It can be hard to feel connected to things these days with most items of daily use being mass produced and disposable, but one look around at the cars that fill the streets of Houston for the annual Art Car Parade can restore our sense of humanity and community.
The often rainy and cool days of April leading up to the Art Car Parade are some of the most whimsical days our city has to offer as Houstonians can catch glimpses of these fantastic creations in their natural habitat before they gather up to promenade.
In no other city would you be able to see a giant banana car or a row of impeccable slab cars bouncing up and down around the streets. Whether it’s someone’s first time at this spectacular event or their 38th, the overarching goal of The Orange Show for Visionary Arts is to plant the seeds for a desire to create art and making it fun and accessible.
“It has to do with the intention of what we are trying to champion the intention of a visionary artist or the intention of a visionary artist that are doing what they’re doing because they can’t do anything else and they have to get it done,” chuckles Jack Massing, executive director of the Orange Show.
Massing, who became executive director in August of last year, was one half of the Houston conceptual artist duo The Art Guys. Massing along with Michael Galbreth, who died in 2019, completely understands this sentiment and has dedicated his life to creating art that challenged the notion of what art could be, often incorporating the public.
The Art Car Parade will take place on Saturday, April 12 with the lineup party running from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the actual parade beginning at 2 o’clock along Allen Parkway. As always, the event is free to attend and will also have the H-E-B Kids Creative Zone in Sam Houston Park.
That evening, Houstonians can attend the Art Car After Party at Market Square Park where people can continue the fun and say goodbye to the cars while also getting wristbands for specials on drinks and food all around downtown.
The actual parade day is sandwiched between the Main Street Drag on Friday, April 11 where art cars make their way to people in schools, hospitals and nursing homes who otherwise may not be able to attend the parade.
“That’s really special because that touches people a little bit more directly than just standing there watching the parade go by. It’s like a special mini parade just for them,” says Massing.
That same evening at Discovery Green, people can get up close and personal with more than 00 of the art cars for a Sneak Peak while enjoying live music and family friendly activities. Friday night is The Legendary Art Car Ball where attendees can explore the Orange Show World Headquarters while taking in performance art, seeing fun costumes and live music.
This year the ball will have performances by Brittany Davis, Kam Franklin, Free Rads, Geoffrey Muller and the Renegade Carnies. Nine time Olympic Gold Medal winner, University of Houston alum and current head coach for the university’s track and field program, Carl Lewis will serve as Grand Marshal for the event.
Massing describes knowing Lewis since their days at the University of Houston and having the honor to witness Lewis win his final gold medal at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. “He’s just a wonderful human being, not to mention one of the fastest people in the world for a number of years, it’s amazing.”
Though this is his first time being in charge of the parade, Massing has been along for the ride since the very first art car parade, which was originally billed as The New Music Parade. He has seen the growth of this event first hand, previously riding in the event, serving as judge and serving as announcer in the past.
What began as a line of about 20 floats and cars traveling down Montrose is now a massive event with over 250 cars and about 50 new cars added to the parade this year. The Art Car Parade also now counts on generous sponsors like H-E-B and Team Gillman Chevrolet to provide even more opportunities for engagement.
“One of the best programs that we have is with Team Gillman, this is probably one of the best things to happen to the Art Car Parade,” says Massing.
Every year, Team Gillman donates ten cars to the Orange Show directly to the teachers in various districts and the teachers then develop a program around the making of the art car with the kids decorating it from beginning to end. The teachers have a two-year contract with the car and then after that it must be returned and they can apply for a new car if they want to.
“If you think about it you have a lot of small hands that are eager to do the work. If you make an analogy to sports, you have a good coach and you have kids that are eager and you have a good soccer team all of a sudden, same thing with the art car, same thing with art itself. If you have a good teacher you have eager students and you end up making good artists.”
When asked if throughout the years he has had a favorite art car, Massing admits that he is biased as he recalls a funny stunt pulled by The Art Guys in 1992. The two completed the registration for the event business as usual, following all of the protocols required to get a number and ride in the parade.
When the day came, the duo went downtown dressed in suits and called a yellow cab. When they informed the cab driver that they wanted him to join the parade, naturally he had reservations and was worried about losing out on potential wages.
Massing offered to double his fare and the driver agreed to do it. “It was great and when we got finished with the parade he didn’t want the money. He said, ‘No, you keep it. That was the most fun I’ve had.’ He actually got interviewed and was on the news so he got to go home and watch himself on the news with his family so he was just thrilled. Fun story and it was a fun thing to do.”
The Art Car Parade will take place on Saturday, April 12, along Allen Parkway between Bagby and Dallas. Lineup begins at 11 a.m, parade begins at 2 p.m, free to attend.
