10/14/01:  It's 6 days before the Fall 2001 WestFest, and as part of the art car expo, funds will be need to be raised for the official art car, which will debut in Spring 2002.  One event for the art car's premiere is the Art Car Ball and Art Car Parade, which will lead to an expo for the Spring 2002 WestFest.  The WFPO has evolved into a community outreach program, where coalitions will be built among fans and the bohemian/artist community.  As of 10/8/01, the webmaster has been attending the campaign fundraiser for mayoral candidate Ralph Ullrich, where coalition building is the preferred method to liberate WestFest back to the Montrose.

Here's the circulated list for the Houston City Council candidates to vote for (as of 10/8/01)

10/20/01 personal log:  In the past 30 years, there has never been an admission charge for WestFest, since it has been a free event throughout it history.  The Bayou City Art Festival, after leaving their Montrose venue in 1992, became an admissions-charging event, and earlier this year, the Downtown Street Festival has gone down the same path to generate revenues.  A $5.00 admission fee has placed a scar to the true meaning of the Westheimer Street Festival, which has taken the path of the current-day Bayou City Art Festival, and all three former Montrose-area events have became revenue generators.  A T-shirt vendor (Teri Shaw) that worked the ticket gate stated that sales have dropped heavily, which forced the admission revenue generator from the patrons of the 'true' WestFest.  What I have experienced is now a nightmare, and if this trend continues. there will be no replacement for a Montrose tradition.

The Pride Parade is the only event that is the stepchild of the Westheimer Festival, and the creation of the WFPO is to promote a community outreach of saving WestFest from its Diaspora state.  This event marks the debut of the WFPO at WestFest, where my SUV had door shields with the 'alternate' WFPO logo, as well as a couple of yard signs pertaining to the Ada Edwards campaign, and Propostion #2 (drafted as a referendum by the Houston City Council).  At the same time, a fundraiser for the official WFPO art car was initiated, where $17.00 was raised, and my final decision is to promote the WFPO art car fundraiser at the Harris County Green Party monthly meetings, pending approval from the co-chairs (Chris "CJ" Jarzombek and Jennifer Beazley).  Since 5/21/01, the web author/activist who vows to liberate WestFest back to the Montrose has been an active member with the HCGP and PVA, where coalition building was of paramount concern.  So far, my volunteer experience with both organizations have paved my path to become successful with the WFPO, especially where the 2001 citywide elections is a turning point for saving a Montrose tradition for years to come.

At the Houston Music Alliance stage, the lead singer of the local rock group Sense of Urgency stated that the $5.00 admission fee was a nightmare, and for both days, I was IDed as the sole advocate of the WFPO, where a sleeping activist has evolved into a celebrity.  The lead singer (name unknown) has a copy of the Armageddon website, as well as the candidates list (early edition of this page before 10/20/01).

Late this evening, I bumped into 'el meromero' (John Flores), and his opinion was to find a viable solution with using the ET in the long run.  Somehow, the current method of WestFest in its Diaspora state is a realistic nightmare, and it's important to the voters this coming November 6th.  I have been a WestFest fan for over 10 years, after attending the Spring 1991 event.  Everyone that I have spoken with (# of conversations with patrons) sided with yours truly, as well as a protege' of Quanell X and Ada Edwards.

PL supplemental:  my HPD connections (JD, Buffy, and Sista Rachel) were reassigned to traffic and guard duty, and as a matter of fact, Buffy is about to be done with UHCL this fall.  I feared that I would have been thrown out of WestFest if I canvassed, since other festivals like the Heights Festival was more stricter for canvassers, where the booth space was the only spot to conduct activities.  Only one festival that I almost ended up with a fat lip from law enforcement was the Greek Festival, since their event was family and religious-oriented.  To all fellow canvassers from other organizations like La Resistencia or the October 22nd Coalition, one will have to take extreme measures with event organizers, where 'private property' is enforced through by-laws.  One dream that should come true is the liberation of WestFest, as well as coalition building with political candidates.  Since June 23, 2001, the candidates that has recognized the WFPO liberation efforts include Barbara Ashley, Ada Edwards, Andrew C. Burks Jr, Mike Rodgers, Luis Ralph Ullrich, and Dr. Shelley Sekula Rodriguez.

