Spam, Spam, Spam

This weekend, if you haven’t “been around,” or if you don’t like bawdy sketches, waggish bits or silly things–nudge-nudge, wink-wink–then you’d better avoid Grapevine like the plague, because The British Emporium, 140 N. Main St., is unleashing a three-day Monty Python Madness festival and charity fund-raiser. Starting tonight and running through Sunday, the event’s planners promise a weekend filled with buttered scones, tea, absurdity and silliness, as well as streets filled with Spam, Vikings, lumberjacks, Spam, Spam, dead parrots, silly walks and Spam. The Emporium will host a complimentary tea with biscuits all day Friday, and at 8 p.m. a revue at the Palace Theatre will re-create classic sketches. Saturday morning, the Minister of Silly Walks will lead a sponsored half-mile Silly Walk down Main Street. And at various times during the three-day festival, they’ve scheduled a costume contest, a flower-arranging demonstration by Mr. Gumby, a fish-slapping dance party and a Spam recipe contest. But I’m excited about the Argument Clinic, which costs $5 per argument. Proceeds from the weekend will benefit the Joey Wilkins Foundation, which helps people with recent spinal cord injuries to maintain their independence. Call 817-421-2311 or visit british-emporium.com for event times. Did I forget to mention the Spam carving contest?

July 18-20, 2008