Houston Art Car Parade

The 29th Annual Houston Art Car Parade was this past weekend, and I had the good fortune to be able to attend. I missed last year's when the weather was kind of sour so I was very glad that the weather held up this year. This year's parade featured almost 250 Art Cars weaving through the west side of downtown Houston. I made sure to get there several hours early to stake out a good spot near the front of the parade (and close to the drink tent!). I took pictures of several of the Art Cars that caught my eye (below), but I also wanted to share some quick thoughts about the cars and the parade:

1. Every city needs an art car parade. The entire atmosphere was fantastic, with food and drink trucks rampant and people everywhere in costumes. Multiple roads were closed for the parade and everyone was in a great mood having a great time.
2. The parade could use fewer political messages. It seemed as if every 3 or 4 cars was promoting a controversial political topic (legalizing marijuana, gun ownership, etc.), and while they certainly had a right to do so, it distracted from the effort that others put into their cars.
3. Speaking of effort, I can't imagine how much time and money people poured into some of the cars (just look at the shell car in the first pic below!). It would not surprise me to learn that many cars required a small fortune, and considering they do not get paid to drive their car in the parade, some of the Art Car owners seem genuinely insane.
4. It is surprising how many people still have roller skates and roller blades. Seemed like everyone was rolling through the streets checking things out. Those wheels made it easy for people to get around, while simultaneously making it feel like it was 1992. 
5. The strangest thing that I saw during the entire day was not one of the art cars, but rather a tiny woman in jogging clothes walking what appeared to be a 7 foot tall Woolly Mammoth with black fur. The contrast of the tiny woman and huge mammoth/dog was very noticeable. The creature could have swallowed her whole. I forgot to take a picture because it was such a strange sight.

If your city does not have an art car parade (which it probably does not), then you should make plans to attend next year's parade in Houston. It will be the 30th Parade, and I hear that plans are in store to make it the best one ever. Let's look at the pics of the cars from this year's parade. Clicking on any picture will enlarge it so you can see things closer:

This Art Car was covered in all sorts of seashells

This Art Car doubled as a zeppelin.

World famous Crapper Car. The driver was sitting on the crapper

The Art Car was one of my favorites. Lobsters on the hood and the fish on the sides all moved in unison like a school of hipster fish

I've caught a bass that big before. I swear

This Art Car was smoking a ginormous cigarette. I hope it knows that smoking can cause Radiator Cancer

A cockroach for an Art Car. Yuck

This Art Car was carrying a T-Rex that breathed smoke

Art Car depicting the rock band Queen

Another view of the Queen Art Car and Freddie Mercury

This Art Car had a flying superhero on top

Texas-themed Art Car

Wonder if this is from the Jurassic Park movies...

Potheads probably wanted to smoke this Art Car made of grass

A peacock Art Car. Very creative

Mexican Wrestling, or Lucha libre!

These wrestlers were having an actual wrestling match on the car. Unfortunately, I did not see anyone get body slammed on the roof

This dude made himself into a hospital patient. Very clever

Never figured out how he was steering the bed

A Spider-Cycle. This thing legitimately scared several children near me LOLOLOLOL

Not really sure what this was. A unicron-zerbra-rocking horse-on wheels?

Absolutely gorgeous day to be outside at the Art Car parade

This guy must have spent a decade getting this car decorated just right

One of my favorites - an old guy dressed as Elvis driving a guitar. he also had an Elvis head on a skateboard that was controlled by remote control

Beautiful car. Reminds me of a wooden Delorean

Santa Car. Kind of cool. Definitely weird.