Zilker Backyard lights up with neon, costumes for Surreal Backyard

April 12, 2023

In case you get pleasure from seeing a well-known backyard with a twist of surreality, humor, and neon artwork, the Surreal Backyard occasion at Zilker Botanical Backyard is for you. And for me! I attended final yr’s inaugural occasion and fortunately returned this yr.

The Surreal Backyard is a neon artwork exhibition by Austin-based Ion Artwork and features a stay DJ and dancing, efficiency artists, meals vans, money bars, and Austinites turned out in artistic costumes. All of it takes place in Zilker Backyard’s rose backyard, prehistoric backyard, and entry backyard.

I like a superb costume social gathering, and the Surreal Backyard delivers. This couple sporting disconcertingly life like barn owl get-ups had been my favorites. They performed up the impact by remaining silent and cocking their heads in an owly manner when requested to pose for a photograph. My husband dubbed them “owls in cowls.”

As you stroll by means of the backyard, neon animals glow within the foliage like one thing out of a dream.

Right here is one other terrific costume: a mushroom girl!

She coordinates with a neon mushroom with eyes, who watches as you move.

Oh look, another person with three eyes!

Neon agave

A people-eating neon monster — an outsized anglerfish — returned from final yr’s occasion.

As did this long-legged elephant.

A number of Austinites “tuned in” to the Surreal Backyard final Saturday after Thursday and Friday had been rained out. The occasion takes place once more this week on April thirteenth, 14th, and fifteenth. A fancier VIP night time can be obtainable on the sixteenth.

It’s a great way to get your hula on and assist Zilker Botanical Backyard Conservancy, which receives 25% of the proceeds, funds that Zilker Backyard makes use of to keep up and enhance the gardens.

Take into account changing into a ZBG Conservancy member too! You get free admission to the backyard for a yr, plus reciprocal admission to many different botanic gardens, together with the Girl Chicken Johnson Wildflower Heart in Austin, Dallas Arboretum, and the John Fairey Backyard in Hempstead.

Projected lights on Zilker’s gazebo mirror within the koi pond.

A neon hippo rises from one other pond.

And a leaping hammerhead shark provides somewhat menace.

This cheerful couple, each sporting pink and rabbit ears, stood out within the crowd.

An Alice in Wonderland reference fits the surreal theme. Observe the neon white rabbit down the reflective rabbit gap.

Neon chameleon

Picasso-esque face paint turned her right into a murals.

Extra faces, of the Easter Island selection

Even the vegetation tackle a surreal high quality below neon lighting, like this sago palm.

Neon sea dragon

And one other anglerfish

Uh-oh, the aliens have landed.

Within the prehistoric backyard, a limestone cliff wall glows with neon petroglyphs. A sub-sardine chugs alongside too.

Neon headwear of every kind is well-liked on the Surreal Backyard. Fairy and butterfly wings too. This cute couple reveals off each.

Neon jellyfish dangle from bushes close to the dinosaur sculpture — who wears neon cowboy boots! — within the prehistoric backyard.

Extra Easter Island heads, in dialog

And neon tigers, itching for a combat

A girl on a flying fish soars over the waterfall within the prehistoric backyard. She’s residing her finest neon life, and you may too. Tickets to the Surreal Backyard‘s ultimate weekend can be found for $50 upfront and on the door. Surreal costumes are inspired.

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Digging Deeper

Add to your succulent assortment on the Austin Cactus & Succulent Society Spring Present & Sale on April 15 and 16, from 10 am to five pm, at Zilker Botanical Backyard. Come benefit from the plant present, store for distinctive vegetation and pottery, and take part in a silent public sale and raffles. Free with paid admission to Zilker Botanical Backyard.

Tour 9 designer landscapes on the 2023 Austin Out of doors Residing Tour on Could 6. Designers and builders will probably be readily available to reply your questions. Price is $33.85 for adults and $17.85 for youths aged 12 to 17. For security, nobody below 12 years of age aside from carried infants.

Come find out about backyard design from the consultants at Backyard Spark! I manage in-person talks by inspiring designers, panorama architects, and authors a couple of occasions a yr in Austin. These are limited-attendance occasions that promote out rapidly, so be part of the Backyard Spark e mail record to be notified upfront. Merely click on this hyperlink and ask to be added. Season 7 begins in August. Keep tuned for the lineup!

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