Art Car Parade

Festival Location: Houston, TX, USA

Festival State: Texan Festivals

Festival Type(s): Car Shows, Art Festivals

By: © Nelson Taylor 2009

Different than California's Artcar Fest, though they continue to be rivals, Houston's gathering celebrates paradable art, not useful art, a difference the California men and women insist be made. Part of the Houston International Festival, which is the city's biggest celebration of the arts, the Art Car Parade is the nation's oldest (since 1987) and largest Art Car gathering, which is sponsored by the Orange Show Foundation and Pennzoil. After the parade, name judges -- artists and car collectors themselves (Dusty Hill from ZZ Top, for instance) -- give out all kinds of awards and prizes: Best Classic Car, Best Contraption (chariots, couches, lawnmowers, wheelchairs), Best Lowrider, Best Political Statement and many others. The winner of the People's Choice award goes home with $1500. The total cash award in all categories is $9800. While the parade costs nothing to watch, there is an $18 entry fee for all you aspiring art car artists. Applications are available online.