O. Henry Museum
Pun-Off
World Championships

Feeling a little punny? We have a verbal supplement.
The 48th Annual O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships
was held on
Saturday, May 10, 2025, 10 am - 6 pm
Be square, be there in Brush Square Park, right behind the O. Henry Museum in downtown Austin!
Missed it? See the video on Watch 2025
The Pun-Off is 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.
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.

2025 Pun-Off Champions! [photo by Julia Balinsky]
Punniest of Show Winners 2025
1st Place (Gary Hallock Memorial Award ): Erika Ettin
2nd Place: Emma Miller
3rd Place: Toby Miceli-Gwiazdowski
PunSlingers Winners 2025
1st Place: Blake Bauserman
2nd Place: Arun Debray
3rd Place (tie): Jarred Abel and Toby Miceli-Gwiazdowski
MMMVP Award (McClughan Memorial Most Viable Punster)
Kyle Goulston

2026 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
49th Annual O. Henry Museum Pun-Off World Championships
May 9, 2026 - 10am - 6pm
Live Music begins at 10:00am!
Punniest of Show Competition
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Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026, approx. 11:30am-1:30pm
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Place: Brush Square Park (Outdoors, weather permitting. Bring your own lawn chairs, blankets, etc.!)
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32 contestants perform prepared 90 second pun routines for judges.
PunSlingers Competition
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Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026, approx. 2:00pm-5:30pm
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Place: Brush Square Park (Outdoors, weather permitting. Bring your own lawn chairs, blankets, etc.!)
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32 Contestants make spontaneous puns on a topic in five seconds against an opponent. Contestants advance through rounds until one PunSlinger wins it all!
And there's more!
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Live Music starting at 10:00 am.
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Silent Auction - bid on unique, valuable items from 10:00am-4:00pm.
Punsters United Nearly Yearly (P.U.N.Y.) Social
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Date: Friday, May 8, 2025, 6 - 9 pm
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Place: Brush Square Courtyard (beside O. Henry Museum)
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Contestant games & pun practice rounds. Punster of the Year Award.