There's no doubt that Houston is a city in love with its cars, but for a few hours Sunday, bicyclers and pedestrians ruled a prime stretch of lower Westheimer.

Under glorious blue skies on a sunny afternoon, Houstonians pedaled and walked down the normally car-choked thoroughfare between Yupon and McDuffie as all vehicular traffic was prohibited. It is part of a pilot project called Sunday Streets HTX aimed at promoting a family-friendly opportunity for Houstonians to be physically active on streets that are closed for a few hours on the first Sunday in each month in different parts of the city.

Mayor Annise Parker and the city's sustainability director Laura Spanjian were among those strolling along Westheimer. While not promoted as as street festival, the Sunday Streets celebration took on the trappings of an outdoor fair, with youngsters selling lemonade, organizations offering pets for adoption, a hula-hoop fitness area, and musicians drawing crowds along they way.

Although not opened yet, the highly anticipated bakery Common Bond, located at Westheimer and Dunlavy, offered free baked goods to those who waited in line as a trial run. A man at the door said that it was a one-day only activity because the bakery will not be open for business for another two weeks.

CultureMaper Rolando Dans forwarded us some photos of the action along Westheimer as the afternoon progressed. See them in the slide show above.

The next Sunday Streets festivities will take place on June 1 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.., along a long stretch of Washington Avenue from Studemont to Market Square in downtown Houston.

Got a great photo of a Houston happening or everyday occurance? Send it to barbara@culturemap.com, along with details (who, what, where and why it's special). It might make our Pix of the Day.

Rolando Dans took this photo of the crowd on Westheimer with downtown Houston rising up like Oz.

  

Photo by Rolando Dans

Rolando Dans took this photo of the crowd on Westheimer with downtown Houston rising up like Oz.