Houston Art Car Parade Weekend: Main Event

The Starting Line Party – 11am – Allen Parkway @ Heiner St.
Live music, food, drinks, and some great sponsor activations are in store for guests attending The Starting Line Party. Sponsored by Splice Records, it’s a great opportunity to see some up-and-coming musical acts and grab a prime spot on the parade route, and enjoy a selection of beverages and food trucks. Free to attend.

The Kids Zone at Sam Houston Park – 11am – Sam Houston Park, 1000 Bagby St., Houston, TX 77002
Located in beautiful Sam Houston Park on the edge of downtown Houston and at the very front of the parade’s starting cars, the Kids Zone features an array of creative activities for both kids and adults alike from community partners.

Whether its designing and creating your own miniature art car, participating in a community mural project, learning how an art car is made, or enjoying some family-friendly entertainment, the Kids Zone is a perfect spot to start off parade day! In addition, reserved bleacher seats adjacent to Sam Houston Park with great views of the parade are available for purchase in advance or on site. Free to attend.

The VIPit Experience at Hermann Square – 12pm – Hermann Square at City Hall
Join the 2022 Houston Art Car Parade Weekend presented by Team Gillman co-chairs Libbie Masterson and Mark Sullivan for the ultimate viewing party and the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art’s largest fundraiser during parade weekend, The VIPit Experience. Centered on the grounds of Hermann Square in the shadow of City Hall, the VIPit Experience offers guests incredible views of the Houston Art Car Parade as it rolls through Downtown. Included in tickets is a gourmet lunch from some of Houston’s best restaurants, delicious cocktails, pre-parade entertainment, a kids creative area, live parade commentating from notable Houston personalities, and nearby reserved parking. Individual tickets start at $175, reserved tables start at $1,500, and reserved grandstand sections start at $2,000 and are available at www.thehoustonartcarparade.com

The 35th Annual Houston Art Car Parade presented by Team Gillman – 2pm – Allen Parkway and downtown Houston
For the 35th year, the Houston Art Car Parade will roll through the city’s streets, greeted by thousands of eager fans cheering on the close to 250 entries. The parade’s official start is at Dallas St. (inbound Allen Parkway) & Bagby St., where it will head into downtown, taking a left onto Smith St., circling around City Hall onto Walker St., then cutting a left onto Bagby St., and finally taking a right onto Lamar St. (outbound Allen Parkway). The parade will continue along Allen Parkway until dispersing at Waugh Drive. As always, the parade is free to attend.
Attendees are encouraged to get to the parade route early to grab their spot, and take part in beverage and merchandise stations dotted along the route, as well as food trucks, sponsor activations, entertainment, and more. The checkered flag is waved at 2pm, and the parade will last approximated two hours, with Allen Parkway and downtown streets opening back up at 5pm. Parking can be found in parking garages downtown (visit www.downtownhouston.org/parking for a list of nearby garages), or on side streets along Allen Parkway.