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48th Annual O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships

The 48th Annual O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships springs open
WORD PUNISHMENT on Saturday, May 10, 2025, 10 am - 5:30pm

 

In 2025 be square, be there in Brush Square Park, right behind the
O. Henry Museum in downtown Austin! A FREE public event that takes place outdoors, weather permitting. No ticket or RSVP is required!
 

The Grand Daddy of all pun competitions is in Austin, Texas, naturally. Is it the best? Yes. Is it the oldest? Definitely. Is it the funniest? Easily.

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There are a lot of great pun competitions all over the US. Probably all over the world. But the O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships has been around for 48 jears! it’s hard to imagine one more refined. For Texans, anyway.

2024 Pun-Off Champions! [photo by Glenn Greenwood]

Congratulations to all 2024
O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships Contestants

Punniest of Show Winners

Gary Hallock Memorial Award 1st Jerzy Gwiazdowski

  • 2nd Tobias Miceli-Gwiazdowski

  • 3rd Erika Ettin

PunSlingers

  • 1st Jerzy Gwiazdowski

  • 2nd Blake Bauserman

  • Third (tie) Maury Zeff and Atom Even Engel

MMVP Award: Sarah Flocken

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OFFICIAL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 

48th Annual O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships May 10, 2025  -  10:00am - 5:30pm

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Live Music begins at 10:00am!
Punniest of Show Competition

  • Date: Saturday, May 10, 2025, approx. 11:30am-1:30pm

  • Place: Brush Square Park (Outdoors, weather permitting. Bring your own lawn chairs, blankets, etc.!)

  • 32 contestants perform prepared 90 second pun routines for judges.

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PunSlingers Competition

  • Date: Saturday, May 10, 2025, approx. 2:00pm-5:30pm

  • Place: Brush Square Park (Outdoors, weather permitting. Bring your own lawn chairs, blankets, etc.!)

  • 32 Contestants make spontaneous puns on a topic in five seconds against an opponent. Contestants advance through rounds until one PunSlinger wins it all!

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And there's more!

  • Live Music starting at 10:00 am.

  • Auction - bid on unique, valuable items from 10:00am-4:00pm.

  • Punsters United Nearly Yearly (P.U.N.Y.) Social

    • Date: Friday, May 9, 2025, 6 - 9 pm

    • Place: Brush Square Courtyard (beside O. Henry Museum)

    • Contestant games & pun practice rounds. Punster of the Year Award.

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