jul 11 – Executive Strike and Spare – Garden Party, Bowling Party

The 8th Annual Lebowski Fest Movie Party will feature a stand-up set by “The Daily Show”‘s Rob Riggle, and music sets by the Black Diamond Heavies and, Louisville’s own, Whistle Peak, all followed by a massive outdoor screening of the film. The Lebowski Fest Louisville – Garden Party has also incorporated various reenactments of scenes from the film, art exhibits, and carnival-style games like the Ringer Toss, whereby contestants toss a bag of white undies out the window of a ’72 Plymouth Fury III (dubbed the Lebowski-mobile, naturally), toward a Nihilist dummy target, for prizes. The Marmot Fling (catapulting a stuffed ferret into a small bath tub) and The Sheriff of Malibu Coffee Mug Toss are also ‘Achiever’ favorites.

Seattle (tickets on sale Friday, April 24th)
July 20 - Fremont Outdoor Movies – Movie Party
July 21 – Acme Lanes – Bowling Party

Portland, Or. (tickets on sale Friday, April 24th)
Jul 22 – Aladdin Theater – Movie Party
Jul 23 – Hollywood Bowl – Bowling Party

San Francisco/Oakland (tickets on sale Sunday, April 26th)
July 24 – Classic Bowling Center – Bowling Party
July 25 – Fox Theater – Movie Party

San Diego (tickets on sale Friday, April 24th)
Jul 26 – House of Blues – Movie Party
Jul 27 – Kearny Mesa Bowl – Bowling Party

Las Vegas (tickets on sale Friday, April 24th)
Jul 28 – House of Blues – Movie Party
Jul 29 – Red Rocks Lanes – Bowling Party

Announcement with remaining North American dates and cities forthcoming. Rumor has it, one of those cities might be Philadelphia. Who’s got two thumbs and hopes it happens? This guy editor.

Lebowski Fest: website | mailing list

Fuck it, dude. Let’s go bowling.