art

Art Cars Return! Iconic Parade Becomes Parking-Lot Event for 2021

Art Cars Return! Iconic Parade Becomes Parking-Lot Event for 2021

The 2018 Art Car Parade (photo by Emily Jaschke)

HOUSTON'S ART CAR Parade is iconic, the largest event of its kind in the world. And for anyone who's ever wanted to see the motorized masterpieces up close, the Orange Show is revving up an incredible, unique experience for 2021.

This year, dozens of Art Cars won't roll through Downtown, with crowds of thousands gathered to spectate. Instead, the Houston Art Car Experience will be parked at the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art's five-acre campus off I-45 near UH May 14-16. Here, socially distanced revelers will be able to walk around a maze of showpieces while enjoying a digital self-guided tour.

"The Houston Art Car Experience will allow the public to more closely engage with the art than they have in the past," says the Orange Show's Tommy Ralph Pace, "while also enjoying the aspects of Houston Art Car Weekend that they have grown to love: community partnerships, artistic collaborations, incredible musical entertainment, and the joy that comes from a true freedom of artistic expression."

The 2019 Art Car Parade (photo by Morris Malakoff)

Families can plan to visit the Orange Show HQ on Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the hours of 10am-5pm. Tickets for assigned time slots should be purchased in advance, and gusts are encouraged to cap their visits at 90 minutes. In addition to food, drinks, crafts and merch, the experience boasts a quarter-mile Art Car Walk, throughout which visitors can scan each vehicle's QR code to learn more about the making of the low riders, SLABs, mobile sculptures and others.

And for the first time, the general public will be able to view and appreciate the Art Cars at night, during an illuminated celebration that was previously reserved for the Art Car Ball kickoff event. From 7pm-11pm on Friday and Saturday, the Art Car Parade Experience By Night will include unique art installations, costumes, live music, cocktails and more; VIP tickets are available, too. Let's roll!

From Your Site Articles
Related Articles Around the Web
Art + Entertainment
promoted

Leadership in Action: ‘Family, Community and Spiritual Connection’ Drives Success for Henry Richardson

Al Torres
Leadership in Action: ‘Family, Community and Spiritual Connection’ Drives Success for Henry Richardson

How did you get to where you are today? The present moment is a combined history of my family, my time as an athlete, my passion for learning, and my desire to see the world be better. I grew up as a successful springboard and platform diver, however, an injury caused me to seek alternative treatments to heal my body. In that process, I discovered the power of yoga, exercise, meditation, mindset, and nutrition. This holistic approach eventually led me to open a Pilates and cycling studio called DEFINE body & mind. I opened studios around the nation, and after selling most of my business between 2017-2019, I was ready to explore how I could make an even greater impact on the wellbeing of our community. In 2023, I started actively working on a brand new multi-family/apartment concept called, Define Living. The idea focused on offering health and wellness services within a beautiful apartment setting to increase the wellbeing of our residents. Having a strong sense of community is the number one factor in living a happy life, so why not build a community where daily fitness, cooking classes, and social connection are the norm? We opened Define Living in March of 2024, and we couldn’t be happier with how things are being received. We are already looking at building more concepts like this in the Houston area and beyond.

Keep Reading Show less
food

The Truffle Masters Returns — with a New Competition — Benefitting Southern Smoke

THE TRUFFLE MASTERS is returning for its 11th year on March 3rd. Now a Houston tradition of sorts, the competition sees top chefs creating a dish using black truffles all benefitting Southern Smoke.

Keep Reading Show less
style

Sneak Peek: Check Out Houston-Based Foreign Fare’s Spring 2025 Collection

Arianna Vetere

A new look from the soft landings collection

FROM THE OWNERS of popular Montrose haunts Traveler’s Table and Traveler’s Cart is another jetset-focused business. Owners Thy and Matthew Mitchell launched Foreign Fare in the fall of 2023 with long-haul travelers in mind. The pieces are wrinkle-free and designed to be functional as well as stylish. The line was recently featured in Travel & Leisure as a “first class look.”

Keep Reading Show less