History of the Houston Art Car Parade

In 1984, Kit and Carl Detering donated a 1967 Ford station wagon to The Orange Show Foundation to be auctioned at our annual Gala benefit. Houston artist Jackie Harris transformed the car into a mobile work of art with a budget of $800 for paint and plastic fruit. The "Fruitmobile" was donated back to the foundation by the group of six who purchased it. Also in 1984, Ann Harithas curated an exhibition called "Collision" at Lawndale Art Center that featured two art cars. All this activity resulted in a number of art cars seen on Houston streets. In 1986, Rachel Hecker and Trish Herrera organized a New Music Parade in conjunction with the New Music America Festival. Some 20 artist floats and art cars paraded down Montrose Boulevard, ending at the dedication of the MFAH sculpture garden. A few months later, Susanne Demchak organized a "Road Show" at The Orange Show on June 29, 1986, 11 art cars were exhibited alongside the Fruitmobile at The Orange Show, with Lowrider demonstrations, and children's art bike workshops. 1,400 Houstonians came, along with WFAA-TV and National Public Radio.

 

Roadside Attractions: The Art Car Parade was born in April, 1988 with a 40 car parade seen by an estimated 2,000.

 

In 1991, the Orange Show brought acclaimed art car artist David Best to Houston to collaborate on an art car with a University of Houston sculpture class. He and Houston artist Paul Kittelson staged an impromptu procession of art cars the day before the official parade around the city's 610 Loop.

The pre-parade art car convoy was such a success that in 1992, the Orange Show formalized the pre-parade event as the Main Street Drag, a caravan from the Astrodome at the South end of Main St. to the North Main barrio. In 1993, with the involvement of the Texas Children's Hospital, the Drag began to include the Texas Medical Center. It has grown into 8 separate caravans, making organized stops at 32 schools, hospitals and community centers, seeing more than 30,000 people.

Art Car Awards Ceremony

Over $10,000 in cash prizes is awarded by a panel of judges in recognition of the effort and expense artists assume in creating their art cars. The panel of judges is comprised of experts and cultural icons from various art, automobile, and entertainment disciplines. The panel has included such notables as Carlos Aguilar, David Best, Robert Delford Brown, Larry Fuente, Ann Harithas, Lynda Roscoe Hartigan, Dusty Hill, Walter Hopps, Luis Jiminez, Ed and Nancy Kienholz, Eric Staller, Ed 'Big Daddy' Roth, Herbert Hemphill, William Fagley, Michael Levy, Bob Wade, Ann Harithas, Jackie Harris, Lee Kogan, Phil Linhares, Doug Michels, and Marilyn Oshman.

Origins of the Art Car Ball