SHORT TAKES : Willie Nelson’s ‘Picnic’ On Again
Willie Nelson’s not-quite-annual Fourth of July “picnic” is on again this year.
But organizers are promising a somewhat tamer event than past concerts.
“We’re all older, the performers are older. That’s the evolution of the picnic, placing it in 1990. But I hope it’s not too restrained,” organizer Tim O’Connor said.
“The mellowness is there,” said singer Steve Fromholz. “Neither Willie nor I party as hard as we did 10 years ago, but I believe the music has gotten better for all of us.”
O’Connor predicted a crowd of 25,000 to 35,000 for this year’s picnic, which will be held in Austin’s Zilker Park. Nelson lives near Austin.
The first Willie Nelson picnic was July 4, 1973. Since then, the concerts have been marked by memorable music. But they have also drawn complaints about drinking and drugs, traffic jams and nudity.
The last picnic was held in 1987 near Dallas. Only about 8,400 people showed up for a concert planned for 80,000.
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