In the beginning, God created heaven and earth and East Side Days.

Well, maybe just heaven and earth. East Side Days is man-made, but so revered is the celebration that it has battled time and fickle fans to survive.

The celebration has been around so long that it just seems ancient by comparison to other summertime holidays,

It's older than any other Austin celebration. It's older than the Blooming Prairie and Lyle Independence Day celebrations.

Dick Lang, the Austin businessman who has made the city's east side his home and business environment, is the resident historian on East Side Days.

"It started in 1962," he said without hesitation. "It's the oldest continuous celebration of any in Austin or around these parts. It's been going on forever."

Recently, Lang saw a video made during one of the earliest East Side Days celebration.

"It showed the old Austin East Side Drug Store, where BoBee Jo's is today

and all the other wonderful businesses that used to be around the intersection in those days. The original hotel and everything," he said. "You should have seen all the people at that parade. Boy, those were the days."

Long-time Austin residents will remember when the annual Memorial Day or Independence Day parades started on the city's east side. Right at the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Eighth Street NE and traveled down Fourth Avenue NE to North Main Street and through the downtown area to the original American Legion Post near the current Salvation Army Austin Corps headquarters.

"I remember one year they came away with a new Chevy at East Side Days. In those days, that was the holiday to attend," Lang said.

Lang's east side pride shines in his public service as much as anything. He has served on the Austin City Council as a 3rd Ward representative and is now the 4th District Mower County Commissioner. The 4th district is comprised entirely of the city's 3rd Ward.

As times changed, so did the east side; essentially 10th Street NE from Second Avenue West to Fourth Avenue. The popular Harry's Cafe closed. Chuck Nelson moved his barbershop to the west side of Austin. Bissen TV and Appliance also moved.

Gary Groh's work to restore the former Milwaukee Road railroad depot brought new attention to the area; just like Dennis Jones' cabinet business in the former rail yard. Fox Electric Company is also a mainstay as well as the former Ace Hotel; now a boarding house and Lang's residence.

A Hispanic grocery signals the changing ethnic makeup of the

nearby neighborhood.

The city plans to redevelop the rail yard between 10th and 11th Streets, but the glory days of the east side are gone.

While a new tire shop is a welcome addition to the main thoroughfare, 10th Street NE, the only other businesses are a pawn shop -- owned by Lang -- and four bars, including one owned by Lang.

"The Austin Chamber of Commerce has done a wonderful job of promoting the new celebrations," he said, "but East Side Days is still the one they remember over here."

The 2003 edition of East Side Days takes place Friday and Saturday.

It will be sponsored by four bars: BoBee Jo's, Hiawatha Bar, Charley's Lounge and Lefty's Bar.

The Friday schedule begins at 7 p.m. Participants can enter the party grounds through the four bars. No one under 21 years of age will be admitted.

Roger Benson's 3 Lane band will provide music for listening and street-dancing pleasures both Friday and Saturday night, June 28. There will also be a horseshoe tournament Saturday. Call the Hiawatha Bar 433-7023 for more information.

Food, fellowship and fun are guaranteed, according to the celebration sponsors.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com