Houston Parks Board (HPB), the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art (OSCVA), and Houston Independent School District (HISD) are pleased to announce Houston’s first Art Bike Festival will take place on May 21. Building on the success of the iconic Art Car Parade, the Art Bike Festival will bring together Houstonians of all ages to celebrate Houston’s great parks and trails through art and creativity. The free, family-friendly event is open to all ages with a range of activities throughout the day at MacGregor Park and The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art campus.

“I am looking forward to the City's inaugural Art Bike Festival. I invite people of all ages to participate," said Mayor Sylvester Turner. "Houston is filled with creative types who will undoubtedly showcase their brilliant handiwork at this event. And much like the Art Car Parade, this festival is sure to become another destination event for Houston. Thank you to all of our partners for making it happen."

The day-long celebration kicks off at 9 a.m. in MacGregor Park. The parade will roll at 10 a.m. with participants joining a parade of art bikes created by students from more than 100 HISD schools, as families and fans cheer from the sidelines. An organized bike route along Brays Bayou Greenway from MacGregor Park to the OSCVA campus will invite community members, families, and friends to cycle together to an afternoon of awards, activities, and art.

“The Art Bike Festival is the kind of event that makes Houston unique,” said Kenneth Allen, Director, Houston Parks and Recreation Department. “MacGregor Park is the perfect place to bring together the young and old to create and celebrate rolling pieces of art. Thank you to the Houston Parks Board, the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, and HISD for making this family friendly event a reality.”

The Art Bike Festival will be a joyful, shared experience for all involved. Registration for the festival is recommended, but not required.

“We are thrilled to bring the Art Bike Festival to life in partnership with the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, Houston Independent School District and in collaboration with the City of Houston,” said Beth White, President and CEO of Houston Parks Board. “This wonderfully unique event called for multiple sites to showcase the beauty and diversity of our city. We look forward to experiencing Houston’s creative spirit at MacGregor Park, Brays Bayou Greenway, and The Orange Show.”

“Born out of the iconic Art Car Parade, which just celebrated its 35th anniversary, the Art Bike Festival furthers OSCVA’s longtime mission of celebrating radical expressions of individualism and the artist in everyone” said OSCVA Executive Director Tommy Ralph Pace. “We are thus thrilled to increase accessibility to the arts across Houston through our collaboration with the Houston Independent School District, City of Houston, and the Houston Parks Board by bringing another city-wide event to life that encourages everyone to exercise their creativity!”

In 2020, Houston Parks Board and OSCVA donated more than 250 bikes to HISD for students to kick-start their own Art Bike project and participate in the parade, which was originally slated for May 2020. While the event date was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the partnership with HISD continues. More than 100 HISD campuses will participate in the rescheduled Art Bike Festival, engaging approximately 3,000 students district wide.

“I am excited for the City’s first Art Bike Festival. The students of HISD are creative, and like the Art Car Parade, this is another opportunity for them to show off their skills,” said HISD Superintendent Millard House II. “Thank you to the Houston Parks Board and OSCVA for their generous donation to ensure our students can take part in this unique experience.”

The Art Bike Festival is presented in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Special Events and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, with support from Williams, Sterling Associates, Clark Condon, Gensler, and Port Houston.

More information on the Art Bike Festival can be found at www.houstonartbike.com. Houstonians who are interested in participating in the parade portion of the event are encouraged to register online by May 15.