Julie Bower, art car driver of “Toyz On The Hood”.
2Crusin' Through the H!
Julie Bower, art car driver of “Toyz On The Hood”.
3A View to Love
View of the parade route from the pedestrian bridge over Allen Parkway coined the Love Lock Bridge.
4A View to Love
View of the parade route from the pedestrian bridge over Allen Parkway coined the Love Lock Bridge.
5Houston Leaders
Bun B and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner at the start of the Art Car parade.
6Houston Leaders
Bun B and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner at the start of the Art Car parade.
7Oh My Gawd!
Filmmaker, Harrod Blank with his art car, Oh My Gawd!
8Oh My Gawd!
Filmmaker, Harrod Blank with his art car, Oh My Gawd!
9Jeepers Peepers
Engine troubles for The Peep Jeep, an art car covered in Peeps candy.
10Jeepers Peepers
Engine troubles for The Peep Jeep, an art car covered in Peeps candy.
11An Art Car Kind of Day
The 35th Annual Houston Art Car Parade rolled through the city’s streets, Saturday, April 9th.
12An Art Car Kind of Day
The 35th Annual Houston Art Car Parade rolled through the city’s streets, Saturday, April 9th.
13I Love You for Your Pink Cadillac
A pink Cadillac rolls down Allen Parkway as part of the 2022 Art Car Parade.
14I Love You for Your Pink Cadillac
A pink Cadillac rolls down Allen Parkway as part of the 2022 Art Car Parade.
15Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?
DJ Chaney’s The Chaney Machine rolling through with the beats.
16Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?
DJ Chaney’s The Chaney Machine rolling through with the beats.
17Rising Strong After a Two Year Hiatus
Rising Strong, an art car created by the Waters family made its debut.
18Rock Lobster
Sashimi Tabernacle Choir art car.
19Rock Lobster
Sashimi Tabernacle Choir art car.
20Art Car Parade Grand Marshall
Art Car Parade Grand Marshall and Houston Rap Icon Bun B at the start of the parade.
21Art Car Parade Grand Marshall
Art Car Parade Grand Marshall and Houston Rap Icon Bun B at the start of the parade.
22Art Donkey
Art bikes along the route.
23Art Donkey
Art bikes along the route.
24H-Town Takeover
Art Car Parade Grand Marshall and Houston Rap Icon Bun B rides in a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado.
25H-Town Takeover
Art Car Parade Grand Marshall and Houston Rap Icon Bun B rides in a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado.
26Art Car Luchadors
Luchador CJ Gerukos taking on all comers and, pictured right, Luchadors Christine Farley, driving, and Todd Bowers up above, rolling down Allen Parkway during the 2022 Art Car Parade.
27Art Car Luchadors
Luchador CJ Gerukos taking on all comers and, pictured right, Luchadors Christine Farley, driving, and Todd Bowers up above, rolling down Allen Parkway during the 2022 Art Car Parade.
28Percy The Peacock
Art car, Percy Peacock, rolled through.
29Percy The Peacock
Art car, Percy Peacock, rolled through.
30Smoking Fish
“A Fish Called Juanita” by Larry White.
31Smoking Fish
“A Fish Called Juanita” by Larry White.
32We Come As Friends
Groovy bikes strolled along the parade route.
33We Come As Friends
Groovy bikes strolled along the parade route.
34Venus Hairse
Heights favorite, Cataillic Art Car – Hearse Covered in Cats.
35Venus Hairse
Heights favorite, Cataillic Art Car – Hearse Covered in Cats.
36Rising Strong After a Two Year Hiatus
Rising Strong, an art car created by the Waters family made its debut.
What started as a small gathering of art cars in 1986 has seemingly grown into Houston’s most visually pleasing event. After COVID-19 postponed most parade’s in the city, the Houston Art Car Parade made a momentous comeback this past weekend. Organized by The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, the artsy car party showcased over 250 mobile masterpieces from across the country, cruising through the streets of Downtown Houston.
The 2022 Art Car Parade emphasized our hometown automobile creations – slabs, plus dozens of new and never-before-seen art cars from fur-covered designs, to bejeweled and bedazzled handiworks. And to top it off, rapper and activist Bun B served as this year’s Grand Marshal.
The 35th annual celebration dedicated its grand prize to the late Ann Harithas, the Houston-based artist, curator, and collector credited with organizing one of Houston’s first displays of art cars. In 1998, she founded the ArtCar Museum and left a legacy for Texas artists and creators. Chris Wollard and his “Carvid 19” creation landed him the Ann Harithas Legacy Award and a $2000 cash prize.
The parade included three first-place winners, The Waters Family’s Rising Strong, The Decotoro’s self-titled art car, and Kimi Bainter’s Baby Yoda. While we await the dates for 2023, “cartists” from near and far can begin to prepare their ideas for an even bigger and better parade next April.
