With free beer and tacos, live music and fashion, there was no better way to kick off Memorial Day weekend than at the Dusk Till Dos event in Austin this week.
The pop-up fashion show was hosted by actor and comedian Ben Schwartz, best known for his role on Parks & Rec, and featured premiere Dos Equis’ summer essentials! Jean Ralphio approved, of course. The night included live music form ISHI and 80’s Obsession along with a DJ set by Vibe Vessel and Charity Partner: SEAL Legacy Foundation.
The show also featured these fine fanny fridges which will hold a six-pack.
The morning of the event I had the chance to interview Ben to get a feel for the eccentric night that was ahead of us. I met Ben and the Dos Equis team at their Airbnb located just outside the city with a poolside set up of all the Dos Equis’ summer essentials.
Here’s what he had to say about the event and the ATX.
Tell us about your show this evening.
Ben: “We’re doing it at Moontower Saloon. There’s gonna be all these fun people, guys and and girls doing the runway, I’m going to be on a microphone (with) maybe like a Britney Spears headset, I don’t know! I’ll be talking about the different items that will be coming down, each of which will be more ludicrous then than the last. Everything that will be coming down you’ll be questioning why we’re doing it and that’s why I said yes to all this!”
And what about the towel jacket.
Ben: “Ahh good! Because I haven’t told anybody yet! It’s a towel jacket! Dos Equis’ came to me and they said they were doing something called summer essentials, which of course, I didn’t know what that meant because it doesn’t mean anything. So I said, ‘What does that mean?’ And they said, ‘We have a towel jacket.’ I asked them why and they didn’t have an answer so I said, ‘I’m in!’ and that’s why I’m here. It costs $250 which makes it kind of even more insane. They only made 2,000 of them. You can get them at DosEquis.com.”
What are you most excited about in Austin?
Ben: “I’ve been to Austin a bunch of times. The food is always so great! I love the food here. The people have always been so kind. I’ve been to SXSW a bunch of times, I’ve performed here, the audiences are always so cool and so down to laugh. I really really like it here.”
Do you have any favorite Austin food spots?
Ben: “I do barbecue when I come here! I’ve been trying to do Franklins but every time I come here the line is too long. But I love La Barbecue and we did Iron Works Barbecue yesterday. I’m kind of making my way around all of them. I’ve heard I have to hit Salt Lick and I haven’t done County Line.”
What’s your favorite thing to do while in Texas?
Ben: “I know it’s cheesy but I always love going to the boots and the hats stores!”
So what’s your idea of Texas fashion?
Ben: “I haven’t tried anything! I love a sneaker. I don’t know what I’d think about boots but people who wear them always tell me that they’re way more comfortable than you’d think they’re going to be so I could convert. I don’t own a pair of boots.”
Do you have a favorite Texas musician?
Ben: “Oh Beyoncé! Why wouldn’t I say that, right?! I’m a very big fan of hers and everything she’s done! I thought her ‘Homecoming’ performance was amazing! I met her a very long time ago before she was as enormous as she is now and she was so sweet! I think she’s incredible!”
And we think these towel jackets are incredible and so is that price tag! But I guess that’s the price you pay to be cool.
All featured photos by Rick Kern/Getty Images for Dos Equis.
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