The Doo-Nanny

One year, I had to work on a Saturday. The metro editor sent me to Pittsview, Ala., to cover the Do-Nanny.

I'd known Frank Turner for years and years and never went to his folk art festival. I wrote about it year after year, but never went.

I was a little nervous because being in rural Alabama makes me that way. People are very nice. I just keep thinking I'm going to find some huge snake in my path.

I had a blast out at that year's Do-Nanny. And there were no snakes anywhere.

This year, Frank has turned over the event to Butch Anthony. This year's 12th annual Outsiders Outside Doo-Nanny has moved to Butch's spread in Seale, Ala. You probably noticed he slightly changed the name by adding one more "o."

It's 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday at 41 Poorhouse Road. Yes, Butch lives on Poorhouse Road!

As always, there will be artists selling their goods. This year, there will be more than 40 of them. Music will be by the Mad Tea Party of Asheville; Adam Bork from Marfa, Texas; Jake Fussell from Oxford, Miss., and the Steps from Austin.

Because it is Anthony, there will be some unusual events, including Evil Boll-Weevil, who is allegedly the late Evil Knievel's third cousin. He will try to jump 29 Tonka trucks on a jet-powered bicycle.

There will be a solar display and a worm-powered outhouse. Another Butch touch!

He promises free guided tours of his Museum of Wonder. You're in luck. It usually costs a quarter to get into the Museum of Wonder. What a deal.

Food will be provided by the Possum Trot BBQ and seafood by the Food Pimp of Seaside, Fla.

At dark, the Doo-Nanny Short Movie Fest will begin, featuring acclaimed filmmaker Les Blank's new documentary on tea.

For those so inclined, there will be free camping. As you probably guessed, I will not be one of those camping. I don't want to tempt fate. If I'm camping, then there will surely be snakes somewhere.

Then on Sunday, there will be biscuits for breakfast and a live Mexican wrestling championship bout. What?

Like I said, it's Butch.

To get the Doo-Nanny, take U.S. 431 west to Seale. Look for two water towers. As you get close to the water towers, turn left on Ala. 169. The first right will be Poorhouse Road. Follow the signs. If you get lost, blame Tim Chitwood. Tim and Butch have been buddies since they were kids. Tim's been out to Butch's place lots of times.

I've been invited, but I've never been out there. I mean, I have seen some things in his Museum of Wonder, and he's got this huge rattlesnake in a jar full of formaldehyde. Sure, it's not alive. But it was once and Butch found it on his property.

But Saturday, with that many people out there, even the snakes will be hiding. I think. I'll see you out there.

For more information, call Anthony at 334-855-9547.