Houston's art cars rev up the style for 2017 parade

HOUSTON – There were tributes to Prince, SUVs painted in Peeps, and even dancing lobsters. There were no rules to the rides at Houston's Art Car Parade.

Some were scary, some were silly, and others were just plain peculiar. Some art cars weren't even cars at all.

And you didn't even have to have a motor to join in. Some people walked, others biked, and some just floated along down the streets of downtown Houston on Saturday.

The inspirations behind the custom creations came from all over.

A frame-covered van was made by elementary students.

"We got a lot of frames made by first through fifth graders at Lovett Elementary. They spent about a year-and-a-half working on it," Kurt Boyle said. "This is the result."

And John Lee drove his art in all the way from Mexico.

"It's a 2003 Ford pickup truck that needed painting," Lee said.

And Ryan Ray, 8, stood along the fence, cheering the cars on as they passed.

"I'm shaking this, we just found some collections, and I am shaking this to make some noise," Ray said.

He already knows which wheels he'd take a ride in.

PHOTOS: Inside the 2017 Houston Art Car Parade

"I think I like the ocean needle thing like with the shark on it, the sewing thing. That's really cool," Ray said.

But Mike Okert said he could never pick just one out of the so many eccentric, unique, and, at times, confusing creations drifting through our downtown.

"The cars are just fantastic. I'm a car enthusiast person, and this is the best thing in the world," Okert said.

The award ceremony for the parade will be held Sunday at noon.