you see them rollin'...

Houston Art Car Parade revs up for a return to in-person weekend fun

The Art Car Parade finally returns to downtown Houston.

Photo by Morris Malakoff

One of the city's most enduring cultural events will once again roll through the streets of downtown. The Orange Show for Visionary Art announced a full weekend of art car festivities, including the first in-person Art Car Parade since 2019.

Scheduled for Saturday, April 9, the 35th annual Houston Art Car Parade will feature over 100 new and never-before-seen art cars, according to a press release. In addition, the parade will feature many of Houston's signature slabs — slow, loud, and bangin' — along with bike and skater groups, creatively adorned wheeled contraptions, and "fur-covered, metal-modified, fire-breathing varieties." A full lineup of participating vehicles will be displayed on the event's website.

The two-hour parade will start at 2 pm and follow a familiar route past city hall along Dallas, Smith, and Lamar streets. Free to attend, it's expected to draw thousands of attendees. Reserved seating in the grandstands is available for $40.

Those who want a more luxurious parade experience may purchase tickets for the VIPit. Priced at $175, the VIP area comes with a gourmet lunch, cocktails, a kids creative area, and — most importantly — nearby reserved parking.

Of course, the Art Car Parade is only one component of Art Car Weekend. The four-day affair kicks off April 7 with a sneak peek at Discovery Green (6-10 pm). The free event will feature almost 100 art cars and a performance by American Idol contestant Ren Patrick.

The Legendary Art Car Ball takes place Friday, April 8 at the The Orange Show World Headquarters (2401 Munger St.). Always one of the most anticipated parties of the year, it will feature art installations, elaborate costumes, and, of course, hundreds of art cars. Austin jazz ensemble Golden Dawn Arkestra will headline the event, which will also feature the debut performance of The Suffers’ Kam Franklin’s newest project Bayou City Comeback Chorus.

General admission tickets are available for $35 with VIP tickets priced at $100. They're on sale now.

The weekend concludes on April 10 with the Houston Art Car Parade Awards Ceremony. Held at the Orange Show, it will award over $15,000 in prizes including the first-ever Ann Harithas Legacy Award, named for an artist, collector, and curator, who is credited with organizing one of the first public exhibitions of art cars in Houston in the early 1980s.

Art cars will roam the streets of Houston in April.

Photo by Morris Malakoff

Art cars will roam the streets of Houston in April.

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hey, joe

Trader Joe's sets Cypress opening date, confirms Bellaire plans

Photo courtesy of Towne Lake by Caldwell Communities Facebook page

Trader Joe's is expanding, and shoppers couldn't be happier.

Two new Houston-area communities announced that they would be opening Trader Joe's locations, bringing the total number of stores in the city to nine.

On Thursday, December 18, the Towne Lake by Caldwell Communities Facebook page posted that the new Trader Joe's at 9715 Towne Lake Parkway would open at 8 am on Friday, December 19. Unsold but still-good products left over at the ribbon cutting ceremony will be donated to local nonprofits.

"Not only does Trader Joe's have great prices on food, drinks, and treats, but as a hobby florist I always find the best selections for my floral arrangements," Copperfield resident Kelsey Zuchlewski tells CultureMap. "Now, with the convenience of having a location right here in our neighborhood, I'm in heaven."

Confirmation of the Cypress opening followed an announcement on the City of Bellaire's Facebook page that a Trader Joe's would take over the former Randall's at 5130 Bellaire Blvd. The post did not specify when construction will begin or when the location will open.

"This highly anticipated addition to our community will bring a unique grocery shopping experience and further enhance the vibrant retail landscape of Bellaire," the post said. "We look forward to welcoming Trader Joe’s and will share updates as the project progresses."

The California-based chain of stores entered Houston in 2012, first in the Woodlands and then, more famously, at the old Alabama Theater space on Shepherd, where it has become a beloved local institution. Since then, the chain has expanded throughout Houston, including a Kingwood location that opened earlier this month.

Over the year, Trader Joe's has built a loyal following that rivals even H-E-B. Staff at the stores (wearing Hawaiian shirts) are trained to be extremely friendly and helpful, as well as being encouraged to purchase ownership in the company. The selection is smaller and more curated than other larger grocery stores, leading to a boutique experience that many consider to be surprisingly affordable. At least one viral TikToker claims that Trader Joe's beats H-E-B's price, although the latter undoubtedly has a larger selection of goods.

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