FUND FOR FREE ART
The Pun-Off
O. HENRY MUSEUM
The 48th Annual O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships, scheduled for Saturday, May 10, 2025 in the newly renovated Brush Square Park, traditionally kicks off with a local, live music set, in keeping with an “Old Austin” roots theme. 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 48 years, punsters have gathered in Austin Texas for a battle of wit and wordplay in honor of famous wordsmith and short story writer, William Sydney Porter, better known as O. Henry. The festival atmosphere also features live music, a silent auction, food trucks, and souvenirs providing a day of fun for newcomers as well as devotees of the pun.
The O. Henry Museum is the former residence of William Sydney Porter, otherwise known as O. Henry, the short story writer who authored such classics as “The Gift of the Magi,” “The Ransom of Red Chief,” and “The Last Leaf.”
The mission of the museum is to collect, preserve, and interpret artifacts and archival materials relative to Porter for literary, educational, and historical purposes.
Through exhibits, programs, and tours, the museum focuses on Porter’s Austin years, during which he wrote his earliest stories. The museum is included in the National Register of Historic Places.