10/21/01 personal log:  The art car made its return for the second day, except for a minor delay to locate Entrance #5, because of another conflicting event that blocked the entrance (Bagby Street at Lamar).  Before the arrival, I snatched eight Darryl Carter yard signs illegally planted at the intersection of Fondren at Beltway 8, as well as a drive-by on Montrose Blvd.  On non-WestFest days, the METRO bus stop is thrashed with litter, from the usual elements (homeless, transients et.al).  During the initial setup of the art car, the Darryl Carter yardsigns were donated to the Westside Democrats of Houston (WHDC), as well as a Marc Whitehead yard sign that was in the back of my SUV for a couple of weeks.  Before 12 noon, the MC at the Houston Music Alliance stage has become an official ally with the WFPO to liberate WestFest, since he wanted to know more of the WFPO's activities, and handed him a list of candidates for the COH 2001 elections.

The only difference with today's art car expo was a marquee written in white shoe polish which read LIBERATE WESTFEST NOW!  As a part of the promotion, a sign-up sheet for the WFPO listserv yielded 41 signatures, which will be used as a database for WestFest fans that used to enjoy the festival as it used to be until December 1999 (the first public hearing).  When I was canvassing the crowd at the art car expo, I was interviewed by an amateur video cameraman (with an 8MM Handycam) in regards to the WFPO as a community outreach program.  Getting people to sign up was a frenzy at the Cannibis Odyssey stage, since Sense of Urgency was on stage again, and a mob scene in front of the Harris County Green Party booth (with Jonathan Gerber at the helm) was the result of 10 xeroxed 8.5 x 14 blank sign-up sheets.

Before the end of the day, I bumped into Andrew C. Burks, Jr. (approximately 6:30 p.m.), where his wife dismantled a campaign banner at the East End gate.  He was at the Houston Public Library (Downtown), where a candidate forum chaired by Corpus Justice was in progress.  Because of WestFest affairs, I was not able to attend; however, I managed to let him meet with John Florez, since he has witnessed and experienced the current status of WestFest.  My activism of liberating WestFest back to its home was praised by Burks Jr, where my candidate list will have to be revised again.  I have doubts for the vacated At-Large #3 seat, which has drawn 7 candidates.

PL supplemental:  getting a second chance at the Wet T Shirt contest didn't come true (The Buzz's DJ Randy might not be ready for an activist to MC the stage), except for multiple pics from the 5:30 events (cannot upload because of lewd content).  All I wanted was to take the stage, where the WFPO has evolved from a small-time cyberclub to a community outreach program to preserve WestFest.

Canvassing the WestFest for both days has resulted in the following:  85 copies of the Armageddon website (74 copies of the revised version, and 11 older copies); 100+ copies of the candidate list (pre-10/20/01), as well as (COH) Anti-Proposition 2 literature.  The sign-up list yielded 41 signatures (35 with e-mail addresses).  A few Ada Edwards door hangers were distributed, and the uncirculated brick (from the Ada Edwards campaign office) were turned over to the HCGP booth, since the candidate list was adequate for canvassing.

10/26/01 update:  Here's the additional weblinks from this fall's WestFest; as of this writing, about half of the archived pics have been uploaded:

1/31/02 update:  For the past few months, I have been preoccupied with the Houston City Council runoff election for District D, and to bring this to a close, here's another pic page of yours truly, this time, without the Rasta wig.  Currently, for news and updates, the WFPO listserv will be used for posting new information, and to date, there are over 50+ members who I have recruited.  Below is a link if anyone is interested in enlisting:

Since 10.21.01, the WFPO now accepts online donations. The online contributions serve a purpose - to maintain the website, the WFPO Cruiser (and art car beginning in September 2002), and scheduled appearances at rallies and/or demonstrations.  Click below to donate $$$, if 'snail mail' is of no other alternative:

Copyright 2001, 2002 WestFest Purists Organization. All Rights Reserved.  All Rights Reserved.  Unauthorized duplication of this page and/or pics without consent of the author for exploitation is subject ot criminal prosecution.