Houston hosts world's biggest art car parade

The world's largest art car parade traveled through the city of Houston Saturday, giving art car-lovers a rare chance to view about 300 art cars of every shape and design imaginable.

Entries for the parade, which is in its 26th year, include anything on wheels from unicycles, bikes, lawnmowers, to cars and go-carts, and participants include everyone who is interested in art cars, from community groups, public and private schools, professional organisations to ordinary individuals, reported Xinhua.

Bob Wink changed his go-cart body up every two years to keep things fresh. This year his entry was titled "Fried Chicken" and Wink dressed up as Colonel Sanders who founded the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant chain.

Artist Andy Hazell brought his entry "Heroicar" to the Houston art car parade. He imagined a driver being rescued from some unseen peril as Superman swoops in and picks him up, car and all.

The Houston Art Car Parade was first held in April 1988, with a 40-car parade seen by an estimated 2,000 spectators. Today, the parade features cars from across the country as well as from Canada and Mexico, and draws an estimated 250,000-plus spectators.

Its official website said the two-hour parade wants to send the message that art is an integral part of everyone's everyday life.