Here’s the Real-Life Bar That Becomes Moe’s Tavern Every Halloween
Simpsons die-hards who have always longed to waste an evening pounding pints and shooting the breeze with the regular barflies of Moe’s Tavern should book their flight to Austin, Texas as soon as possible — October is the only season when the taps are manned by I.P. Freely.
Within the world of The Simpsons, Springfield’s pre-eminent hangout for mid-to-high-grade alcoholics and stash spot for exotic animal trafficking is, frankly, a bit of a depressing spot. After all, Larry the Barfly wasted the final 35 years of his life there before finally slumping over his bar stool and both the Moe’s crowd and the viewers at home barely noticed him. At Moe’s, the mugs are dirty, the roaches are abundant and the noose hanging in the supply closet is just waiting for the day when it will finally take the depressed proprietor of the joint. But for Homer, Lenny, Carl and Barney, Moe’s is a home away from home — and during Halloween season, it can be yours, too, so long as you live in the Austin area.
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For the past seven Octobers, Nickel City on 11th street in the Texas capital has transformed itself into a loving recreation of the Simpsons tavern complete with themed food and drink that pays homage to the alcoholic and culinary culture of the beloved comedy series. Beginning on October 14th and stretching through Halloween, Nickel City will serve Flaming Moes (or Flaming Homers) and Krusty Burgers, and legendary Simpsons writer and showrunner Bill Oakley will even make two appearances on October 22nd and 23rd to answer the same questions about steamed hams for the thousandth time:
Along with the aforementioned Simpsons-inspired food and drink options, Nickel City has partnered with other Austin-area restaurants to offer pizza served by a Chef Luigi cosplayer, omakase offerings in the fashion of Springfield’s Happy Sumo restaurant and seafood a la Captain Horatio McCallister’s Frying Dutchman. Along with Oakley’s Q&A session, the entertainment options will include a Simpsons-themed singalong starting with Sadgasm’s “Kisses Are Dirt,” and there will even be an appearance from Spider-Pig.
Considering the popularity of the pop-up, Nickel City is sure to be packed to the brim between now and November 1st. Good luck trying to reach your friends Amanda Huginkiss and Jacques Strap in that crowd.
